Hal Finney's Unlikely Role as Satoshi Nakamoto: New Analysis Debunks the Theory
Jameson Lopp, a co-founder of Bitcoin custody firm Casa, presents compelling evidence that challenges the long-standing speculation that the late Hal Finney was the mysterious creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. Lopp's analysis sheds new light on the debate, bringing into question the theory that has persisted for years.
Race Against Time:
Lopp's key argument centers on Hal Finney's 10-mile race in Santa Barbara, California, on April 18, 2009. Finney started at 8 am Pacific time and finished in 78 minutes, which coincides with emails between Satoshi Nakamoto and Mike Hearn. Satoshi emailed Mike at 9:16 AM Pacific time, just two minutes before Hal finished the race, implying Hal wasn't using a computer during the race.
On-Chain Data:
Lopp uses on-chain data, including emails between Hearn and Nakamoto, to argue that Nakamoto sent 32.5 BTC in a transaction on block 11,408, at 8:55 am California time, 55 minutes into Finney's race, casting doubt on Finney's role as Nakamoto.
Health Concerns:
Additionally, the analysis points out that Satoshi Nakamoto was actively working on code and posting on forums during a time when Hal Finney was dealing with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), which had severely affected his ability to use a keyboard. This disparity in their activities during this period challenges the theory of Finney as Nakamoto.
Code Differences:
Lopp also notes differences between Finney's Reusable Proofs of Work code and the original Bitcoin client code. These differences raise questions about the extent of Finney's involvement in Bitcoin's creation.
Lopp believes Bitcoin's creation came from a single developer, Hal Finney. While there are objections, like the possibility of scripted emails or multiple Satoshis, the consistency in sleep schedules, code commits, emails, and forum posts supports this idea. Satoshi Nakamoto's identity remains a mystery, despite Hal Finney's significant role in cryptocurrency.
