Vitalik Buterin became interested in bitcoin in 2011, and co-founded the periodical Bitcoin Magazine with Mihai Alisie, who asked him to join.[5][6] Alisie was living in Romania at the time and Buterin was writing for a blog. Buterin's writing captured the attention of Alisie, and they subsequently decided to start the magazine.[7] Buterin took the role of head writer as a side project while attending university.[7]