Bitcoin whitepaper turns 18 as $6.3B hack fuels custody debate

Bitcoin’s whitepaper turned 18 on Oct. 31, bringing fresh attention to Satoshi Nakamoto’s proposal for payments without trusted intermediaries days after Binance reported a $6.3 billion theft. Satoshi published the Bitcoin whitepaper on Oct. 31, 2008, through the cryptography mailing list. The nine-page document proposed preventing double-spending without relying on a bank or central mint. Binance has pledged to cover losses after attackers drained billions from its cryptocurrency wallets. Self-custody advocates and US investor guidance describe different responsibilities for safeguarding private keys.