<h3>Summary by @tldr:</h3><p> I had tons of questions, and as I learned more, I began to see that Bitcoin is more than just a convenient way to send money to anyone, anywhere... it also reduces the costs and friction of international commerce, and presents a viable alternative to the world's troubled currency markets.<br> We'll also explore the breakthrough technology underneath Bitcoin--"the blockchain"--and how it can change more than just our relationship with money; it can transform our societies, our governments, our businesses, and possibly our every interaction.<br> At its essence, the blockchain keeps track of every Bitcoin transaction that's ever taken place, and enables what is called distributed consensus--each node on the network can mathematically verify that the ledger is accurate and has not been altered.<br> The estimated 4,000,000,000 people on earth who currently don't have reliable access to banks can now plug in to the global financial network... with nothing more than a cell phone that can send a text message!<br> Accepting traditional credit card payments is expensive for merchants; Bitcoin's low transaction fees save business owners serious money!<br> And a website called LocalBitcoins.com connects people around the world, allowing them to trade traditional currency or other items like Amazon gift cards for Bitcoin, online or in person.<br> In early 2015, I moved from Los Angeles to participate in the Free State Project, a geopolitical movement getting 20,000+ libertarians to relocate to New Hampshire to decrease the size and draconian reach of the government while protecting individual liberties.<br></p><hr><sup>stats: 9.2% of original contents - <a href='http://steemit.com/@tldr'>learn more</a></sup>