Public-key cryptography
Public-key cryptography lets people publish a key for verification or encryption while keeping a paired private key secret.
Why it matters
Bitcoin ownership and signatures depend on asymmetric cryptography.
Key ideas
- Public-key cryptography lets people publish a key for verification or encryption while keeping a paired private key secret.
- This topic belongs to California Bitcoin’s cryptography knowledge layer.
- Use primary and technical sources where possible, and distinguish protocol facts from market narratives.
Primary and technical sources
Satoshi Nakamoto InstituteSatoshi Nakamoto InstituteBitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash SystemSatoshi Nakamoto