Everything you need to know about the Bitcoin logo

Bitcoin’s logo, both simple, eclectic, and bold, epitomizes the very emblem of the monetary revolution. But what do we really know about it? What does it signify? Has the queen of cryptocurrencies always sported this charismatic and vigorous visual identity throughout its history? What are the origins of its iconic orange background and white color? We’ll answer these questions in this post.

Bitcoin Logo: Meaning and Symbolism

To define the identity of the digital asset, it combines an illustration and the word-symbol “bitcoin.” Indeed, it consists of an orange circle within which a stylized white letter “B” is integrated, tilted to the right at a 14-degree angle. This letter is unique in that it is speared at the top and bottom by two parallel bars (₿).

On one hand, the colors used can enlighten us about the values carried by the entire project. Indeed, the color orange refers to change, freedom, and ambition. As for the white, it conveys a message of purity, transparency, benevolence, and infinite possibilities.

On the other hand, the shapes and symbols of this logo evoke Satoshi Nakamoto’s vision. The circular outline could correspond to the Earth or to a coin, as BTC is a digital currency whose goal is to allow people around the world to send and receive money more easily. Moreover, it could also express a need to unite and federate.

As for the personalized “B,” it can be interpreted as a reference to the two revolutions of both the Bitcoin blockchain, which marked the history of computing, and the cryptocurrency bitcoin, which reinvented money.

Finally, the slight tilt of the B could correspond to the unstable nature of BTC’s value.

Thus, we strongly feel the influence that other projects preceding Bitcoin and the anarchist Cypherpunk movement, in which the queen of cryptos is embedded, had on the logo.

What are the different evolutions of the BTC logo?

The emblem of bitcoin has not always been the one we know today. In less than two years, the icons underwent two revisions to conform to contemporary requirements for modernism.

The concept of the first version was designed and introduced in 2009 by Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of BTC, in the wake of the launch of the queen of cryptocurrencies. It was a gold coin with the initials BC inscribed in its center. It is possible that with this edition, Satoshi attempted to replicate physical gold, as bitcoin was imagined as its digital representation.

Then, on February 5, 2010, the user New Liberty Standard suggested on the Bitcointalk forum to adopt the Thai baht (฿) as the symbol for bitcoin. An idea that interested many people. However, to avoid any confusion, it had to be personalized.

On February 24, 2010, Satoshi unveiled the second version of the BTC logo. This version had retained the motif of the gold coin. However, instead of “BC,” it incorporated a “B” inspired by the first version of the dollar sign.

More precisely, the one where the S is crossed by two vertical bars. Moreover, unlike the dollar symbol, in this new logo, the lines did not cross the “B.” They only appeared at the top and bottom of the letter, which, by the way, was not yet tilted.

Later, the BTC icon was revisited again to meet the expectations of bitcoiners. They found the colors of the previous iteration to be lackluster. Thus, in November 2010, the current logo was submitted to the community, which quickly adopted it.

Who is the creator of the official Bitcoin logo?

The current version of the BTC logo was published by Bitboy, a member of the Bitcointalk forum, on November 1, 2010. He wanted to improve the last iteration released by Satoshi. He kept Nakamoto’s “₿.”

However, he changed its color to white and tilted it to the right. Furthermore, he kept the circular frame but opted for a brighter color, namely orange.

To this day, the mystery still looms over the identity of Bitboy. Yet, many have claimed to be the person behind this pseudonym. In 2017, a certain Phil Wilson claimed his participation in the design of the last logo created by Satoshi and that of Bitboy’s illustration. Lacking proof, these claims were not taken into account. That said, in an article published on Medium, Wilson provides details on how these graphics were produced.

Has the Bitcoin logo been protected?

The official BTC logo is a work that falls under the public domain. This means that everyone can freely use it for commercial or non-commercial projects.

However, it is regularly updated by independent creators. These new creations can potentially be protected by copyright. Consequently, they do not offer the same freedoms.

Will the Bitcoin Orange Stand the Test of Time?

The official design of the BTC, although very popular within the community, does not have unanimous support.

Actions have already been taken to dethrone it, or, more seriously, to permanently remove it.

In particular, since April 2014, an initiative led by the Bitcoin Symbol movement aims to make it disappear. It is based on the principle that bitcoin is a currency in its own right and as such, it does not need a logo or an icon but a symbol as is the case for fiat currencies.

Thus, it proposes the adoption of the symbol “Ƀ,” which is a letter already featured in several alphabets. That said, even if some startups use the said symbol, it is not yet really widespread within the crypto ecosystem.

Moreover, according to experts, this design can be improved. In particular, it would be interesting to straighten the “₿,” as its tilt creates a visual imbalance.

Nonetheless, despite these apparent imperfections, the orange color of Bitcoin remains one of the most iconic brands globally today.

In Conclusion

Simplicity, authenticity, decadence, effervescence, timelessness, and freedom are all terms that can be associated with the official Bitcoin logo. That said, this motif has evolved significantly throughout its history. Indeed, it has undergone a makeover twice, trading its initial dull appearance for its current vibrancy. However, it is not impossible that it will transform again to conform to the recommendations made by some design experts. It is also possible that eventually, the community will give up on Bitcoin orange and adopt a unique representative symbol, as is the case for other existing currencies.