BitShares (BTS) is a blockchain platform that operates a decentralized exchange and supports the creation of digital assets. Its visual identity centers on a lowercase “b” mark that doubles as a pie-chart-like symbol, a design that has remained consistent since the project’s early branding efforts.
Design and History
The BitShares logo features a distinctive lowercase “b” icon that visually incorporates segments resembling shares of a pie. Community members on the official BitShares forum described the mark as “a B with shares of a pie,” a design that was widely praised and defended when alternative concepts were proposed in early 2015.[1]
The logo was designed by a community member known as “cass,” who was identified on the BitShares forum as the “bitshares logo designer.”[2] Cass also contributed to the redesign of the BitShares.org website in late 2014, with the marketing director crediting Cass for the site’s refreshed look.[3]
In January 2015, a forum discussion titled “Do we need a new logo?” explored whether the mark should be replaced. The community largely rejected the proposed alternative, with one member noting the existing icon “is great” and another stating “Cass’ logo is the one.”[1] During this discussion, Cass mentioned having “tweaked colors and tried to avoid blue/green combo” for a style guide, indicating an effort to refine the palette while preserving the icon itself.[1]
The lowercase wordmark “bitshares” accompanies the icon, a styling choice that was itself a topic of debate. Some community members argued the logo’s lowercase presentation should dictate the official spelling, while others preferred the capitalized “BitShares” for the project name.[1]
In October 2022, the BitShares Group announced that the blockchain’s information on CoinMarketCap had been updated, including “replacing the old retro logo of BitShares with newer one.”[4] This confirms a visual refresh occurred, though the specific design changes were not detailed in the announcement.
Meaning and Symbolism
The “b” icon’s pie-chart-like segments directly reference the concept of shares, aligning with BitShares’ function as a platform for issuing and trading digital shares and assets.[1] Community members noted the lowercase “b” was chosen deliberately, with one forum participant recalling that “it was Brian Page decision to use the …B.”[1]
Typography and Design
The BitShares wordmark uses a lowercase sans-serif treatment, a choice that drew comment during the 2015 logo discussion. One forum member observed that “the current logo does say ‘bitshares’…and lowercase is considered hip, modern, and cool.”[5] The exact typeface has not been officially documented in available sources.
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