Paint texture by Geordanna Cordero on Unsplash
Why design for bitcoin
Bitcoin lets designers seeking the next big challenge build a new kind of money and how we send, spend, save, and store that money. Since bitcoin’s brand has no owner to set it in stone, you can still have a big impact on bitcoin even if you aren’t a product designer. And that’s just for starters.
It’s the internet of money
Even though it was released in 2008, bitcoin is still in its infancy. Working on bitcoin today is like working on the Internet in its early days—many of the biggest and most exciting problems have yet to be solved or even discovered.
Build what you want
Bitcoin is permissionless; this means that there are no individual, corporate, or governmental gatekeepers deciding what’s allowed, so anything that you build has the potential to grow beyond what even the most well-funded can imagine.
Blaze trails one pixel at a time
Few open designers currently work full-time on bitcoin. Most have 9–5 jobs, and like most of bitcoin’s open-source developers, contribute when they can. As the ecosystem grows, more opportunities to be among the first full-time bitcoin designers are bound to open up.
So if you’re looking for the next big thing in design, you found it.
Design for your needs
Many design projects start by identifying an unmet need, and then designing something that meets it. Unlike traditional finance, the barriers to entry into bitcoin are shallow. So if you feel like your needs aren’t being met by your bank or service provider, here’s your chance to shape something better.
Work in public
Bitcoin development is open-source. Designing for bitcoin is no different. It lets you learn, grow, and exchange ideas in the same open and collaborative way. Learn more about the open design philosophy.
Design money
Central authorities tightly control Government-issued currencies. This means that they are anything but open and experimental. At every level, bitcoin places a great deal of value on openness and experimentation, letting designers build the future of money in their own way. The emergence of thousands of “alternative” coins, hundreds of wallets, and countless bitcoin businesses signify just how open this space is.
Join a global community
Design and build experiences with friends and strangers. Participate in or even help lead one of the fastest-growing design ecosystems in the world.
Dive deeper into what open design means.