CRYPTO-CURRENCY: From Birth to Current Status

Posted on January 27, 2026 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Staff Reporters

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The Origins and Current Status of Cryptocurrency: A 2025 Perspective

Introduction

Cryptocurrency has evolved from a niche technological experiment into a global financial force. In just over a decade, it has disrupted traditional banking, inspired new economic models, and sparked debates about the future of money. As of 2025, cryptocurrencies are not only investment assets but also tools for innovation, decentralization, and financial inclusion. This essay explores the origins of cryptocurrency, its evolution, and its current status in the global economy.

Origins of Cryptocurrency

The Pre-Bitcoin Era

Before Bitcoin, digital currency was a theoretical concept explored by cryptographers and computer scientists. In the 1980s, David Chaum introduced DigiCash, an early form of electronic money that prioritized privacy. Though innovative, DigiCash failed commercially due to lack of adoption and centralization.

Other attempts, like Hashcash and B-money, laid the groundwork for decentralized systems but never materialized into functioning currencies. These efforts, however, contributed key ideas that would later be incorporated into Bitcoin.

REAL MONEY: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2025/03/27/cryptocurrency-real-money-or-not/

The Birth of Bitcoin

In 2008, an anonymous figure (or group) known as Satoshi Nakamoto published the Bitcoin white paper: “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.” This document proposed a decentralized currency that used blockchain technology to validate transactions without a central authority.

Bitcoin officially launched in January 2009 with the mining of the genesis block. Early adopters were cryptographers, libertarians, and tech enthusiasts. The first real-world Bitcoin transaction occurred in 2010 when Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas — now commemorated as Bitcoin Pizza Day.

Bitcoin’s design solved the double-spending problem and introduced a transparent, immutable ledger. Its supply was capped at 21 million coins, making it deflationary by design.

Evolution and Expansion

Rise of Altcoins

Bitcoin’s success inspired the creation of alternative cryptocurrencies, or “altcoins.” Litecoin (2011), Ripple (2012), and Ethereum (2015) introduced new functionalities. Ethereum, in particular, revolutionized the space by enabling smart contracts — self-executing agreements coded directly onto the blockchain.

Smart contracts laid the foundation for decentralized applications (dApps), decentralized finance (DeFi), and non-fungible tokens (NFTs). These innovations expanded crypto’s use cases beyond simple transactions.

ICO Boom and Regulatory Pushback

In 2017, the crypto market experienced a massive bull run fueled by initial coin offerings (ICOs). Startups raised billions by issuing tokens, often without clear business models or regulatory oversight. While some projects succeeded, many failed or turned out to be scams.

Governments responded with crackdowns. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began classifying certain tokens as securities, requiring registration and compliance. China banned ICOs and crypto exchanges altogether.

Despite the volatility, the 2017–2018 cycle cemented crypto’s place in mainstream finance and attracted institutional interest.

Cryptocurrency in the 2020s

COVID-19 and the Digital Gold Narrative

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 accelerated crypto adoption. As governments printed trillions in stimulus, concerns about inflation grew. Bitcoin was increasingly viewed as “digital gold” — a hedge against fiat currency devaluation.

Major companies like Tesla, MicroStrategy, and Square added Bitcoin to their balance sheets. PayPal and Visa began supporting crypto transactions. The narrative shifted from speculation to legitimacy.

Ethereum and the DeFi Explosion

Ethereum’s ecosystem exploded with the rise of DeFi platforms like Uniswap, Aave, and Compound. These services allowed users to lend, borrow, and trade assets without intermediaries. Total value locked (TVL) in DeFi surpassed $100 billion by 2021.

Ethereum also became the backbone of the NFT boom. Artists, musicians, and creators used NFTs to monetize digital content, leading to record-breaking sales and mainstream attention.

STABLE COINS: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2023/08/11/paypal-crypto-stablecoin-pyusd/

Current Status of Cryptocurrency (2025)

Market Performance

As of 2025, the global cryptocurrency market has added over $600 billion in value year-to-date, with a total market capitalization exceeding $2.5 trillion.

CRYPTO INFLATION: https://medicalexecutivepost.com/2022/08/27/inflation-and-crypto-currency/

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NFT: Non-Fungible Tokens Defined

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

By Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd

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NFTs, or Non-Fungible Tokens, are unique digital assets stored on a blockchain that represent ownership of a specific item or piece of content. Unlike cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin or Ethereum, which are fungible and interchangeable, NFTs are one-of-a-kind and cannot be exchanged on a one-to-one basis.

In recent years, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have emerged as a groundbreaking innovation in the digital world, revolutionizing how we perceive ownership, art, and value online. At their core, NFTs are cryptographic tokens that represent a unique digital item or asset. These tokens are stored on a blockchain—a decentralized digital ledger—which ensures that each NFT is verifiable, traceable, and immutable.

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NFTs 101: Taxes, Risks, and More

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The term “non-fungible” means that each token is distinct and cannot be replaced with another token of equal value. This contrasts with fungible assets like dollars or cryptocurrencies, where each unit is identical and interchangeable. For example, one Bitcoin is always equal to another Bitcoin. However, each NFT has its own metadata, ownership history, and attributes, making it unique and often valuable.

NFTs can represent a wide range of digital content, including artwork, music, videos, virtual real estate, gaming items, and even tweets. Artists and creators have embraced NFTs as a new way to monetize their work, bypassing traditional gatekeepers like galleries and record labels. By minting their creations as NFTs, they can sell them directly to collectors and fans, often earning royalties from future resales thanks to smart contracts embedded in the blockchain.

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IRS: Tax Treatment of NFTs and Crypto-Currency

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One of the most popular blockchains for NFTs is Ethereum, which supports smart contracts and has a robust ecosystem for digital assets. Platforms like OpenSea, Rarible, and Foundation have become marketplaces where users can buy, sell, and trade NFTs. These platforms often require users to have a digital wallet and use cryptocurrency to complete transactions.

The rise of NFTs has sparked debates about their environmental impact, speculative nature, and long-term value. Critics argue that the energy consumption of blockchain networks can be significant, especially those using proof-of-work mechanisms. Others worry that the NFT market is driven by hype and may not sustain its current levels of interest and investment. Nonetheless, proponents believe that NFTs offer a new paradigm for digital ownership and creativity, empowering artists and reshaping industries from gaming to fashion.

In conclusion, NFTs represent a fusion of technology, art, and commerce, offering a novel way to own and trade digital assets. As the technology matures and adoption grows, NFTs may become a standard part of our digital lives, influencing how we interact with content, creators, and each other in the virtual world.

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DAILY UPDATE: Physician Salary, Consumer Confidence, Company Stocks and Slumping Markets

Posted on May 30, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Doctors Saw a 6% Boost in Pay in 2023

After several years of modest or declining growth, the average pay for doctors jumped 5.9% in 2023, rebounding from a decline of 2.4% in 2022. Most medical specialties experienced positive growth in 2023, with the top 10 seeing annual growth rates exceeding 7%, according to the 2024 Physician Compensation Report from professional medical network Doximity.

However, inflationary pressures continue to impact physicians’ real income. According to the American Medical Association, when adjusted for inflation, Medicare physician payment has dropped 26% since 2001. Doximity’s compensation data draw from nearly 150,000 survey responses over five years, including responses from more than 33,000 U.S. physicians in 2023 alone.

Source: Heather Landi, Fierce Healthcare [5/23/24]

Economic Summary

  • The S&P 500 has risen 23 of the last 30 weeks, according to Deutsche Bank, and rose slightly today as well. Meanwhile, the NASDAQ closed at a record high yesterday after tech companies across the board rose, while the Dow dropped over 200 points.
  • Treasury prices fell and yields rose after two weaker-than-expected auctions saw soft sales of 2-year and 5-year bonds.
  • Gold prices slipped 5% last week after falling four days in a row, but the key commodity kicked off this week with a win. With key PCE data coming out on Friday that could send the market soaring or tanking, investors are hedging their bets with the shiny yellow metal.
  • Bitcoin fell as Mt. Gox made good with its creditors a decade after being hacked, while ethereum sank as traders continued to lock in gains from the SEC’s dramatic ruling last week.
  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) fell 39.09 points (0.7%) to 5,266.95; the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 411.32 points (1.1%) to 38,441.54; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) shed 99.30 points (0.6%) to 16,920.58.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield climbed more than 7 basis points to 4.614%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 1.38 to 14.30.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Consumer confidence rose for the first time in four months

Americans are unexpectedly feeling better about the economy this month: Per the Conference Board’s monthly index, US consumer sentiment rose from 97.5 in April to 102 in May, smashing economists’ estimates. Meanwhile, the expectations index, which measures the short-term outlook for income and other labor market conditions, increased the most since July. However, the report showed that Americans remain worried about inflation and interest rates. Despite their mixed feelings about the economy, Americans continue to spend vigorously on travel. The TSA set a record for most travelers screened in a single day last Friday.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

STOCKS UP:

Dick’s Sporting Goods rose 15.86% to a new all-time high today after the company reported impressive earnings and a strong outlook.

STOCKS DOWN:

American Airlines shares fell 13.54% after the company cut its guidance for the second quarter. Southwest Airlines fell 3.83%, and Delta Air Lines fell 0.74%.

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DAILY UPDATE: Sunday Stock Market Weekend Recap

Posted on May 26, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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  • A tough week just ended with the Dow Jones just barely in the green, though the index snapped its 5-week winning streak thanks in large part to its worst day of trading this year on Thursday. The NASDAQ hit a new all-time high on the back of Nvidia’s strong earnings, while the S&P 500 rose but ended the week flat.
  • Bond yields rose this week as investors came to terms with the idea that the Federal Reserve may not cut rates more than once in 2024, fleeing to the safety of Treasuries. Gold ended the week down overall.
  • The market turned on copper selling off for a third straight day. And oil finally snapped its losing streak, rising on the hopes of a travel-heavy Memorial Day weekend, though crude still ended the week lower than where it started.
  • The big winner was ethereum thanks to the approval of a spot ethereum ETF by the SEC.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

The U.S. Markets were closed on Monday, May 27th, 2024. Please be aware that, transactions made after 4 p.m. EST on Friday, May 24th, 2024, will receive the closing price as of Tuesday, May 28th, 2024.

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DAILY UPDATE: Friday Before Memorial Day Weekend and the Stock Market Collapse

Posted on May 24, 2024 by Dr. David Edward Marcinko MBA MEd CMP™

MEDICAL EXECUTIVE-POST – TODAY’S NEWSLETTER BRIEFING

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Essays, Opinions and Curated News in Health Economics, Investing, Business, Management and Financial Planning for Physician Entrepreneurs and their Savvy Advisors and Consultants

“Serving Almost One Million Doctors, Financial Advisors and Medical Management Consultants Daily“

A Partner of the Institute of Medical Business Advisors , Inc.

http://www.MedicalBusinessAdvisors.com

SPONSORED BY: Marcinko & Associates, Inc.

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Daily Update Provided By Staff Reporters Since 2007.
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The Friday before Memorial Day is never action packed, and this year is no exception as earnings season begins to wrap up and economic readings slow down. Two reports to watch for tomorrow: April Durable Goods Orders and University of Michigan’s May sentiment report.

Durable Goods Orders are big-ticket items with a shelf life of three or more years—think appliances and furniture for consumers, or machinery, equipment, and vehicles for businesses. More durable goods orders indicate a healthy economy, as consumers and companies alike wouldn’t spend as much if they weren’t confident they could afford it, and also provides insight into how strong the manufacturing industry is.

The University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index is a survey of consumers via telephone to better understand how they feel about the economy, what they’re spending their money on, etc. The preliminary findings earlier this month weren’t great thanks to sticky inflation, and tomorrow’s finalized readings won’t change much. But with the latest CPI reading indicating inflation might yet be tamed, next month’s report could be much more illuminating.

CITE: https://www.r2library.com/Resource

Here’s where the major benchmarks ended:

  • The S&P 500® index (SPX) fell 39.17 points (0.7%) to 5,267.84; the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 605.78 points (1.5%) to 39,065.26; the NASDAQ Composite® ($COMP) shed 65.51 points (0.4%) to 16,736.03.
  • The 10-year Treasury note yield rose more than 4 basis points to 4.479%.
  • The CBOE Volatility Index® (VIX) rose 0.48 to 12.77.

Financial shares were among Thursday’s weakest performers amid ideas a “higher-for-longer” Fed rate outlook could pressure bank margins. The KBW Regional Bank Index (KRX) dropped almost 3% to a three-week low. Other interest-rate-sensitive sectors, including real estate and utilities, took pressure.

In other markets, WTI Crude Oil (/CL) futures fell for the fourth straight trading day and closed at a three-month low under $76 per barrel.

CITE: https://tinyurl.com/2h47urt5

Spot Ethereum ETFs were approved by the SEC in another big win for crypto, following the approval of spot bitcoin ETFs earlier this year.

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