user2526: 79be667ef9dcbbac55a06295ce870b07029bfcdb2dce28d959f2815b16f81798,483ada7726a3c4655da4fbfc0e1108a8fd17b448a68554199c47d08ffb10d4b8 seems very random to me. I see how this point is on the curve, but how exactly was this specific point chosen to be the base point? Could other base points have worked?

user208: Since the secp256k1 curve order is prime, every point on the curve except the point at infinity is a generator.
Nothing is known about how the designers of the curve chose this specific generator.
However, there is one tell-tale sign that hints about its construction. When the chosen generator G is multiplied by 1/2 (i.e. multiplied by the multiplicative inverse of 2 modulo the curve order), the resulting X coordinate is an exceptionally low number. This very likely means that G was created by picking that X, finding a corresponding Y on the curve, and then doubling the resulting point.

2526: <p><code>79be667ef9dcbbac55a06295ce870b07029bfcdb2dce28d959f2815b16f81798,483ada7726a3c4655da4fbfc0e1108a8fd17b448a68554199c47d08ffb10d4b8</code> seems very random to me. I see how this point is on the curve, but how exactly was this specific point chosen to be the base point? Could other base points have worked?</p>
 208: <p>Since the secp256k1 curve order is prime, every point on the curve except the point at infinity is a generator.</p>

<p>Nothing is known about how the designers of the curve chose this specific generator.</p>

<p>However, there is one tell-tale sign that hints about its construction. When the chosen generator G is multiplied by 1/2 (i.e. multiplied by the multiplicative inverse of 2 modulo the curve order), the resulting X coordinate is an exceptionally low number. This very likely means that G was created by picking that X, finding a corresponding Y on the curve, and then doubling the resulting point.</p>
