If you are interested in the potentially confusing world of bitcoins, you have probably heard of a bitcoin market or bitcoin exchange. These organizations offer individuals a way to purchase bitcoins or sell the bitcoins they already have in exchange for cash in other currencies that are easier to spend.

If you want to own bitcoins, there are two ways to obtain them. You can either use a specialized computer to mine the coins and receive a fractional amount of bitcoin for your contribution to the global bitcoin community, or you can purchase coins outright through online bitcoin markets. The amount of demand for bitcoins on these markets and the global supply of bitcoins determines the overall value of a bitcoin against the dollar and other world currencies.

Why would you want to hold bitcoins?
Bitcoins are a currency that can be used to purchase goods and services from people who accept them, but they are also a commodity that fluctuates in value as a result of market conditions. That makes them particularly popular at times when world markets are struggling, because the value of bitcoins is not regulated by a government agency, and the currency has the potential to hold its value independent of how other currencies behave.

There are many bitcoin markets across the Internet, and all function in slightly different ways. These exchanges have also been a target for hackers in the past, so any interested investors should carefully weigh the risks before getting involved with bitcoin markets.

Becoming a mainstream option
Despite the sometimes opaque nature of bitcoins and the surrounding infrastructure, this cryptocurrency is rapidly becoming more widely accepted. This year, a bitcoin market was publicly listed in Canada, and other exchanges are likely to follow, according to Bitcoin Magazine.

The need for bitcoin markets will increase as more people and businesses adopt the cryptocurrency and trading accelerates.

Offline markets
It is also possible to trade bitcoins offline, according to tech site VentureBeat. Each bitcoin is assigned a unique numeric key. By sharing this key with another person, users can trade bitcoins without using an exchange. These types of direct transactions represent a different kind of bitcoin market that is useful for individuals carrying out private transactions. Bitcoin markets are a critical part of the bitcoin economy, and are set to grow in importance.