Bitcoin’s white paper has reached its 18th anniversary, renewing a debate over whether businesses can protect part of their surplus from the effects of a financial system shaped by bailouts. Michael Tanguma, chief executive of Onramp, argues that bitcoin offers one possible way for small-business owners to preserve some of their excess funds.
The argument around Bitcoin’s anniversary
Satoshi published the Bitcoin white paper 18 years ago. The document proposed a digital monetary system designed to operate without relying on the traditional financial intermediaries associated with conventional money.
According to CoinDesk, Tanguma says business owners are still paying for the consequences of a system in which financial institutions have received bailouts. In his view, these costs affect companies beyond the institutions directly involved, leaving owners to manage the impact on their businesses and accumulated surplus.
Tanguma’s position is an argument rather than a claim that bitcoin removes financial risk. His proposal is that small businesses could keep part of their surplus in bitcoin as a form of protection against the monetary and financial pressures he associates with bailouts. The source material does not specify how much businesses should hold or identify particular bailout programs.
Why the discussion matters to small businesses
Small companies typically need accessible cash for operating expenses, while surplus funds may be held for longer-term resilience or future needs. Bitcoin is a digital asset whose supply and operation are governed by its network rules rather than by a central bank. Holding it can also expose owners to price movements, making the decision materially different from keeping money in cash.
The anniversary has therefore become a backdrop for a broader question: whether Bitcoin’s original purpose remains relevant to business owners concerned about the cost of the established financial system. Tanguma’s comments frame bitcoin as a potential treasury holding, not as a guaranteed solution.
Current market picture
Moneyiar data at 12:29 p.m. on November 1, 2026, showed Bitcoin at $77,713.551063098, up 0.36% over 24 hours but down 3.14% over seven days. ApeCoin was $0.1125536704, up 0.02% in 24 hours and down 10.39% over seven days. Toshi stood at $0.0001035802, down 1.58% and 3.96% over those periods, while RedStone was $0.1351152226, up 2.66% in 24 hours and down 4.67% over seven days.
