Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?
The pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto describes the legendary inventor of the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. It is not known whether this is an individual or a collective. In October 2008, Satoshi published the white paper on Bitcoin and the first block was mined the following January.
Many cryptocurrency followers believe that Satoshi Bitcoin was created and bequeathed to the world after successful implementations. Others think it was an individual who has since passed away. This would definitely be a good reason why the original wallet remains untouched until now.
In a Nutshell
- Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym of the Bitcoin inventor, whose identity remains unknown.
- There are numerous speculations about the identity of the cryptocurrency's inventor. The true identity remains unknown, despite intense speculation.
- May own around 1 million untouched Bitcoins.
Satoshi Nakamoto is one of the richest people in the world
It cannot be said exactly how many Bitcoin Satoshi Nakamoto owns. It can be assumed that it is between 750,000 and one million Coins. This fact would make the person behind Bitcoin one of the richest people on the planet. Due to the strong fluctuations, it makes little sense to name an exact amount at this point, but a place in the Forbes Top 20 list is definitely within reach.
The fact that it is still not known who Satoshi Nakamoto can be considered part of the cryptocurrency's success. However, the technical occurrences, such as the blockchain behind it and the proof of work, are of course the basis of the most successful cryptocurrency. The mystery surrounding Satoshi nevertheless undoubtedly helped to make Bitcoin what it is today.
Who could Satoshi Nakamoto be?
Recently, various people have claimed the invention for themselves. Some have also been credited with it without being asked. Let's take a closer look at the most promising candidates.
Nick Szabo – The Cryptography Visionary
Nick Szabo, a pioneer in the development of cryptocurrencies, is often associated with Satoshi Nakamoto.
Szabo developed the concept of “Smart Contracts” and designed Bit Gold, an early digital currency concept that anticipated many ideas later realized in Bitcoin. His in-depth understanding of cryptography and digital currencies has fueled speculations that he might be Satoshi himself.
Despite strong indications and his significant contribution to the crypto world, Szabo has always rejected these speculations.
“Trust is established through cryptography and the massive collaboration and self-interest of economically motivated parties, rather than through central institutions.”
Nick Szabo (1996). Smart Contracts: Building Blocks for Digital Markets
Hal Finney – The First Bitcoin Recipient
Hal Finney is known as the recipient of the first Bitcoin transaction.
It is assumed that he was involved at least in the development of the most famous cryptocurrencies. There has been speculation in the past that he might be Satoshi Nakamoto.
However, there is no confirmation of this.
“Imagine if Bitcoin were to succeed and become the dominant payment method worldwide. In this case, the value of a single Bitcoin could go into the millions.”
Hal Finney (2009). Bitcointalk Forum
Dorian Nakamoto – Der Verwechselte
In March 2014, the news magazine Newsweek claimed that Californian Dorian Nakamoto was behind the invention of Bitcoin.
This individual is a 65-year-old man from the IT sector who has denied any identity and any connection with the cryptocurrency to this day.
Objectively, it seems unlikely that Satoshi Nakamoto would have used his real family name as a pseudonym.
Craig Steven Wright – The Self-Proclaimed
Unlike Dorian, Craig Steven Wright has presented himself as the inventor of Bitcoin.
However, a year before his claim, the magazine Wired suspected Wright of being behind the pseudonym. In May 2016, he then addressed these suspicions and confirmed them.
As proof, Wright created a signature that could only be generated by Satoshi Nakamoto's private key. However, it later turned out that the signature was merely copied from 2009 and therefore not newly generated.
Wikileaks also presented evidence that Wright forged documents in the context of Satoshi Nakamoto's identity.
Furthermore, Craig Steven Wright claimed ownership of a Bitcoin wallet containing 160,000 Bitcoins. However, in May 2019, a message was published that highly likely excludes this possibility:
“Address 16cou7Ht6WjTzuFyDBnht9hmvXytg6XdVT does not belong to Satoshi or Craig Wright. Craig is a liar and a fraud.”
Anonymous (2019)
The facts presented clearly indicate that Craig Steven Wright can very likely be ruled out as the inventor of Bitcoin. The centralization and exploitation of the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto in the media already seem inconclusive in themselves.
Elon Musk – The Technology Mogul
Elon Musk, the visionary entrepreneur behind companies like SpaceX and Tesla, has occasionally appeared in speculations about the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin.
However, Musk has clearly rejected such speculations, and there is no substantial proof linking him directly with the development of Bitcoin.
His background in the tech industry and his well-known affinity for revolutionary technologies have contributed to these speculations, but Musk's main interests and activities lie in other areas, such as space exploration and renewable energy.
Other contestants
According to Wikipedia, other candidates were suspected as potential inventors of Bitcoin:
- Vili Lehdonvirta (Economic Sociologist)
- Michael Clear (Student, Trinity College)
- Ross Ulbricht (Founder of Silk Road)
- Cyrano Jones
- Paul Le Roux
- Gavin Andresen
