Bitcoin Source Code Preserved in Arctic Vault Designed to Last 1,000 Years

Bitcoin’s source code is among the open-source software preserved in an Arctic archive in Svalbard, Norway, as part of GitHub’s effort to safeguard software for future generations.

According to Coin Bureau, Bitcoin’s code was included in GitHub’s Arctic Code Vault, a long-term preservation project designed to store open-source software for 1,000 years. GitHub completed the deposit in 2020, placing the archived material inside the Arctic World Archive.

Bitcoin Code Archived on 186 Reels

GitHub said it took a snapshot of active public repositories on February 2, 2020, as part of the archive project. Its archival partner, Piql, subsequently transferred 21 terabytes of repository data onto 186 reels of piqlFilm, a digital photosensitive archival film designed for long-term storage.

The completed archive was transported to Svalbard and deposited in the Arctic Code Vault on July 8, 2020. The storage facility is located inside a decommissioned coal mine, with the archive positioned deep within the permafrost. GitHub said the location was selected as part of its effort to preserve open-source software for more than 1,000 years.

The archived material was not limited to Bitcoin. GitHub’s 2020 deposit contained a snapshot of active public repositories across its platform, preserving a broad collection of open-source software. The Arctic World Archive said the deposit was intended to capture the state of software development at the time.

Bitcoin Archived Alongside Major Open-Source Projects

The collection includes code from projects across the open-source ecosystem. Coin Bureau specifically highlighted Bitcoin alongside Linux and Python as examples of software represented in the archive.

GitHub’s preservation program was established with the goal of providing future generations with access to software that forms part of the modern technological record. The archive also includes a human-readable guide explaining its contents and how the stored data can be recovered.

The Arctic World Archive describes the Svalbard facility as a repository for significant historical, cultural and technological material. GitHub’s deposit sits alongside other archived collections, making the facility more than a repository dedicated solely to software.

A Long-Term Record of Bitcoin’s Code

The preservation effort does not represent a separate version of Bitcoin or an alternative software repository. Instead, Bitcoin’s source code was captured as part of GitHub’s broader archival snapshot of public repositories in 2020.

GitHub later expanded the Arctic Code Vault project. In 2022, the company said the vault contained 188 reels of hardened archival film preserving the February 2, 2020 snapshot of active public GitHub repositories, alongside additional archival material intended to provide historical and technical context.

For Bitcoin, the archival deposit provides a physical record of its publicly available source code as it existed within GitHub’s February 2020 snapshot. The material remains part of a broader effort to preserve open-source software for future generations.

Writer: Victoria Hale
Technology & Blockchain Writer

Victoria Hale writes about blockchain technology, digital infrastructure, and the intersection of emerging technologies with finance. Her articles explore how new protocols and systems are shaping the evolving digital economy.

She prioritises clarity and accuracy when explaining technical developments to a general audience.