Q&A: How is a bitcoin mined? A look at the virtual currency
LONDON (AP) — A company in Slovenia that mines bitcoin says it has been hacked, for a potential loss of tens of millions of dollars.
The company, NiceHash, gives customers the ability to mine for bitcoins. As the price of the world's most popular virtual currency keeps surging — to a record $15,000 on Thursday — here's a look at what it is and how it is "mined."
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WHAT IS A BITCOIN?
Bitcoin is a digital currency that's not tied to any bank or government. Like cash, it lets users spend or receive money anonymously, or mostly so; like other online payment services, it also lets them do so over the internet. There are several other virtual currencies, such as ethereum, but bitcoin is the most popular.