4

What is the minimum age a person must be to use the Bitcoin service?

Colin Dean
  • 7,042
  • 3
  • 30
  • 58
Ashesh
  • 49
  • 1
  • 1
  • 4
  • 6
    I think you're missing the point of what Bitcoin is - it's not a product or a web site that has some kind of centralized rules like age restriction. Asking if Bitcoin has a minimum age is like asking if there are minimum ages for the internet, chairs, microphones, walls, blankets or aluminum - it's just a thing, it has no intrinsic restrictions. – David Perry Oct 22 '13 at 04:07
  • Depends.... What is the minimum age a person must be to use money? – Pacerier Nov 25 '13 at 17:16
  • @Pacerier Is there a minimum age, in any country, for people to be legally using money? Never heard of that before. Could you please provide an example of such a draconian law? I'd say that age is defined on a case by case basis depending on each child's maturity - what's the problem of allowing a 6yr or even a 4yr old to buy some candy, if he/she fully understands the concept of money and knows when to expect change to be given back??? – Joe Pineda Feb 04 '14 at 06:39
  • 1
    @JoePineda, Exactly. The Bitcoin protocol is like the money protocol, a law which restricts people access to it is draconian. – Pacerier Feb 05 '14 at 02:44
  • 1
    @JoePineda In Germany, children younger than 7 are legally incompetent i.e. they do not have the legal power to enter a contract including the act of purchasing something. However, they can act as messengers to declare the will of a legal guardian, i.e. buy something on behest of the parents. Minors (7-17) are legally competent in limits: Contracts they enter are transitionally ineffective unless sanctioned by their guardian. The exception being pocket money which they may spend on anything they want (but pets). – Not kidding, it's part of the German Civil Code. ;) – Murch Feb 24 '14 at 22:33
  • @Murch At least in Mexico situation is the same regarding contracts - minors can't sign them and require approval of their tutors/legal guardians. But regarding physical money, there's no such law - just common sense. Say, if I go to Germany and give my younger-than-7 yo sons some euro-cents and let them wander in a candy-store and pay the clerk directly (as they always insist on doing "everything by myself"), would I be breaking the law??? – Joe Pineda Feb 25 '14 at 22:20
  • No, that falls in the category "pocket money/allowance", money you give them to spend on what they want, they can spent on what they want. – Murch Feb 25 '14 at 23:11
  • @Murch that was exceptionally informative. I can say when I was very (very young, so laws may have changed) young that signing contracts for opening even a savings account without a guardian present was arduous or not possible. Ashesh Kumar I've never seen age limits put on bitcoin but the youngest individual I've met using bitcoin where more financially savy than some adults; but then again they develop apps too so they maybe ahead of the learning curve. Do be aware of the public nature of the blockchain if you're thinking of using it as your kids allowance payment method though. – S0AndS0 Nov 08 '16 at 03:13

3 Answers3

6

There is no minimum age, my children have Bitcoins and have for years.

Service by service should implement whatever safety or age restrictions they need.

I am not aware of any work done on this front, perhaps somebody else can enlighten.

extcoin
  • 219
  • 1
  • 5
  • 1
    It's a great opportunity to allow your children to experience managing money since they can buy things online without needing an adult and can even work (say on design, translation, writing, programming) remotely and get paid in bitcoin without any age issues – RentFree Oct 22 '13 at 14:13
5

Some merchants, exchanges or E-Wallets even may have age restrictions, but Bitcoin is a protocol and therefore there is no restrictions regarding how it is used.

Stephen Gornick
  • 27,040
  • 12
  • 67
  • 141
1

Unless you are a miner, you do need to buy Bitcoins; and given the currently limited range of Bitcoin-only services, you do need to sell Bitcoins as well.

While neither buying or selling Bitcoins has an explicit age restriction any more than holding and spending pocket money at a car-boot sale does - if you buy or sell Bitcoins from a bank account you will be constrained by the age restrictions that may apply.

LateralFractal
  • 931
  • 4
  • 14