Bitcoin

Our concept of money is so engrained in our day-to-day life that it's hard to imagine money in any other form. Unlike fiat paper currency, Bitcoin is a virtual currency that instead of being printed by a central bank like the Federal Reserve exists only on an electronic ledger of transactions. Its proponents point to its ease of exchange and independence from the manipulation of governments. Opponents find it unstable and unlikely to realistically compete with existing currencies. We talk to William Luther, Assistant Professor of economics at Kenyon College, to figure out how Bitcoin works, what its strengths and weaknesses are, and what its future looks like.