The Bitcoin Foundation is an American nonprofit corporation.It was founded in September 2012 with the stated mission to "standardize, protect and promote the use of bitcoin cryptographic money for the benefit of users worldwide."[1]The organization was modeled on the Linux Foundation and is funded mainly through grants made by for-profit companies that depend on the bitcoin technology.[2]In March 2014, the Foundation hired Jim Harper of the Cato Institute as Global Policy Counsel and Amy Weiss of Weiss Public Affairs as a media consultant.[3]Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 According to its founding documents, the Bitcoin Foundation's original members included Gavin Andresen, Charlie Shrem, Mark Karpeles, Peter Vessenes, Roger Ver, and Patrick Murck.Current board members are divided into one of three categories: Founding Members, Industry Members, and Individual Members.The board is made up of a combination of elected members of the aforementioned categories.Former lead bitcoin developer Gavin Andresen is employed by the foundation as "chief scientist."[2]

In June 2013, the foundation received media attention when it published a letter from the California Department of Financial Institutions requesting that they "cease and desist from conducting the business of money transmission in this state,"[4] and again when it published their detailed response to the regulators.[5]In November 2013, Patrick Murck, general counsel of the Bitcoin Foundation, testified before a United States Senate committee convened to assess digital currencies, at which the reception of bitcoin by lawmakers was generally positive.[6]Bitcoin Foundation's board of directors, as of May 2014, included chairperson Peter Vessenes, Gavin Andresen, Bobby Lee, Micky Malka, Jon Matonis, Brock Pierce, and Elizabeth Ploshay.[7]In October 2014, Jon Matonis resigned from his position of Executive Director of the Foundation, and at the end of the election cycle on 31 December 2014 stepped down from the group's board of directors.[8]BTC China CEO Bobby Lee and venture capitalist Brock Pierce were appointed to the foundation's board of directors following a May 2014 runoff election, filling vacancies left by the earlier resignations of former BitInstant CEO Charlie Shrem and Mt.

Gox CEO Mark Karpelès.[7]Nine members of the foundation resigned following the May election, citing opposition to the appointments and the direction of the organization.[9]On 13 April 2015, the board appointed investor and financial consultant Bruce Fenton as Executive Director of the Bitcoin Foundation.[10]At the Blockchain Training Conference / DEVCORE Toronto, the Bitcoin Foundation announced the appointment of Llew Claasen as Executive Director, effective 1 July 2016 [11] On 29 March 2016, the Bitcoin Foundation was listed by UK-based company Richtopia at number 27 in the list of 100 Most Influential Blockchain Organisations.[12][13]The Foundation and its leadership have been criticized by some in the media.[14][15]Former vice-chairman Charlie Shrem pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the operation of an unlicensed money-transmitting business related to his role in assisting agents of the online marketplace Silk Road.[16][17][18]Executive chairman Peter Vessenes' business relationship to former board member Mark Karpeles, the former CEO of collapsed Bitcoin exchange Mt.

Gox, has been highlighted as inappropriate.[15]The Foundation has also suffered scrutiny and resignations over its hiring of former child star Brock Pierce.[19]In November 2014, the Bitcoin Foundation announced that it would seek to wind down its education, outreach and public policy initiatives as it turns its focus to core development.bitcoin ethical issuesThree surveys conducted earlier by the Bitcoin Foundation suggest that many community members, both inside and outside of the organization, want to see it adopt a stronger focus on bitcoin's open-source technology development.[20]bitcoin litecoin profitabilityThe bitcoin community itself is divided over the role of the Foundation as a community or industry representative.[14]bitcoin raw transactions

Some libertarian bitcoin advocates have criticized the organization's strategy of political lobbying and participation with federal regulators.[14]In November 2014, Cody Wilson announced his run for board seat in the Bitcoin Foundation, stating "I will run on a platform of the complete dissolution of the Bitcoin Foundation and will begin and end every single one of my public statements with that message."que es bitcoin ensayo[21] Professor and author Mark T. Williams criticized the Bitcoin Foundation's priorities, writing in a Business Insider editorial that "A Foundation of 'B' players has no business claiming it is a protector of a system that remains vulnerable and untrustworthy."[22]bitcoin cardable sitesIn early 2015, Jim Harper, a fellow at the Cato Institute and Olivier Janssens, a founder of the Freedom Investment Group, were elected to the Bitcoin Foundation's Board.[23]score bitcoin bowl

In July 2015, towards the beginning of his term as board member, Janssens made a public announcement on both the Bitcoin Foundation online forum and Reddit concerning the near-term insolvency of the Bitcoin Foundation, which had been kept secret by the board.As a result of this and a lack of cash flow, various staff were terminated.[24]Following disagreement over the future of the organization—Harper and Janssens having both cast votes to dissolve the Foundation—Harper resigned and Janssens was removed the Board in December 2015.[25]Although their philosophies and interests differ, Fenton, Janssens and Harper may all be considered reformers.[]^ ^ a b ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ a b ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ a b c ^ a b ^ Jerving, Sara (September 6, 2014) "Bitcoin Promoter Charles Shrem Pleads Guilty" The Wall Street Journal ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^Charlie Shrem stands accused of knowingly selling over $1m of bitcoins to users of the Silk Road online black-marketplace A senior figure in the Bitcoin Foundation, which lobbies on behalf of the digital currency has been arrested for conspiracy to commit money laundering and “knowingly contributing” to anonymous drug sales.

Prosecutors announced on Monday that Charlie Shrem, the organisation's vice chairman, was arrested at John F Kennedy airport in New York on New York Sunday.The news comes as a major blow for the digital currency lobby group and its supporters including Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss.The twins, famous for the early involvement with Facebook, have become big backers of the digital currency.They said in a statement on Monday that they were “deeply concerned” by the news.A second man, Robert Faiella, has also been arrested and charged for the same crimes relating to his operation of a small bitcoin exchange under the name BTCKing.The charges, unsealed by the US attorney for the southern district of New York, Preet Bharara, accuse the pair of "engaging in a scheme to sell over $1m in bitcoins to users of Silk Road", the online black marketplace which was closed by the FBI in October 2013.Shrem has been one of the highest profile executives on the Bitcoin Foundation.His arrest comes as staff at the foundation have been working hard to distance the digital currency from its links to crime, testifying to the US Senate last year and been lobbying regulators in Washington.

Patrick Murck, Bitcoin’s general counsel, said: “I don’t think it’s damaging for the Foundation.[The] foundation wasn’t involved in any of the allegations.” James Hunt, an agent at the US drug enforcement administration agent, said in a statement: "The charges announced today depict law enforcement's commitment to identifying those who promote the sale of illegal drugs throughout the world.Hiding behind their computers, both defendants are charged with knowingly contributing to and facilitating anonymous drug sales, earning substantial profits along the way."The charges stem from Shrem's ownership of the BitInstant bitcoin exchange, of which he is the chief executive, co-founder and compliance officer.The exchange hit the headlines in May 2013 when the Winklevoss twins led a seed round which raised $1.5m of investment.The timing of the charges is unfortunate for the Winklevoss brothers who are set to speak this week at a two-day conference on digital currencies held by New York state's department of financial services.

In a statement the twins said: “When we invested in BitInstant in the fall of 2012, its management made a commitment to us that they would abide by all applicable laws – including money laundering laws – and we expected nothing less.Although BitInstant is not named in today’s indictment of Charlie Shrem, we are obviously deeply concerned about his arrest.We were passive investors in BitInstant and will do everything we can to help law enforcement officials.We fully support any and all governmental efforts to ensure that money laundering requirements are enforced, and look forward to clearer regulation being implemented on the purchase and sale of bitcoins.” Shrem is additionally charged with "wilfully failing to file any suspicious activity report regarding Faiella's illegal transactions through the company," the documents reveal.“As alleged, Robert Faiella and Charlie Shrem schemed to sell over $1m in Bitcoins to criminals bent on trafficking narcotics on the dark web drug site, Silk Road," said Bharara.

"Truly innovative business models don’t need to resort to old-fashioned law-breaking, and when bitcoins, like any traditional currency, are laundered and used to fuel criminal activity, law enforcement has no choice but to act.We will aggressively pursue those who would co-opt new forms of currency for illicit purposes.” The substance of the allegation is that Faiella offered bitcoins for sale on the Silk Road website, a move which would entail knowing of their involvement in the drugs trade.Those bitcoins were purchased from the Bitinstant exchange.Shrem, as the compliance officer of the exchange, was in charge of ensuring its compliance of anti-money laundering rules.The charges, delivered by an IRS agent who was assigned to the New York organised crime drug enforcement strike force, allege that "not only did Shrem knowingly allow Faiella to use the company's services to buy bitcoins for his Silk Road customers, he personally processed Faiella's transactions, gave Faiella discounts on his high-volume orders, wilfully failed to file suspicious activity reports about Faiella and deliberately helped Faiella circumvent the company's [anti-money-laundering] restrictions, even though it was Shrem's job to enforce them."