The Beginning
Barter and Its Limits
Before money, people traded what they had for what they needed. Got wheat but need a goat? You’d have to find someone who had a goat and wanted wheat. That’s called the “double coincidence of wants,” and it made things tricky. If the timing or trade didn’t match up, the deal was off.
Imagine trying to swap bread for shoes, only to find the cobbler didn’t need bread that day. It worked, but barely. We needed something smoother.
Enter Primitive Money
To move past barter, early societies used items with broad appeal like shells, beads, salt (yeah, salt 😊), and stones. These early forms of money were durable, portable, and easy to trade.
Later, gold and silver took over. They didn’t spoil, were easy to carry, and held value when divided. Gold stood out for being scarce and always in demand.
The Rise of Paper Money
But even gold had drawbacks. Carrying heavy metal wasn’t ideal for growing economies. Then came paper money, backed by gold. It was a promise: trade paper for gold anytime. This worked for centuries, until governments started printing more paper than they had gold. Inflation kicked in, powered by some good old magic math. And that’s when everything started to shift.
The Modern Era
Digital and Inflated Money
Today, most money isn’t even paper. It’s digital - just numbers on a screen managed by banks and governments. This convenience comes with a catch: central authorities are in control. They can print more money, inflate the supply, and quietly chip away at its value.
Remember when candy cost a nickel? That’s inflation doing its thing. People started searching for a better way, something as solid as gold but as modern as the internet.
Enter Bitcoin
Bitcoin is the evolution of money. It’s run by a decentralized network, not banks or governments, and everything is recorded on the blockchain. Like gold, it’s scarce - only 21 million will ever exist. Like cash, it’s easy to send anywhere. Secured by cryptography, Bitcoin is transparent, inflation-resistant, and built to last. Over time, it only goes up.
Why Bitcoin Matters
Bitcoin is more than a currency. It gives people full control over their money, without inflation, mismanagement, or censorship.
No frozen accounts, no middlemen. Using Bitcoin means being financially savvy. It's sound money for the digital age, combining gold’s strength with modern convenience. Even governments are now adding it to their reserves.
Piggy
Learn Bitcoin the Piggy Way
At Piggy, we make Bitcoin feel less like homework and more like a hands-on adventure. Whether you're just starting out or already stacking sats, our tools and tips help you understand how Bitcoin works, and why it matters. We don’t just talk about the future of money. We help you save it, gift it, and grow it.
Bitcoin’s not a trend. It’s the direction money’s been heading all along. Ready to catch up?
FAQs
Quick answers to your questions about Bitcoin