Bitcoin's birth in 2009 can be traced back to its roots in 1983 when groundwork for its creation was laid.

In 1983, David Chaum, an American computer scientist and cryptographer,  began revolutionizing electronic cash.

He founded a company named DigiCash in 1989, a breeding ground for cryptographic innovations.

DigiCash introduced Ecash in 1993, enabling secure and anonymous online money transfers.

Bill Gates recognized the potential and proposed integrating eCash into  Windows 95.

Despite a $100 million offer, David Chaum declined Gates' proposal and subsequent offers that followed. 

By 1998, Digicash had succumbed to bankruptcy, marking the end of the very first wave of digital currency. 

Then Wei Dai, a University of Washington graduate, devised  B-money in 1998. 

B-money aimed to establish online economies free from external regulations. 

Despite its popularity, B-money remained theoretical and failed to gain substantial traction. 

Later in 1998, Nick Szabo, a former Digicash employee, proposed Bit Gold.

Bit Gold envisioned a digital currency that itself held intrinsic value, akin to a valuable commodity.

Miners would be rewarded with Bit Gold for solving  cryptographic equations.

This idea stood out as a crucial precursor to Bitcoin. 

But due to concern with privacy and technical shortcomings Bit Gold was never widely adopted.