Bitcoin Core

Basics

First version 2014-03-19

Wiki: "open source client of the bitcoin cryptocurrency. Initially, the software was published by Satoshi Nakamoto under the name Bitcoin, then Bitcoin-Qt and later renamed to Bitcoin Core. It is also known as the Satoshi client. It is the reference implementation for bitcoin nodes that create the bitcoin network. Since its introduction the majority of bitcoin miners support its use. In this way, the developers of Bitcoin Core are sanctioned to make changes to the underlying bitcoin protocol."
Is often construed as an elite inner circle holding the Bitcoin network hostage. BitMEX Research disagrees, looking at three different ways competition exists within Bitcoin: between chains, between independent implementations, and other competing software projects; BitMEX finds that regardless of an offshoots goals, it requires network consensus. In the same manner, Bitcoin Core requires network consensus and its actual power is vastly overestimated; the ability to alter or maintain code does not mean it will be adopted by the greater network. (However it is good to keep in mind that BitMEX has given grants to Bitcoin Core devs before to continue their work. It could be that they are genuine about this research, or that they have a bias.)

Governance

At the start of 2021 Wladimir J. van der Laan wrote a blog post in which he expressed his views and wants towards decentralising the developers process of Bitcoin, including using IPFS for code distribution, moving away from Github and handing over more tasks he is doing to a more wider group of people.

Bugs

There has been many bugs found in the Bitcoin Core client (list here) with some of them being critical.

People working on Bitcoin Core:

Amiti Uttarwar
Bishop, Bryan; contributor
BTCDrak; contributor
Corallo, Matt; Core Dev, coder (was part of Hong Kong Consensus)
Cousens, Daniel; contributor
Daftuar, Suhas; contributor
Dooglus; contributor
Dorier, Nicolas; contributor
Falke, Marco; Maintainer
Fields, Cory; coder, contributor (was part of Hong Kong Consensus), (Paid by MIT)
Ford, Michael; contributor (got a grant from BitMEX)
Fowler, Alex; Core Dev
Friedenbach, Mark; Core Dev
Garzik, Jeff; developer
Gloria Zhao; core dev
Hall, Francesca; Core Dev
Janik, Pavel; contributor
Jon Atack; core dev since 2019, had a grant from Square Crypto.
John Newbery; core dev, brought in Amiti Uttarwar.
Johnson, Dr. Lau; contributor
Laan, Wladimir J. van der; Maintainer (Paid by MIT), left crypto all together in 2020.
Lau, Johnson; coder (was part of Hong Kong Consensus)
Lombrozo, Eric; contributor
Dashjr, Luke (Luke-Jr); contributor (was part of Hong Kong Consensus)
Maxwell, Gregory; old chief tech officer. Resigned in 1-2018.
Mike Schmidt; core dev
Morcos, Alex; contributor
Rosenveld, Meni
Rupp, Jean-Pierre; contributor
Schnelli, Jonas; Maintainer
Sneurlax; contributor
Strateman, Patrick; core tech engineer
Svenson, Erik; Core Dev
Timon, Jorge; Core Tech Engineer
Troelsen, Janus; contributor
Todd, Peter; contributor (was part of Hong Kong Consensus)
Wilkens, Jonathan; Core Dev
Wuille, Dr. Pieter; contributor

Funding

Is getting funding from Gemini, Square and Kraken. From Decrypt (3-12-2020):

"Gemini today announced the launch of a $200,000 Bitcoin development fund. Called the Gemini Opportunity Fund, $150,000 of the money, in Bitcoin of course, will go straight to Brink, a London non-profit fellowship program to sponsor Bitcoin developers. The developers will work with John Newbery, Brink’s co-founder and executive director, and a Bitcoin Core contributor. Mike Schmidt, another Bitcoin core contributor. Square, the Human Rights Foundation and Kraken are among other donors. Kraken also donated $150,000. So far, the only fellow is Gloria Zhao, a Bitcoin Core contributor fresh from University of California, Berkeley, where she sat as president of its blockchain club."