1970s–2008
Before the Chain
Proto-cypherpunks, failed digital cash, the hunt for trustless time.
Part 1
Chapters in this part
- 1.1 Cypherpunk seeds 1970s–1990s Crypto rebels invent the primitives: public-key crypto, privacy tools, and a belief that math outlasts kings.
- 1.2 Digital money false starts E-cash rides high, then meets law enforcement and business reality.
- 1.3 Hashes and timestamps Merkle trees, hashcash, and timestamping set the stage for immutable ledgers.
- 1.4 Proof-of-work origins Anti-spam puzzles become economic shields.
- 1.5 The search for trustless time How to order events without a trusted clockkeeper.
- 1.6 The list as a character Cypherpunk mailing list: collective brain, anonymity, schisms.