Timestamps and provenance
Bitcoin anchoring, explained
International
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Background
The short answer
Anchoring writes a hash of your file into a Bitcoin transaction. Because the ledger is public and append-only, anyone can later check that the hash existed no later than that block, without asking you or any provider. The file itself is never on the chain; only its fingerprint is.
Applies to: International. Assumes: a general, non-technical reader.
Why a public ledger
A private database can be edited by its owner. The Bitcoin ledger cannot be rewritten by any single party, which is what makes the anchor independent of the certifying service.
What verification looks like
Recompute the hash of the file, find the transaction referenced in the certificate, and check the hash is there. No account, no API key, no phone call.
Sources
- 1.