The Mystery of Bitcoin
Create an origin story that tackles one of cryptocurrency's biggest mysteries.
Prizes
- First place:
- $2,500
- Second place:
- $1,000
- Third place:
- $500
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jan 20, 2021
Submissions closed
Feb 17, 2021 5:59 AM CUT
Results
Feb 19, 2021
Prizes
- First place:
- $2,500
- Second place:
- $1,000
- Third place:
- $500
Status
CompletedTimeline
Submissions opened
Jan 20, 2021
Submissions closed
Feb 17, 2021 5:59 AM CUT
Results
Feb 19, 2021
About this challenge
There have been countless theories over the years about the true origins of Bitcoin, but ultimately, it remains one of the great modern mysteries. How is it possible that such a massive, global innovation, one that’s absolutely flipped the idea of currency as we know it upside down, has managed to stay a complete unknown? Now that Bitcoin’s worth has exploded to an all time high, it’s more interesting than ever to speculate on its history and inventor, which as of now feels more like an early-2010s era hacker movie than real-world events that have changed the way we look at money forever.
So, we want you to do just that. Whether you wish to create a short piece of historical fiction about the cryptocurrency’s beginnings and the true identity of the mysterious inventor, or lay out your strongest arguments to support a personal theory about the who, the how, and the why, join the challenge by creating an origin story that tackles the mystery of Bitcoin’s beginnings.
Background
To help you get a head start, here’s a bit of what we do know so far, from Wikipedia:
Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency invented in 2008 by an unknown person or group of people using the name Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto's identity remains unknown.
Blockchain analysts estimate that Nakamoto had mined about one million bitcoins before disappearing in 2010.
So, an “unknown person or persons” invented and released Bitcoin under an alias, personally mined the modern day equivalent of around $36 billion USD, and then disappeared without a trace for the last eleven years. What do you think really happened here? The truth is always stranger than fiction.
How to enter
For your story to be eligible, it must be between 600 and 5,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines. Stories published on Vocal and entered into the contest up until February 16, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.
To be eligible to win the grand prize, second place, or third place prizes, you must be over the age of 13 and residing in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need to have a Stripe account created and connected in order to receive the prizes. For this reason, entrants located outside of any of these countries will not be eligible to win.
Open challenges
Challenges you can enter now for a chance to win.
Challenge resources
Whispering Woods Challenge Winners
Congratulations to Morgan Christy Rickards for their winning Whispering Woods story, Guardian at the Gate. Morgan has been a Vocal creator since February 2021, and this is their first time placing in Challenge — well done, starting with a win! Guardian at the Gate draws evocatively from Welsh tales of the Cantre'r Gwaelod, a lost sunken kingdom between the forest and the sea. Heledd’s dangerous adventure pulls her towards the water but her spirit is anchored in the woods: Morgan’s writing is atmospheric and exciting.
Vocal Curation TeamPublished 7 days ago in ResourcesSnacktime Sonata Challenge Winners
Well, your Snacktime Sonatas made us hungry, and that’s about the highest compliment we have. Food — taste, smell, sensation — is a powerful conduit to the past, to memories pleasurable and painful and sometimes bittersweet, a mixture of comfort and challenge. Congratulations to Penny Fuller for Sativa — it’s a first win for Penny — a hymn to the “secret, unbounded/freedoms” of fresh peas in the pod. The narrative voice of the poem doesn’t really want to be outside, but finds joy in the green things of the earth; this is a lovely work of resilience.
Vocal TeamPublished 13 days ago in Resources'The Dragon Beside Me' Challenge Winners.
"The Dragon Beside Me" has ignited the spirits of writers across the Vocal community and PViM have had the exciting opportunity to work beside our friends at Vocal on discerning the winners. No easy feat let us tell you. From initial shortlist to final deliberations, the standard was as high as our spirits.
Proud ViM ProductionsPublished about a month ago in Resources