The buzz around the Bitcoin (BTC) ecosystem has attracted investors and enthusiasts from all walks of life. Alongside the Bitcoin boom over the past decade, has been the community keeping up with the pace through a strong network of online platforms.
The idea of a decentralized system bringing financial autonomy to the general public was at first discussed on public forums of the internet. Ever since then, the online community has strived to bring the concept of Bitcoin to life and challenge the ways of the traditional financial system.
The peer-to-peer (P2P) nature of Bitcoin translates to its community as it aims to strengthen the discussion about Bitcoin, all while witnessing the cryptocurrency’s rise into the mainstream media.
To make this possible, a plethora of Bitcoin-dedicated platforms — both online and offline — stand as the backbone of the disparate community. While there are countless options, it can get overwhelming to find a reliable source that best suits your needs.
Online discussions
If there’s no internet, there’s no Bitcoin. Out of all the conversations that revolve around the first cryptocurrency, most of it happens online through direct interactions among novice users, hodlers, developers and businesses. Since Bitcoin’s inception, online discussions have played a crucial role in turning a dream of independent finance into a reality, one that is a direct alternative to the existing banking institutions.
Here are some popular social websites and platforms in no particular order:
Bitcointalk — Founded by Bitcoin’s creator Satoshi Nakamoto, it is the oldest active Bitcoin forum. It is the birthplace of the most historical conversations and ideas shared by the founder(s) and people involved in developing the blockchain-based independent financial system. The forum is also widely used to find Bitcoin-related meetups around the world.
Twitter — If you really want to feel the heat of the Bitcoin explosion, this is the place to be. Twitter currently stands as the biggest platform for crypto enthusiasts around the world. It allows the general public to directly interact with crypto leaders and fintech innovators. However, considering social media’s vast reach, unsuspecting investors from across the globe continue to be targeted by scammers who are currently present on Crypto Twitter.
Bitcoin Garden Forum — This is currently one the most active forums dedicated to discussions around cryptocurrency. The platform provides a number of sub-sections dedicated to different use cases of Bitcoin and altcoins, ranging from entertainment to adoption to blockchain refinement.
Reddit — Giving credit where credit is due, Reddit has been one of the central hubs to the Bitcoin community. The most popular subreddit in this regard is r/Bitcoin. Similar to Twitter, this platform is a source of the latest happenings and news for crypto and crypto-related topics. Moreover, memes are a big part of this community, so if you’re a fan of them, look no further than to the crypto communities of Reddit. You can also join our subreddit, r/Cointelegraph, to be a part of the crypto revolution. Some of the other prominent subreddits include r/bitcoin_uncensored, r/BitcoinBeginners, r/CryptoMarkets and r/BitcoinMarkets, to name a few.
Telegram — Given the messaging platform’s stance on the privacy of user information and chat data, the crypto community has accepted it as one of the main mediums of peer-to-peer communication. This has resulted in the rise of main groups or channels within the messaging app that is dedicated to discussing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. While some groups may be accessible through invitations only, there is a large selection of public groups and channels that allow users to join in on the conversation. Feel free to join Cointelegraph’s Telegram channel among other active channels such as Bitcoin and BTC Champ.
Social trading platforms — These platforms are targeted mainly at people who are all-in on the idea of investing in cryptocurrency. Social trading platforms enable serious investors to collectively weigh in on the risks and rewards based on market trends. For example, Cointelegraph’s Markets Pro provides users with a unique set of tools that assist them when trading cryptocurrencies, but at the same time, it also provides a platform to discuss the latest events and price movements.
Events and conferences — Although the Bitcoin ecosystem evidently prefers online spaces for socializing, the community boasts a strong offline presence through annual meet-ups, conferences and parties. While these events have remained fairly inaccessible to a vast majority of the population due to geographical distances, the number of events dedicated to Bitcoin, both online and offline, has been on a steep rise.
A note of caution
Before diving into real-life conversations around Bitcoin, one has to be extremely cautious about the bad actors who try to lure unsuspecting investors into their elaborate scams. On the platforms mentioned above, the probability of being approached directly (text/email) or indirectly (public posts) by a scammer is quite high.
With every Bitcoin price surge, the crypto ecosystem sees a sudden rise in groups for crypto signals that claim guaranteed profits. Remember, always do your own research (DYOR).
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