What is Proof of existence?
Proof of existence is a service used to cryptographically prove and timestamp the existence of documents without revealing actual contents. It allows you to anonymously and securely store an online distributed proof of existence for any document. Here's how it works:
- You upload a document to the proof of existence service.
- The service generates a cryptographic hash of the document.
- The hash is sent to the Bitcoin blockchain to create a timestamp proof transaction.
- The service gives you back the timestamped hash as proof of existence for your document.
Later, anyone can verify that the document existed at that point in time by comparing a hash of the original document to the timestamped hash stored on the blockchain. As the blockchain is decentralized and immutable, this timestamp proof cannot be altered or tampered with. Proof of existence services are useful for copyright claims, ownership disputes, patent applications, legal proceedings, journalistic evidence, and any situation where proving origination time is important.