Bitcoin

Bitcoin is the first and largest cryptocurrency, created by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto and launched in 2009. It operates on a decentralized network of computers (the Bitcoin blockchain) without any central authority. No government can print more of it (the supply is capped at 21 million coins), no company can reverse a confirmed transaction, and no bank can freeze a self-custodied Bitcoin wallet. It was explicitly designed to be censorship-resistant money.

What it means

Bitcoin's properties — fixed supply, decentralized, pseudonymous, censorship-resistant — make it attractive not just as a speculative asset but as a payment system for anyone operating outside the financial mainstream. For debanked activists, businesses cut off by PayPal, or individuals in countries with dysfunctional banking systems, Bitcoin is functional money that doesn't require permission from any institution.

Its volatility is the main practical limitation for everyday transactions. One dollar worth of Bitcoin today might be 70 cents or $1.40 tomorrow. Stablecoins address this for commerce use cases.

How it works on Gab

Gab accepts Bitcoin for GabPRO subscriptions. For the segment of the Gab user base that uses Bitcoin as a matter of financial principle — preferring transactions that don't route through a payment processor that can be pressured to cancel — Bitcoin acceptance for subscriptions is a meaningful feature. It also reflects the platform's values: financial sovereignty is an extension of digital sovereignty.

Related terms

Cryptocurrency is the broader category Bitcoin pioneered. Self-custody is the practice that makes Bitcoin truly censorship-resistant. Debanking is the financial oppression Bitcoin was designed to resist.