The CypherPunks Ten Prophets
Whatever happened to those heroes?
Chapter One
As of November 29, 2017, there are over 1,300 different crypto coins available for trade. These 1,300 coins have a combined market cap of over $310 billion. The 24-hour volume stands at $25.5 billion. As 2017 winds down, one thing is for sure — it has been a record year for cryptocurrencies.
It has been quoted many times and in many different ways, but its most familiar expression comes from Isaac Newton, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”
It could not be more accurate about the incredible year cryptocurrencies have had. Many founders and tech greats have come before, as the cryptocurrency markets have come into being.
In a goal to pay homage to the men who have made crypto what it is today, I offer the ‘Ten Prophets’ series, a series of ten articles each dedicated to another hero that was responsible to the new dawn of the cryptocurrency. Designed to walk through those who have conceived of, created, and constructed the fundamentals for the cryptocurrency.
If forced to start somewhere, it is always best to look back to the very beginning. Cryptocurrency creators and blockchain startups should take time to remember one giant who stands taller than the rest, David Chaum.
Referred to as the “pioneer of internet anonymity” and widely regarded as the inventor of digital cash, Chaum’s credibility in the fields is unmatched. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from University of California, Berkeley, and has taught at prestigious schools like NYU’s Stern School of Business and the University of California.
His career in cryptography and computer science began to take off in 1981 when he penned the paper “Untraceable Electronic Mail, Return Addresses, and Digital Pseudonyms.” This paper laid the foundation for anonymous communication systems and was the springboard for his studies in anonymity.
Then, about a year later, Chaum introduced the cryptographic concept of blind signatures that would allow the creation of untraceable payment systems. These systems would improve audibility while also increasing personal privacy.
His ideas in the early 80s gained influence throughout that decade, arguably playing a part in the formation of the Cypherpunk movement in 1992. The Cypherpunk manifesto echoes themes and ideas quite prevalent in Chaum’s work. One line from the manifesto stands out in particular, “We the Cypherpunks are dedicated to building anonymous systems. We are defending our privacy with cryptography, with anonymous mail forwarding systems, with digital signatures, and with electronic money.”
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