abstract

Hal Finney is a central figure in the cypherpunk movement and is often speculated to be Satoshi Nakamoto, the inventor of Bitcoin, but he has denied this;

Hal Finney's contributions to encryption history include research on the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption protocol and development of the first reusable proof-of-work system (Proof-of-Work);

Although Finney passed away in 2014, his influence in the cryptocurrency world remains; his family was able to use his early acquisition of Bitcoin to fund his medical treatment;