Looking back at that tweet after 17 years: The story of Hal Finney and the "Running Bitcoin Challenge"

2026-01-10 14:14:11

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【Chain Wen】Do you remember that tweet from 17 years ago? Hal Finney started it all with a simple and straightforward message—“Running bitcoin”—and it changed everything.

Yesterday, his widow posted on social media to commemorate this day and officially announced the launch of the 5th “Running Bitcoin Challenge” event. For those familiar with Bitcoin history, the name Hal Finney is highly significant—he was not only the recipient of the first Bitcoin transfer sent by Satoshi Nakamoto but also played a key role in the development and maintenance of early versions of Bitcoin. Unfortunately, he later passed away due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

The launch of this commemorative event is, in a way, a tribute to the contributions of this Bitcoin pioneer.

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screenshot_gains

· 01-10 23:21

Damn, this story is actually quite interesting. Hal Finney really is a legendary figure.

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ILCollector

· 01-10 14:30

Hal Finney is truly a legend, and that phrase "Running bitcoin" is simply the most concise and powerful declaration in Bitcoin history. One sentence changed the entire crypto world, still a bit emotional... RIP

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BlockchainBrokenPromise

· 01-10 14:19

Damn, Hal Finney is truly a legend. He dared to run Bitcoin directly back in the day, and now it's become history... --- ALS is really devastating. It took away a genius, which is a bit regrettable. --- The fifth session? Still continuing this event, which shows that some people still remember him. --- "Running Bitcoin" is just such a simple phrase... Nowadays, people tend to talk a lot of nonsense. --- His widow has been坚持 this memorial event, which is probably the best tribute.

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ProbablyNothing

· 01-10 14:14

Oh, this story is a bit heartbreaking to hear... Hal is truly a legendary figure, from that simple phrase "Running bitcoin" to now... indeed, those who change history are often driven by the simplest ideas.

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