<p>The majority of Bitcoin Core developers are volunteers or started as volunteers. They worked on Bitcoin Core in their free time and contributed without anyone paying them.</p>

<p>Later, when a developer becomes more prominent and devotes more time to the project, they may seek out someone (a person or company) to sponsor them to continue to work on the project. Alternatively a person or company may wish to sponsor or hire an active and prominent Bitcoin Core developer so that they may contribute to Bitcoin Core's development and help to keep the software maintained and growing. Some are paid to work on Bitcoin Core full time, others to work on it part time.</p>

<p>Currently many of the most active contributors are either sponsored or employed to work on Bitcoin Core specifically. However many others contribute as volunteers in their free time and are not paid to work on Bitcoin Core.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-07T05:42:10.627Z
Thank you Andrew.
Just one more, when the contributors are sponsored or employed, who can pay them? I'm curious about the subject's finance.
JeongIn Kim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-07T05:46:51.597Z
Generally those that sponsor or employ Bitcoin Core developers to work on Bitcoin Core are people or companies with lots of spare cash. Paying someone to work directly on Bitcoin Core won't gain a company any profit directly, but by doing so they are helping to improve Bitcoin and thus allowing them to continue to earn money in the future as Bitcoin remains maintained.
Ava Chow
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-07T05:52:17.340Z
Ah, so it's a bit like fundraising or donation!
Thank you again Andrew. I really appreciate!
JeongIn Kim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-07T05:39:33.537Z
2017-11-07T05:39:33.537Z
Ava Chow
<p>I'm wondering how the people who work on or manage Bitcoin Core get paid, e.g.  Wladimir J. van der Laan.</p>

<p>Do they do the work just... as volunteers?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-11-07T05:54:06.300Z
Those who work for increasing of security and those who are enjoy transparency of blockchain are involved in proof-of-work. So this system balanced until balanced this two sides.
Denis Leonov
<bitcoin-core><bitcoin-core-development>
How do the people who work on Bitcoin Core get paid?
JeongIn Kim
# How do the people who work on Bitcoin Core get paid?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-11-07)

I'm wondering how the people who work on or manage Bitcoin Core get paid, e.g. Wladimir J. van der Laan.

Do they do the work just... as volunteers?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, bitcoin-core-development

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Those who work for increasing of security and those who are enjoy transparency of blockchain are involved in proof-of-work. So this system balanced until balanced this two sides.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-11-07. Score: 4 | Accepted answer

The majority of Bitcoin Core developers are volunteers or started as volunteers. They worked on Bitcoin Core in their free time and contributed without anyone paying them.

Later, when a developer becomes more prominent and devotes more time to the project, they may seek out someone (a person or company) to sponsor them to continue to work on the project. Alternatively a person or company may wish to sponsor or hire an active and prominent Bitcoin Core developer so that they may contribute to Bitcoin Core's development and help to keep the software maintained and growing. Some are paid to work on Bitcoin Core full time, others to work on it part time.

Currently many of the most active contributors are either sponsored or employed to work on Bitcoin Core specifically. However many others contribute as volunteers in their free time and are not paid to work on Bitcoin Core.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thank you Andrew. Just one more, when the contributors are sponsored or employed, who can pay them? I'm curious about the subject's finance.  
> **username_2**: Generally those that sponsor or employ Bitcoin Core developers to work on Bitcoin Core are people or companies with lots of spare cash. Paying someone to work directly on Bitcoin Core won't gain a company any profit directly, but by doing so they are helping to improve Bitcoin and thus allowing them to continue to earn money in the future as Bitcoin remains maintained.  
> **username_0**: Ah, so it's a bit like fundraising or donation! Thank you again Andrew. I really appreciate!  

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