summary
Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym of the person behind the development of Bitcoin and the author of the original Bitcoin white paper. There are many different opinions about the true identity of this mysterious Bitcoin creator, and some people even lied that they are Satoshi Nakamoto.
The creator of Bitcoin has been shrouded in mystery for more than a decade. Despite the endless conspiracy theories surrounding his identity, the transparency of the blockchain shows that Satoshi Nakamoto still holds some Bitcoins, as the public keys of these Bitcoins can be traced back to the genesis block mined by Satoshi Nakamoto.
Introduction
In 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto published a white paper titled 'Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System' under this pseudonym (see bitcoin.org). While Satoshi is not the inventor of blockchain, they are a pioneer in creating decentralized currency using blockchain technology.
Bitcoin was officially launched in 2009. However, prior to this, people had already used this term in emails and forum posts.
However, in 2011, all communication with the outside world suddenly stopped, and Satoshi went missing. Since then, the mystery of the bitcoin founder has been the focus of debate and discussion.
So, who exactly is Satoshi Nakamoto? Who created the most disruptive technology of the 21st century? Or is there a team hidden behind Satoshi? Let's explore this mystery together.
Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?
Before answering this question, let’s ask ourselves, 'Is this a person or a group of people?'. Unfortunately, evidence to prove either is scarce. It is currently widely believed that Satoshi is an individual, although some firmly believe Satoshi is a group, such as a team of computer scientists, cryptographers, and cypherpunks.
Before Satoshi cut off all contact in April 2011, they claimed to be male, of Japanese nationality, born on April 5, 1975. However, it has been observed that Satoshi had a high proficiency in English, resembling someone from an English-speaking country. Additionally, these communications often occurred during working hours in Europe, leading to speculation that the author does not reside in Japan.
Despite Satoshi having severed ties with the outside world, speculation about their true identity has intensified. Many individuals and groups have been labeled as 'the real Satoshi', but it has proven that only a few candidates may be close to the truth.
Hal Finney
Among all possible candidates for Satoshi, Hal Finney is one of the most likely individuals. Hal was one of the earliest users of bitcoin and the recipient of the first bitcoin transaction. He was also a software developer and one of the earliest cypherpunks of the 1990s.
Unfortunately, Hal Finney passed away in 2014 after being paralyzed for a time due to a neurological disease. He always denied being Satoshi Nakamoto.
Nick Szabo
Another highly suspected candidate is Nick Szabo, a renowned computer scientist who created the digital currency 'Bit Gold' a year before bitcoin. His writing style and communication times with the cypherpunk community closely match those of Satoshi.
Nick Szabo has also denied being Satoshi, but many in the cryptocurrency community remain skeptical. There are many similarities between Nick and Satoshi, which may just be coincidence or perhaps something more.
Dorian Nakamoto
Dorian Nakamoto is a Japanese-American whose real name is actually Satoshi Nakamoto. He worked as a computer engineer at a technology and financial services company and even lived in the same area of California as Hal Finney for nearly a decade.
Dorian once answered in an interview, claiming he participated in the development of bitcoin, but later retracted that statement, saying he misunderstood the question at the time. Since then, he has denied having been involved in the project, even stating that he did not know about bitcoin's existence until before the media frenzy around him.
HBO Documentary
In October 2024, HBO released a new documentary titled 'Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery', directed by Cullen Hoback, attempting to uncover the identity of bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto through various hidden clues.
In this documentary, Cullen Hoback focuses on the enigmatic Satoshi Nakamoto. Previously, Cullen gained fame with the HBO miniseries 'Q: Into the Storm', claiming to have found the manipulators behind the QAnon conspiracy.
What is Satoshi Nakamoto's net worth?
Whoever the real Satoshi Nakamoto is, they are undoubtedly immensely wealthy. Forensic analysts have traced where Satoshi has stored bitcoins and have publicly disclosed their net worth.
Since early 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto has not moved a single bitcoin. Although estimates of the number of bitcoins held by Satoshi vary, it is generally believed to be around 1 million coins. This is enough to place Satoshi among the wealthiest billionaires in the world. Based on market prices in October 2024, the bitcoins held by Satoshi are worth over $61 billion.
Summary
The identity of Satoshi Nakamoto remains elusive to this day; it could be an individual, a group, or even uncertain whether they are still alive. Without concrete evidence, we will never uncover Satoshi's true identity. Additionally, many members of the bitcoin and cryptocurrency community believe that Satoshi's identity should remain a mystery forever.
Regardless, what we can be sure of is that Satoshi has long held a large amount of bitcoin.
