Bitcoin – virtual experiment or the currency of the future?

Abstract

The main purpose of our paper is to characterise the electronic currency named bitcoin and discuss its potential role in the global financial market. In order to reach our goal we first present two approaches of defining bitcoin, and then explain the process of its issue and turnover in Internet. Based on our findings, the advantages and disadvantages of using the digital currency are then identified. Later we present a short market history of bitcoin, in which we concentrate on the events crucial for its growth. It helps us to identify and systematise the determinants of market development. We divide those determinants into three groups: macroeconomic, legal and social, and conclude that bitcoin is an alternative payment method which has a chance to become a legal virtual currency in the future.