Six years after its introduction to the masses, Bitcoin, the decentralized currency known as “cash for the Internet,” is growing in popularity. Yet it still remains largely shrouded in mystery.
From the identity of its mysterious inventor to the head-scratching complexities of how exactly it works, Bitcoin and virtual currencies like it were largely embraced by computer programmers. Now these currencies have since begun to edge into the mainstream. Businesses, both brick-and-mortar and online, have begun accepting it as a form of payment, and GOP presidential candidate Rand Paul has said he would accept campaign donations via Bitcoin. More than 400 Bitcoin ATMs have popped up across the world, and the idea has spawned others like it that have grown in popularity.
http://www.startribune.com/minnesota-commerce-commissioner-bitcoin-buyers-beware/361683981/