The Bitcoin white paper turns 17 years old

Seventeen years after the publication of the white paper by Satoshi Nakamoto, bitcoin is no longer a niche bet. It is a global asset worth 2 trillion dollars. Yet, on this October 31, the market turns the page on a thwarted “Uptober.” October closes in red for the first time since 2018. A signal to be read carefully, without melodrama.

From PDF to planetary protocol

On October 31, 2008, Satoshi shared a nine-page document. Plain title: “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.” The promise fits into one sentence. Exchange value without an intermediary, while avoiding double spending thanks to proof-of-work. Simple on paper, revolutionary in its implications.

In 17 years, bitcoin has moved from the forum to the trading floor. From cypherpunks to institutional treasurers. From patched nodes to industrial data centers. The network has withstood forks, bans, cycles. It has gained liquidity, tools, and risk monitoring. In short, it has grown.

Today, the asset is held by funds, companies, sometimes states. It supports a whole industry: derivatives, custody, compliance, payment infrastructure. This framework changes the reading of cycles. Excesses remain, but shock absorbers exist. And this matters when the wind changes.

Red October for bitcoin: a cyclical hiccup, not a structural problem

Historically, October has favored bitcoin. It’s called “Uptober” for a reason: on average, this month has offered solid returns. This year, no. The price falls more than 3% over the month. The positive streak ends. First negative October close in seven years.

Should it be seen as a trend reversal? Not so fast. The decline occurred amidst orderly deleveraging. Less leverage. Fewer fragile positions. The crypto markets experienced a rapid down leg, then cautious buybacks. The dominant narrative at desks is clear: “controlled deleveraging.” Painful short-term, healthy for what follows.

October closes down, yes. But bitcoin itself closes one chapter and opens another. The asset has survived much worse than the end of an “Uptober.” Maturity is measured by how the market absorbs shocks. And from this perspective, 2025 looks less like 2018 and more like a better equipped, more liquid, more professional version of the same game.