The UW Bitcoin Research Institute, housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, exists to output peer-reviewed academic research on bitcoin and contribute to curriculum in philosophy, economics, and interdisciplinary courses.
The Director of the institute is Dr. Bradley Rettler, Associate Professor of Philosophy.
You can help further the work of the Bitcoin Research Institute today by making a gift. Click the button below to make an impact on academic bitcoin research.
Books
Resistance Money: A Philosophical Case for Bitcoin (Routledge)
Academic Papers
Money Without State (Philosophy Compass)
The Moral Landscape of Monetary Design (Philosophy Compass)
Carbon neutral bitcoin adoption for nation states (Financial Cryptography and Data Security) [video presentation]
Greening Bitcoin With Incentive Offsets (whitepaper)
Bitcoin is King (Cryptocurrency Concepts, Technology, and Applications)
Digital Value (Philosophy & Digitality)
Educational Videos
An Introduction to Bitcoin (for the Malcolm Wallop Civic Engagement Project for Wyoming public schools)
Panel Discussion at Bitcoin Policy Summit: What Makes Bitcoin Special
Op-eds
Bitcoin Can Protect Freedom and Help Win Elections (Newsweek)
Bitcoin is for Anyone, Left or Right (USA Today) [PDF] [archive]
Why Privacy Matters for Digital Money (RealClearPolicy)
Bitcoin and Financial Injustice (Institute of Art and Ideas) [PDF] [archive]
Philosophy and Bitcoin (American Philosophical Association blog)
Is bitcoin really a bubble? (CogX)
Bitcoin's Halving is a Major Spectacle -- that's the whole point (Blockworks)
Why Bitcoin Needs Philosophy (CoinDesk)
Another Way to Think About Bitcoin's Value (Bitcoin Magazine)
An Orange New Deal [German translation here] (Bitcoin Magazine)
Hard Forks Are Fan Fiction (CoinDesk)
Mine Your Values (CoinDesk)
Bitcoin stands apart (CoinTelegraph)
Neutral Money (Bitcoin Policy Institute)
The Bitcoin Research Institute will run the following events. Particular event details will be posted here.
Annual Summer Workshop
Paper Prizes
Public Writing Prizes
Public Outreach Events
Weekly Seminars
Special Issues of Academic Journals
Book Workshops
The state of academic bitcoin research is poor. For example, Mora et al’s (2018) prediction that “Bitcoin emissions alone could push global warming above 2°C” has been debunked in three publications in Nature and is empirically falsified but still has 400 citations. "Digiconomist" Alex de Vries calculates energy use per bitcoin transaction, despite the fact that bitcoin transactions use as much energy as sending an email. Hinzen, John, and Salah (2022) argue that bitcoin adoption will increase block time because it will prolong consensus; they are not aware of bitcoin's difficulty adjustment.
In short, academics, journalists, policymakers, and the public lack access to good research on bitcoin. The Bitcoin Research Institute aims to provide it.
There are many reasons to house the Bitcoin Research Institute at the University of Wyoming:
There is interdisciplinary academic unit collaboration: philosophy, economics, School of Computing, Center for Blockchain and Digital Innovation, Advanced Blockchain Lab, School of Energy Resources, Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources, Center for Subsurface Energy and Digital Innovation
Wyoming's proximity to renewable energy – wind, solar – and renewables research
Wyoming's positive regulatory and legislative environment for bitcoin
The opportunity to support Wyoming’s economic and community development through bitcoin education and partnerships and mentoring
Prepares students for thinking about money and finance in an increasing digital world
Donations to the Bitcoin Research Institute are tax-deductible. We accept bitcoin (obviously), bank drafts, and credit card. We will hold any bitcoin that is donated. Thanks to Mark Casey for the initial gift that led to the founding of the Institute. For sizable donations, donations in bitcoin (on-chain or Lightning), or for those who don't want to donate through a web page, contact Jill Higham at jhigham@uwyo.edu.