HBO documentary sparks heated discussion, will Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity be revealed soon?

Ever since HBO released the trailer for its upcoming documentary Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, the cryptocurrency community has been in a frenzy. The documentary claimed to reveal the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous founder of Bitcoin, and attracted global attention. The film is scheduled to premiere on October 8, and the production team claims they have "solved the internet's biggest mystery." As the release date approaches, memes are going viral on the Internet, and various speculations continue. Some people are even worried that if Satoshi Nakamoto's identity is exposed, will the government take action to arrest him?

Further reading
Found Satoshi Nakamoto? HBO Bitcoin documentary will be broadcast, experts: the real face may be him

Meme goes viral on social media, people from all walks of life speculate on Satoshi Nakamoto’s true identity

In the lead-up to the release of the documentary, social media has been abuzz with memes and discussions about Satoshi Nakamoto. Many netizens have speculated who Satoshi Nakamoto might be. Some pointed to Ethereum founder Vitalik Buterin, some thought it was the late cryptographer Len Sassaman, and some even jokingly speculated that it was the famous scientist Einstein.

The incident even sparked a meme frenzy, with some users mocking Netflix's "woke culture depictions" of historical figures. One user named naiive joked: "What if Netflix made a movie about Satoshi Nakamoto" along with an image of a black version of Musk, further raising questions about how different platforms would portray the mysterious man. Speculations about characters.

比特幣-中本聰-黑人馬斯克-NetflixImage source: naiive naiive mocks Netflix’s woke culture and uses black Musk as a symbol of Satoshi Nakamoto

Dogecoin founder Billy Markus (screen name Shibetoshi Nakamoto) also joined the discussion, suggesting that Satoshi Nakamoto may not be a single person, but a combination of multiple early Bitcoin supporters, such as Hal Finney, Len Sassaman, etc. However, most of these speculators have passed away, and even if they are indeed Satoshi Nakamoto, it is difficult to confirm.

比特幣-中本聰-猜測名單Source: (CryptoCity) Chart List of people on the Internet who speculate that these people may be Satoshi Nakamoto

In addition, investors on the prediction market platform Polymarket believe that the documentary may identify Len Sassaman as Satoshi Nakamoto, an option that received 41% support. However, Sassaman had reservations about Bitcoin during his lifetime, even stating on X that "Bitcoin is over-hyped." Other candidates who have been speculated include Nick Szabo and Blockstream CEO Adam Back, but both have repeatedly denied that they are Satoshi Nakamoto.

比特幣-中本聰-Len Sassaman-PolymarketSource: Poltmarket Up to 41% of netizens on Polymarket believe Len Sassaman is Satoshi Nakamoto

Revealing identity could trigger market turmoil and legal risks

If the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto is revealed, it may have a significant impact on the Bitcoin market. Satoshi Nakamoto is thought to hold approximately 600,000 to 1.1 million Bitcoins, estimated to be worth approximately $43 billion to $80 billion at current market prices. Market analysts are worried that if Satoshi Nakamoto decides to sell these Bitcoins, it will lead to panic selling in the market and a sharp drop in prices. Coinbase also warned before listing in 2021 that if Satoshi Nakamoto's identity was revealed or his Bitcoin holdings were transferred, it would pose a significant risk to the company's business.

In addition, revealing the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto may also cause a series of legal issues. Experts pointed out that considering that many well-known figures in the cryptocurrency industry, such as FTX founder SBF, Binance founder Changpeng Zhao (CZ), and former Celsius Network CEO Alex Mashinsky, have faced legal sanctions, Satoshi Nakamoto’s situation may be even more serious. complex.

Will the government take action to arrest Satoshi Nakamoto?

Faced with this flurry of speculation, some began to worry whether the government would try to arrest Satoshi Nakamoto. Due to the decentralized nature of Bitcoin and its influence in the global financial market, governments around the world have always had mixed opinions about Bitcoin. If Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity is exposed, the government may investigate and prosecute him for various reasons. Foreign media (The Crypto Times) has compiled the following four possible reasons for prosecution:

  1. Tax Evasion Concern: Tax authorities are sure to go after Satoshi Nakamoto, demanding taxes on billions of undeclared cryptocurrency gains over 15 years.

  2. Securities Laws: Initial Bitcoin distribution and mining activities may be subject to retroactive scrutiny under securities regulations.

  3. Banking Laws: Banking regulators may also have problems with the Bitcoin creator for creating an alternative currency system that violates multiple financial and banking regulations.

  4. National Security: Bitcoin has been used for some transactions that bypassed traditional systems, and international intelligence agencies may examine Satoshi Nakamoto’s actions from a national security perspective.

However, some experts believe that even if the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto is revealed, Satoshi Nakamoto’s influence on Bitcoin is not as good as before. After more than ten years of development, Bitcoin has become a mature decentralized network that no longer relies on the existence of its founder. The market may be subject to initial volatility, but in the long term, Bitcoin's value and status will continue to be supported by users and investors around the world.

Can the mystery be solved, or will it continue to become a legend?

Overall, the upcoming release of the HBO documentary (Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery) has triggered renewed global attention to the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto. Regardless of whether the documentary ultimately unravels the mystery, this pursuit of the unknown is an attraction in itself. The mysterious identity of Satoshi Nakamoto adds legend to Bitcoin and makes it a unique existence in the history of modern technology. Perhaps, this mystery will continue to remain unsolved, but this does not hinder the influence and development of Bitcoin on a global scale.

As the documentary's air date approaches, global audiences and cryptocurrency enthusiasts will be waiting to see whether the work will lead to new discoveries or simply add to the legend of Satoshi Nakamoto.

[Disclaimer] There are risks in the market, so investment needs to be cautious. This article does not constitute investment advice, and users should consider whether any opinions, views or conclusions contained in this article are appropriate for their particular circumstances. Invest accordingly and do so at your own risk.