#$BTC e.g., $BTC Before bitcoin, several digital cash technologies were released, starting with David Chaum's ecash in the 1980s.[11] The idea that solutions to computational puzzles could have some value was first proposed by cryptographers Cynthia Dwork and Moni Naor in 1992.[12][11]

Before Bitcoin ($BTC), several early digital cash technologies laid the groundwork for decentralized currency. One of the earliest was David Chaum's ecash, developed in the 1980s, which enabled anonymous electronic transactions.

In 1992, cryptographers Cynthia Dwork and Moni Naor introduced the idea of using computational puzzles as a mechanism for mitigating spam and abuse, which later inspired Bitcoin's proof-of-work system. These innovations were crucial stepping stones toward the creation of Bitcoin by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008.