Is it technically possible to ban Bitcoin in a particular country?

[Spinbackup]

I agree with previous comments - the question is what do you mean by a ban. If we talk about the usage ban, it is possible and Chinese residents will need to operate their bitcoins outside of the country to avoid any legal pursuit. The general Bitcoin ban is senseless because it will require too high efforts to implement it into real life.

[Ayers]

Let's say the Chinese government decides to ban Bitcoin. Is it technically possible without shutting down their Internet?

if you mean usage by banning it's possible, but if you mean that they ban the connections, i don't think it's possible, you can always use tor or other proxy to connect to nodes

[Vishnu.Reang]

In order to ban Bitcoin, you need to ban the internet. And right now it is not a viable option. As long as internet connection is there, it will be possible to transfer coins from one account to another. That said, the governments can make it difficult for the users to convert their coins to cash (or vice versa), by blocking the exchanges.

[btc-facebook]

Rather than banning internet, government should make their law right for preventing people using bitcoin since banning internet is not good solution
When there is a law against bitcoin, people may think twice before start using bitcoin

[stompix]

No, shutting down the internet is not even enough anymore. We're able to stream blocks through/from satellites now. Chinese people always find ways. A lot of stuff are banned in China and people still able to find ways to do it, get it, access it.

That's also internet, so no

It's possible and there are many ways to ban bitcoin such as :
1. Close all bitcoin exchange/services.
2. Block all bitcoin-related websites.
3 .Spy citizen activity such as internet/social media history.
4. Ban all proxy, VPN or tor traffic to prevent bitcoin usage (and many illegal activity).

But in reality, i doubt any government would spend their time/money/effort only to ban bitcoin and people still can use bitcoin even if government actually do all of that.

Too much trouble.
It's far simple an far easier for the leading communist party do stop it.
Outlaw the crypto currency and make the subjects face capital punishment.

Be honest , after you see 100 people shot in the stadium like Chinese do currently with around 3000 to 4000 persons guilty of various law breaking offense, are you going to still use bitcoin?

[Cloud27]

It is technically possible in China, even without shutting down the internet. I remember the internet censorship that nicknamed The Great Firewall of China. It blocks the website and monitor individuals accessing the website. Even the satellite access can be jammed in China.

[jseverson]

Well, any country can ban Bitcoins. It will take a lot of resources to enforce that, though, and most countries have enough problems. Even if they were able to enforce it, there will always be some who can slip through the cracks, as with everything else illegal. It should discourage most casual users, though.

[fortunecrypto]

Let's say the Chinese government decides to ban Bitcoin. Is it technically possible without shutting down their Internet?

Bitcoin mining is a huge industry in china and many companies in china are also investing here and banning it will have an impact in the price of bitcoin but I doubt if they can fully control or ban it, they will have to spend millions of dollars to keep it ban for many years.

[crismass1225]

Yes it is possible that any country can ban bitcoin, but take it to consider that banning of bitcoin can result in huge resources by the government. Next if China will ban bitcoin many people will go to strike as many chinese invest on bitcoin and other crypto, in addition china is one of the central mining of bitcoin and other cryptocurrency it will affect their future economy and market when they will take this action. Also those country who are accepting bitcoin as payment they it will affect their economy.

[Borgminer]

It is almost impossible to ban Bitcoin because it is decentralized. Governments can however track the ips and steal the coins, but it is not so easy , especially if the bitcoin's holder take the security needed steps

[iamMhew]

Let's say the Chinese government decides to ban Bitcoin. Is it technically possible without shutting down their Internet?

i think that is unusual way if they shut down their internet just for banning bitcoin on their country. we all know that without internet all transaction in all over their country will become slow and that will be the risky decision they ever made, so they dont do that for their sake, but instead of shutting down like you mentioned, they will enable the restriction of allowing site that will related in bitcoin and altcoin.

[DaftAjax]

Let's say the Chinese government decides to ban Bitcoin. Is it technically possible without shutting down their Internet?

if you mean usage by banning it's possible, but if you mean that they ban the connections, i don't think it's possible, you can always use tor or other proxy to connect to nodes

This reply? Is not relevant. You see since its decentralized, no one can crack the code, so obviously they can't ban it. Even USA's best can't break it so what more in those other countries out there.

Like in the country that I'm currently in Bitcoin is banned but you can still use it. The only thing that they are banning is its usage but you can still use it.

[1NV3ST0NM3]

Bitcoin is the currency of internet without any restrictions. A person owning an internet connection just cannot be stopped completely from using bitcoin. Yes creating local wallets can be restricted which might make conversion of bitcoin in local currency difficult. But banning bitcoin would mean banning internet completely so one could say its theoretically possible but not practically viable.

[StockBet.com]

Passing a law to ban something is very different than enforcing the law.

Speeding on the highway is banned.  Government enforces this among 1% of the drivers or less.

[Monkey D.Luffy]

Beacuse Bitcoin is an money through the internet it could be potentially banned by law in some countries but using the system and gaining more Bitcoin cant be banned. It's a system free to use to every individual and if banned by law can be used after that just a little more carefully because there will be fear of punishments and detentions.But even then a country can ban Bitcoins but can't actually ban and terminate the use of them. It will just be harder for them to actually get their hands on it beacause they won't be able to turn it into real money.

[audaciousbeing]

Yes it can be possible. The government has the rights to ban whatever they saw that is against in their own means, and sometimes they just don't want something that could threaten them or maybe something they saw that can compete in terms of power, also in order for them to remain in position that no one could oppose them or maybe it could lead that people using bitcoin are rebels as they can see it is illegal, that is only how I see if it would be banned.

Technically yes and would limit although not fully because no matter how they do it, some people who are versatile in the use of IT and internet will always find a way. However, they can cripple it because majority of people can simply not even guess the password of a public wifi not to talk of finding a break through to a website that has been blocked. How they will do it, is to block every website that have any name relating to crypto-currency from being accessed with their satellite and with that a lot of people will be discouraged and then try something else.

[chesegrinder]

it is possible to ban bitcoin in a particular country but to take in action government will need to pass a law to enforce it and they will need to allocate budget on it, it will take a lot of resources and millions of dollars to make it possible. Bitcoin is one of a large investment in different part of the world it is popular because of its volatility. Banning one of the large investment will make a huge effect in the market economy of ones country like in china where there are lots of investor of bitcoin and other crypto currency also they are one of a large bitcoin mining country [as far as I know].

[goldade]

Government can ban anything. I know of organisations who internet will not allow access to any site with some specific keywords no matter how you try. They regulate virtually everything and even with some sites with some specific IPs within office hours and the system wont even connect to an external internet access to make those sites available that's how far government can do when they are ready but lets hope it dosent get to that because not everyone is techy savvy that can break through those firewalls put in place.

[Ararbermas]

Rather than banning internet, government should make their law right for preventing people using bitcoin since banning internet is not good solution
When there is a law against bitcoin, people may think twice before start using bitcoin

yeah im agree with you bro. .but speaking of banning internet . Will as i know internet is the must important  in our generation we use it for contacting our family and friends everywhere . So if china decided that bitcoin will be banned i think they can banned it not the internet . but idont know if china can banned internet in all country.? Haha   idon't think so

[wildflower18]

It is not easy to ban bitcoin in a certain country. Though there are already countries that have ban btc but users can't stop using btc. And yes it is possible to ban without shutting off the internet but it will take a lot of process.