Bitcoin is digital money. But that doesn’t really capture it. It’s more like the internet of money. But really it’s a consensus decentralized network based on blockchain technology and a proof-of-work algorithm that allows a digital token to act as a reward system for a game-theoretical competition between decentralized miners who validate—and "Oh my…,” it immediately goes off the cliff.

— Andreas M. Antonopoulos, The Internet of Money #quotestr