Gavin Andresen created a Bitcoin faucet in 2010.
It gave away 5 BTC for free to anyone solving a Captcha.
The faucet helped introduce thousands to Bitcoin early on.
In 2010, Bitcoin was still an obscure digital experiment known only to a small online community. To help raise awareness and get people to try it, developer Gavin Andresen came up with a unique idea — a Bitcoin faucet. This faucet wasn’t literal, but a website that gave away free Bitcoin. All you had to do was visit the page, complete a simple Captcha, and you’d receive 5 BTC — no strings attached.
Back then, Bitcoin had almost no monetary value. A single BTC was worth mere cents. The faucet was funded by Andresen himself, who initially loaded it with 1,100 BTC. At 5 BTC per person, it could support 220 visitors — but as Bitcoin’s popularity grew, donations from other users helped keep the faucet running.
Why Give Away Bitcoin for Free?
Gavin Andresen believed in Bitcoin’s potential but knew that to succeed, it needed users. The faucet was a clever way to spread awareness and put BTC into more hands. It also helped test wallets, transactions, and other Bitcoin features in the real world.
The idea worked. Thousands of people received their first Bitcoin through this faucet. Some forgot about it, only to later discover they had been gifted a small fortune. At today’s value, 5 BTC is worth over $200,000 — a mind-blowing return for solving a Captcha.
HISTORY: In 2010, Gavin Andresen launched a Bitcoin "faucet" that gave away 5 $BTC to every visitor just for solving a Captcha. pic.twitter.com/VFwi8U7fJt
— Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) December 17, 2025
The Impact of the Original Bitcoin Faucet
The faucet marked an important moment in Bitcoin history. It showed how small, community-driven efforts could lead to massive outcomes. It also demonstrated how powerful incentives can help technology adoption.
Although the faucet is long gone, it played a major role in spreading Bitcoin in its early days. It’s a reminder of how far the crypto world has come — from free giveaways to a trillion-dollar industry.
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