Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026)

A research archive on Bitcoin compiled in October 2026: US federal and state law (FinCEN's virtual-currency record from 1999, the 2020 unhosted-wallet rule and its 2026 withdrawal, notes on all 50 states and DC), KYC/AML for buying and selling, banking, exchanges, wallets, payment processors, hacks and their causes, patents, the 2007–2011 origins, and the evidence on who Satoshi Nakamoto is. Every note dates and cites its claims and labels anything unverified, contested or fringe. Government, court and patent records are kept here in full; other sources are cited with a link to the original. Filter by case to pick a topic, such as fincen, states or notes. Download it all as a dataset. Research, not advice. These notes explain what happened and why; they are not recommendations to buy or sell. Statuses of bills and rules are as checked on the date each note gives.

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1030 documents

US10812274B2 — Transferring ledger assets between blockchains via pegged sidechains

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2016-05-09

Adam Back, Gregory MAXWELL, Matt Corallo, Luke Dashjr et al.; orig. Blockstream Corp. filed 2016-05-09; granted 2020-10-20. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: US010812274B2 ( 12) United Back et al . States Patent ( 10 ) Patent No.: US 10,812,274 B2 (45) Date of Patent : Oct. 20 , 2020 ( 54 ) TRANSFERRING LEDGER ASSETS ( 58 ) Field of Classification Search BETWEEN BLOCKCHAINS VIA PEGGED USPC 705/64…

US10903991B1 — Systems and methods for generating signatures (Part 1 of 2)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2020-08-03

Jake Craige, Jesse Posner, Adam Everspaugh; orig. Coinbase Inc. filed 2020-08-03; granted 2021-01-26. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: US010903991B1 ( 12 ) United States Patent ( 10) Patent No .: US 10,903,991 B1 Craige et al . (45) Date of Patent : Jan. 26 , 2021 ( 54 ) SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ( 56 ) References Cited GENERATING SIGNATURES…

US10903991B1 — Systems and methods for generating signatures (Part 2 of 2)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2020-08-03

Jake Craige, Jesse Posner, Adam Everspaugh; orig. Coinbase Inc. filed 2020-08-03; granted 2021-01-26. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: private key, and decrypting and validating the encrypted message signing generating each encrypted message signing key share by key share for the participant system , encrypting each message signing key share to a differ- generating a nonce seed , and ent participant, wherein encrypting a key share to a generating a nonce by using the nonce seed and the participant comprises encrypting the key share by using 50 validated and at least the participant's encryption public key and the decrypted message signing key…

US10963881B2 — Method and system for fraud control of blockchain-based transactions (Part 1 of 2)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2015-05-21

Steven Charles DAVIS; orig. Mastercard International Inc. filed 2015-05-21; granted 2021-03-30. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: USO10963881B2 ( 12) United States Patent ( 10) Patent No .: US 10,963,881 B2 Davis (45 ) Date of Patent : Mar. 30 , 2021 ( 54 ) METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FRAUD FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS CONTROL OF BLOCKCHAIN - BASED TRANSACTIONS CN 104392354 A 3/2015…

US10963881B2 — Method and system for fraud control of blockchain-based transactions (Part 2 of 2)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2015-05-21

Steven Charles DAVIS; orig. Mastercard International Inc. filed 2015-05-21; granted 2021-03-30. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: the linkage is stored in the second account profile. 10 13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transaction mes sage includes a fifth data element configured to store a processing code indicative of a non - currency transaction . 14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the address identifier is a hash generated using a public key associated with one 15 of the first account profile and the second account profile. 15. The system of claim 9 , wherein the transaction mes sage includes a message type indicator indicative of an authorization message . 16. Th…

US11055707B2 — Cryptocurrency infrastructure system

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2015-06-24

Phaneendra Ramaseshu Lingappa; orig. Visa International Service Association. filed 2015-06-24; granted 2021-07-06. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: US011055707B2 ( 12 ) Lingappa United States Patent ( 10) Patent No .: US 11,055,707 B2 Jul . 6 , 2021 (45 ) Date of Patent : ( 54 ) CRYPTOCURRENCY INFRASTRUCTURE ( 56 ) Ref…

US11113676B2 — Block mining methods and apparatus

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2016-04-28

Timo Tobias HANKE, Sergio Demian LERNER; orig. Top Galore Ltd; now Circle Line International Ltd. filed 2016-04-28; granted 2021-09-07. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: US011113676B2 ( 12) United States Patent ( 10) Patent No .: US 11,113,676 B2 Hanke et al . (45) Date of Patent : Sep. 7, 2021 (54) BLOCK MINING METHODS AND ( 56 ) References Cited APPARATUS U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS ( 71 ) Applicant: Top Galore Limited , Tortola ( VG )…

US11120437B2 — Registry and automated management method for blockchain-enforced smart contracts (Part 1 of 2)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2017-02-16

Craig Steven Wright, Stephane Savanah; orig. Nchain Holdings Ltd; now Nchain Licensing AG. filed 2017-02-16; granted 2021-09-14. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: US011120437B2 ( 12) United States Patent ( 10) Patent No .: US 11,120,437 B2 Wright et al . (45) Date of Patent : Sep. 14, 2021 ( 54 ) REGISTRY AND AUTOMATED (52 ) U.S. CI. MANAGEMENT METHOD FOR CPC G06Q 20/3829 (2013.01 ) ; G06Q 20/02 BLOCKCHAIN -ENFORCED SMART…

US11507929B2 — Digital fiat currency (Part 1 of 2)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2019-11-08

Simon J Hurry, Alexandre Pierre; orig. Visa International Service Association. filed 2019-11-08; granted 2022-11-22. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: US011507929B2 ( 12) Hurry United States Patent et al . ( 10) Patent No .: US 11,507,929 B2 (45 ) Date of Patent : Nov. 22 , 2022 ( 54 ) DIGITAL FIAT CURRENCY ( 56 ) References Cited ( 71 ) Applicant: Visa International Service…

US11507929B2 — Digital fiat currency (Part 2 of 2)

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2019-11-08

Simon J Hurry, Alexandre Pierre; orig. Visa International Service Association. filed 2019-11-08; granted 2022-11-22. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: network tifiers and / or the like and can be used in a variety of and channel ( e.g. channel admins, readers, writers , etc. ). In transactions, such as but not limited to eCommerce trans- addition , the transaction processing network 106 can allow actions , social network transactions, money transfer/per- for revoking permissions and /or identifying a list of entities sonal payments, mobile commerce transactions, proximity 45 that have had permissions revoked . payments, gaming, and / or the like for retail purchases, In some embodiments, the transaction processing network digital g…

US11568416B2 — Cryptocurrency transaction pattern based threat intelligence

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2019-06-24

Markus Ludwig, Marc Noske, Dirk Harz, Johannes Noll et al.; orig. International Business Machines Corp. filed 2019-06-24; granted 2023-01-31. Citation only: the text is not republished here (no extractable text (scanned image or empty)). Original: https://patents.google.com/patent/US11568416B2/en

US11574372B2 — Blockchain mine at oil or gas facility

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2018-02-06

Stephen BARBOUR; orig. Upstream Data Inc. filed 2018-02-06; granted 2023-02-07. Citation only: the text is not republished here (no extractable text (scanned image or empty)). Original: https://patents.google.com/patent/US11574372B2/en

US12063291B2 — Devices and circuitry for computing hash values

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2020-09-10

Veerbhan Kheterpal, Daniel Firu, Nigel Drego; orig. Coinbase Inc. filed 2020-09-10; granted 2024-08-13. Citation only: the text is not republished here (no extractable text (scanned image or empty)). Original: https://patents.google.com/patent/US12063291B2/en

US20100042841A1 — Updating and Distributing Encryption Keys

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2008-08-15

Neal King, Vladimir Oksman, Charles Bry; orig. Individual; now Intel Germany Holding GmbH. filed 2008-08-15; published 2010-02-18 (application, Abandoned). Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: US 20100042841A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0042841 A1 King et al. (43) Pub. Date: Feb. 18, 2010 (54) UPDATING AND DISTRIBUTING Publication Classification ENCRYPTION KEYS (51) Int. Cl. H04L 9/32 (2006.01) H04L 9/28 (2006.01) (76) I…

US20150262173A1 — System and Method for Wire Transfers Using Cryptocurrency

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 2014-03-17

Thomas Edward Durbin, James Gregory Ronca; orig. Bank of America Corp. filed 2014-03-17; published 2015-09-17 (application, Abandoned). Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: US 20150262173A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2015/0262.173 A1 Durbin et al. (43) Pub. Date: Sep. 17, 2015 (54) SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR WIRE (52) U.S. Cl. TRANSFERSUSING CRYPTOCURRENCY CPC ................................ G06O20/38215 (2013.01) (71) Applicant: Bank of America Corporation, (57) ABSTRACT Charlotte, NC (US)…

US4309569A — Method of providing digital signatures

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 1982-01-05

Ralph C. Merkle; orig. Leland Stanford Junior University. filed 1979-09-05; granted 1982-01-05. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: United States Patent (19) 11 4,309,569 Merkle Best Available Coe 45 Jan. 5, 1982 (54) METHOD OF PROVIDING DIGITAL 56) References Cited SIGNATURES U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 75 Inventor: t C. Merkle, Mountai…

US4759063A — Blind signature systems

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 1983-08-22

David L. Chaum; orig. Individual; now Cufer Asset Ltd LLC. filed 1983-08-22; granted 1988-07-19. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 4,759,063 Chaum (45) Date of Patent: Jul. 19, 1988 54 BLIND SIGNATURE SYSTEMS David Chaum, Ronald L. Rivest and Alan T. Sherman, pp. 199-203, Plenum Press. 76 Inventor: David L. Chaum, 14652 Sutton St., "Signature Protocols for RSA and Other P…

US4995082A — Method for identifying subscribers and for generating and verifying electronic signatures in a data exchange system

Bitcoin Research — Law, Regulation, Markets & Origins (2026) · Patents · snapshot 1990-02-23

Claus P. Schnorr; orig. Individual; now PUBLIC KEY PARTNERS. filed 1990-02-23; granted 1991-02-19. Full text. Licence: US government or court record / US patent (public domain). Excerpt: United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 4,995,082 Schnorr 45 Date of Patent: Feb. 19, 1991 (54) METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING on Public-Key Techniques", I.E.E.E., Communca SUBSCRIBERS AND FOR GENERATING tions, vol. 25, No. 7, 1987, pp. 73-79. AND VERIFYING ELECTRONIC Beth, T., "Efficient Z…