Bitcoin as a Platform
By Rich Apodaca | Updated
This unit is Part 9 of the Annotated Princeton Bitcoin Video Course.
Introduction (1 minute)
What else can be done with Bitcoin beyond currency? Some examples:
- commitments
- token tracking
- multiparty lotteries
- public randomness
- prediction markets
Bitcoin as an Append-Only Log (16 minutes)
Most applications of timestamping use OP_RETURN. Since the video was published, Open Timestamps has begun offering efficient timestamping as a service.
Bitcoin as Smart Property (16 minutes)
Bitcoin’s chain-of-ownership security mechanism can be repurposed to track arbitrary digital assets. The two main approaches are:
- colored coins, e.g. Open Assets;
- Omni (rebranded from Mastercoin)
Secure Multi-Party Lotteries in Bitcoin (10 minutes)
A follow-up to the secure lottery paper referenced in this video has been published.
Bitcoin as Randomness Source (18 minutes)
Prediction Markets and Real-World Data Feeds (23 minutes)
For an example of a Bitcoin-based prediction settlement, see Betmoose.