New Delhi

As Julian Assange, the controversial founder of WikiLeaks, walks out of US court after pleading guilty to espionage, we look at this extraordinary legal battle and Bitcoin's role in funding the mission.

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WikiLeaks' problems began in 2010 when Assange was accused of leaking online documents. Facing financial constraints from traditional banks, the company turned to Bitcoin in the same year. At that time, Bitcoin was a fledgling digital currency priced at just 6 cents. Since then, Bitcoin has exponentially risen, jumping to a lifetime high of $73,000 recently.

Bitcoin boosted WikiLeaks with its decentralised and anonymous nature. Assange claimed a 50,000 per cent return on his early Bitcoin investments. While the overall impact of Bitcoin in managing WikiLeaks's defence is difficult to quantify, It undoubtedly played a major role in sustaining their operations.

Legal battles and prolonged imprisonment have caused major financial strain to the company. Assange's release journey cost is estimated at $520,000. Assange was freed after spending five years in a high-security UK prison.

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Assange's advocacy for Bitcoin aligns with the Cypherpunk movement, emphasising privacy and decentralised control. All this has enabled WikiLeaks to operate globally and bypass traditional financial systems. A necessity for WikiLeaks soon became a movement, turning crypto into a 'revolution' against the established order.

Bitcoin prices have surged three-fold since last year alone, hitting an all-time high in March 2024. The current surge came after a deep bear market, widely called the 'crypto winter'. The surge is fuelled by regulatory approvals and central government's recognition. WikiLeaks capitalised on this momentum with new donation methods like BTC Pay & Lightning network.

As Assange heads back to Australia, the decentralised nature of Bitcoin facilitated WikiLeaks to fight the prolonged legal battle.