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Satoshi Nakamoto

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Satoshi Nakamoto

Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym that was used by Bitcoin’s creator, whose identity is still unknown.

By Geoffrey Lyons

Published on Oct 11, 2024

Last modified on Oct 11, 2024

Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym that was used by Bitcoin’s creator, whose identity is still unknown.

In the roughly 30 months between October 2008 and April 2011, he or she (or they) published the Bitcoin whitepaper, wrote the Bitcoin code, launched the Bitcoin network, sent the first Bitcoin transaction, and actively fostered an online Bitcoin community.

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The real Satoshi

Satoshi’s true identity has been the focus of ongoing speculation. Dozens of names have been floated with varying degrees of supporting evidence. Some have even proclaimed themselves to be Satoshi, most notably Australian businessman and academic Craig Wright (who has both sued and been sued over the matter).

The late American technologists Hal Finney and Len Sassaman are often considered the most plausible candidates:

Screenshot 2024-10-11 at 15.39.35.png

People who developed digital currencies that were precursors to Bitcoin are also often put forward as top contenders, including Nick Szabo (bit gold), Adam Back (Hashcash), and Wei Dei (b-money).

Reasons for anonymity

Satoshi went to great lengths to remain anonymous. We don’t entirely know why, but a clue can be found in an email exchange with software developer Gavin Andresen.

“I wish you wouldn’t keep talking about me as a mysterious shadowy figure,” writes Satoshi, “maybe instead make it about the open source project.”

This suggests Satoshi remained anonymous so Bitcoin could be judged on its own merits, rather than being tied to the identity of one individual. Not only is this plausible, it also aligns with Bitcoin’s core ethos of decentralization.

Other reasons could be:

Screenshot 2024-10-11 at 15.21.40.png

*Satoshi’s crypto wallets contain an estimated 1.1M BTC, worth tens of billions of dollars today.

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