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Cypherpunk era · 1990s

Cypherpunks

Cypherpunks were technologists and activists who believed privacy-enhancing cryptography should be built and deployed rather than merely discussed.

Why it matters

Bitcoin emerged from a community already focused on privacy, digital cash, censorship resistance, and open cryptographic tools.

Key ideas

Primary and technical sources

A Cypherpunk’s ManifestoEric Hughes

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