We may receive payment from affiliate links included within this content. Our affiliate partners do not influence our editorial opinions or analysis. To learn more, see ourAdvertiser Disclosure.
Nothing fires the imagination like an anonymous hero with a secret identity. Its been an enduring trope since the Scarlet Pimpernel rescued his first aristocrat from Madame la Guillotine. From Batman to the street artist Banksy, each hero has his own reason for donning the mask of anonymity.
This phenomenon has come to the world of finance in the person of Satoshi Nakamoto, the so-called father of Bitcoin. He appeared out of the ether in 2008 and disappeared just as abruptly three years later, after establishing the worlds first cryptocurrency. On April 23, 2011, he sent a farewell email to a fellow Bitcoin developer. Ive moved on to other things, he wrote, assuring that the future of Bitcoin was in good hands. He has not been heard from since.
Today, Bitcoin is valued at more than $1 trillion, and while Nakamotos identity might be simply a matter of speculation for some, it means far more to others: He is said to own over 1 million Bitcoins with a current value hovering somewhere around $60 billion. Thats equivalent to about 5 percent of the total number of bitcoins currently in circulation.
Should the personor personsbehind the name Satoshi Nakamoto decide to sell just some of this hoard, the transaction would completely upend the cryptocurrency market. Cryptocurrency trading platform Coinbase, which went public on the Nasdaq on April 14, noted the potential revelation of Nakamotos identity (and the movement of that persons Bitcoin holdings) as a risk factor in its IPO filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Coinbase even went so far as to send a copy of the filing to the last known email address for Nakamoto.
Increasingly, financial services behemoths like BlackRock, JPMorgan and BNY Mellon are offering cryptocurrencies and related services to their customers, adding legitimacy to an asset that Berkshire Hathaways Charlie Munger once characterized as contrary to the interests of civilization.
Bitcoin came to life when Nakamoto published his famous white paper on a cryptography mailing list describing a digital currency that would allow secure, peer-to-peer transactions without the involvement of any middleman, whether that be the government, financial system or a company. These transactions would be tracked through a blockchain, a ledger like those used by any financial institution, except that this ledger would be distributed across an entire network, with exact duplicates held by all participants and visible to all, secured by cryptographic means. There would never be more than 21 million Bitcoin.
Nakamoto created his cryptocurrency with the goal of wresting control of currency from financial elites and putting it in the hands of the common man. The first Bitcoin transaction occurred when Nakamoto sent 10 Bitcoins to Hal Finney, a well-known developer who had downloaded the Bitcoin software on its release date. The first commercial transaction came in 2010, when a programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz bought himself two Papa Johns pizzas for 10,000 Bitcoin. At Bitcoins current price of nearly $60,000, those were some very expensive pizzas.
Bitcoin is open source, meaning its design is public. No one person owns or controls Bitcoin, and anyone can participate. While Satoshi continued to control Bitcoins development, users and developers congregated in Bitcoin forums to contribute code and work on the project, which had become a collaborative effort. The users running the Bitcoin software were the ultimate authority.
Many programmers and developers have written code for Bitcoin, but Gavin Andresen was one of the most enthusiastic. He reached out to Nakamoto in 2010 and became the founders right-hand man. When Nakamoto withdrew from sight, he left Bitcoin in Andresens hands. Today, even Andresen himself has grown more reclusive: He no longer serves as core maintainer of Bitcoins code; in fact, that role may soon become as decentralized as the cryptocurrency itself.
Throughout the history of Bitcoin, efforts to unveil Nakamoto have continued unabated. Gossips in cryptocurrency forums have engaged in wild speculation: Nakamoto is a member of the Yakuza, part of a cabal of developers, a money-launderer or maybe even a woman.
In 2014, a reporter from Newsweek identified 70-year-old Dorian Nakamoto, a soft-spoken resident of Los Angeles, as Bitcoins creator. While his long and distinguished career in engineering was cited as evidence, Nakamoto has vehemently denied any involvement with the cryptocurrency. The day after Dorian Nakamoto released a public statement, Satoshi surfaced in an online forum. He posted I am not Dorian Nakamoto before vanishing once again.
Dorian Nakamoto, a 70-year-old resident of Los Angeles, vehemently denied a 2014 Newsweek report that he was the founder of Bitcoin. Sakatoshi Nakamoto also released a statement refuting the claim.Nick Ut/Associated Press
Australian Craig Wright claimed to be Nakamoto in 2016, and Bitcoin developer Andresen corroborated the statement, saying he was 98 percent sure that Wright was the elusive Satoshi. The cryptocurrency community wasnt having it, and Wright backed away from the claim.
Suspicion also fell upon Nick Szabo, a secretive crypto expert who contributed significantly to the development of Bitcoin. Linguistic researchers analyzed Szabos writing as well as writing from other suspected Satoshis. The linguists claimed that there were definitive similarities between Szabos writings and Satoshi Nakamotos. The New York Times even went so far as to pin Szabo as the shadowy Nakamoto, but Szabo strenuously denied the claims.
The upshot is that Satoshi Nakamoto remains anonymous, a mythical creature with a Bitcoin stash of epic proportions. He has strong incentives to remain anonymous. Owning a $60 billion fortune makes personal security a compelling concern. Given Bitcoins potential to challenge sovereign fiat currencies, Nakomoto could fear potential legal actions by governmentsif not other forms of government sanction.
Unquestionably, efforts to uncover the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto will continue. The threat he poses to the cryptocurrency market is too great and the mystery surrounding his identity is too compelling. In a world where anonymity is increasingly difficult to pursue, Satoshi Nakamoto has succeeded beyond imagination in keeping his secrets.
Rebecca Baldridge, CFA, is an investment professional and financial writer with over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. She is a founding partner in Quartet Communications, a financial communications and content creation firm.
View post:
Why The Father of Bitcoin Is Nowhere to Be Found - Robb Report
- Satoshi Nakamoto Definition | Investopedia - February 6th, 2018 [February 6th, 2018]
- Who is Satoshi Nakamoto, Cryptocurrency's Elusive Creator ... - March 2nd, 2018 [March 2nd, 2018]
- Self-proclaimed Satoshi Nakamoto sued for swindling $5 ... - March 2nd, 2018 [March 2nd, 2018]
- Bitcoin's Creator Satoshi Nakamoto Is Probably This ... - March 28th, 2018 [March 28th, 2018]
- Satoshi Nakamoto - Wikipedia - May 7th, 2018 [May 7th, 2018]
- Satoshi Nakamoto Known to CIA? FBI? Created by NSA? Search ... - August 21st, 2018 [August 21st, 2018]
- Satoshi Nakamoto, bitcoins enigmatic creator - Brain scan - September 6th, 2018 [September 6th, 2018]
- Bootstrapped Gavin: Satoshi Nakamotos identity revealed ... - September 6th, 2018 [September 6th, 2018]
- Satoshi Nakamoto was interested in joining Trons Atlas ... - September 14th, 2018 [September 14th, 2018]
- Satoshi Nakamoto Revealed Says UK Nonprofit Stylometry ... - October 9th, 2018 [October 9th, 2018]
- 2018 Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? Psychic Insights Michelle ... - October 28th, 2018 [October 28th, 2018]
- How bitcoin has failed to achieve Satoshi Nakamotos ... - November 6th, 2018 [November 6th, 2018]
- Satoshi Nakamoto Introduced Bitcoin 10 Years Ago ... - November 6th, 2018 [November 6th, 2018]
- Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto? - bitcoinplay.net - December 14th, 2018 [December 14th, 2018]
- Satoshi Nakamoto Finally Revealed! A Back-Of-The-Envelope ... - December 14th, 2018 [December 14th, 2018]
- The Incomplete List of People Speculated to Be Satoshi ... - January 6th, 2019 [January 6th, 2019]
- Satoshi Nakamoto's profile updated 2018! | Crypto Insider - January 6th, 2019 [January 6th, 2019]
- Bitcoin (BTC) Creator Satoshi Nakamoto More Powerful Than ... - January 6th, 2019 [January 6th, 2019]
- Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? - What is Bitcoin? - January 6th, 2019 [January 6th, 2019]
- Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? - Invest in Blockchain - January 6th, 2019 [January 6th, 2019]
- Fake Satoshi Nakamoto Craig Wright Rats Out Ethereum Trying ... - February 19th, 2019 [February 19th, 2019]
- Will The Real Satoshi Nakamoto Please Stand Up No, Sit Down ... - February 19th, 2019 [February 19th, 2019]
- Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto? The Top 4 Candidates Revealed ... - February 19th, 2019 [February 19th, 2019]
- Satoshi Nakamoto Person Of The Year - Business Insider - February 19th, 2019 [February 19th, 2019]
- Will The Real Satoshi Nakamoto Please Stand Up - bitcoinist.com - February 19th, 2019 [February 19th, 2019]
- From Dorian Nakamoto to Elon Musk: The Incomplete List of ... - February 19th, 2019 [February 19th, 2019]
- Satoshi Nakamoto May Have Considered a Bitcoin Kill Switch ... - March 22nd, 2019 [March 22nd, 2019]
- How Rich is Satoshi Nakamoto Today? - coincentral.com - March 22nd, 2019 [March 22nd, 2019]
- Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? - CCN - March 22nd, 2019 [March 22nd, 2019]
- Bitcoin's Creator Satoshi Nakamoto Is Probably This Unknown ... - March 22nd, 2019 [March 22nd, 2019]
- Satoshi Nakamoto: Who is Bitcoin's Mysterious Creator ... - March 22nd, 2019 [March 22nd, 2019]
- Satoshi Nakamoto May Have Considered a Bitcoin Kill Switch - March 22nd, 2019 [March 22nd, 2019]
- Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? We Look at The Possible Candidates ... - March 22nd, 2019 [March 22nd, 2019]
- New Information Heightens Satoshi Nakamoto Mystery - Bitcoin News - March 22nd, 2019 [March 22nd, 2019]
- Satoshi Nakamoto Mines Over 40% of Bitcoin Cash, Sparks ... - May 5th, 2019 [May 5th, 2019]
- Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? John McCafee Claims to Know And ... - May 5th, 2019 [May 5th, 2019]
- Back to the Satoshi Nakamoto Bitcoin affair - BBC News - May 5th, 2019 [May 5th, 2019]
- Bitcoin block size limit debate: An overview - Cryptopolitan - September 18th, 2019 [September 18th, 2019]
- Is it Legal to Invest in Bitcoins in India? Here's a Guide to Cryptocurrencies - News18 - September 18th, 2019 [September 18th, 2019]
- Someone just moved $1.4 billion in Bitcoin - ACS - September 18th, 2019 [September 18th, 2019]
- You Can Now Prove a Whole Blockchain With One Math Problem Really - CoinDesk - September 18th, 2019 [September 18th, 2019]
- Bitek CEO talks spreading Bitcoin SV news in Latin America - CoinGeek - September 18th, 2019 [September 18th, 2019]
- Are 18 months enough for SpaceChain's extraterrestrial blockchain network? - Cryptopolitan - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- Bitcoin Will Surge to $20,000, States BitMEX Chief Executive After Fed Prints $53 Bln of QE - U.Today - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- The Top 5 Cryptocurrency Exchanges - Asia Crypto Today - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- Snowden Triumphs Bitcoin While US Govt Tries Book Earnings Seizure - CCN.com - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- What Is Blockchain Technology? - The Crypto Coin Discovery - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- US Arrests One of the First Ethereum Devs - ihodl.com - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- Craig Wright Claims He Almost Settled the Case with the Kleiman's - ihodl.com - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- Craig Wright to Negotiate for Settlement Over 1.1 Million Bitcoin Ownership Trial - CryptoNewsZ - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- Social media site Tsu set to return - ZDNet - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- OPINION: Institutional Trading Could Kill Crypto Exchanges - Markets Media - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- Craig Wrights Hidden Treasures: Court Order to Unlock the Tulip Trust - Cointelegraph - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- Five Reasons Satoshi Nakamoto Is Smarter than Mark Zuckerberg - CCN.com - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- And Satoshis True Identity is - CCN.com - September 19th, 2019 [September 19th, 2019]
- Donald Trump or Prince William? New Bitcoin Father Theory - Coin Idol - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- EPFL Researchers Invent Low-Cost Alternative to Bitcoin | Fintech Schweiz Digital Finance News - Fintechnews Switzerland - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- How to think about the future of digital currency - The Next Web - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- Regulators Must Have Died and Made Crypto Exchanges King - CCN.com - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- Bitcoin Price to Hit $90,000 After May 2020 Halving, Predicts Germany's Top... - Coinspeaker - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- Block.ones SEC settlement over EOS ICO is shockingly weak say critics - Decrypt - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- Bitcoin has a massive carbon footprint. This clever new cryptocurrency doesnt - Digital Trends - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- John McAfee on Libra, Satoshi Nakamoto, and the Binance Ban [BeInCrypto Interview] - BeInCrypto - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- AI, The Great Depression And Satoshi Nakamoto: Robert Shillers Narrative Economics Is A Cautionary Tale For Our Times - Forbes - October 2nd, 2019 [October 2nd, 2019]
- Analyzing the Bitcoin Phenomenon - ChartAttack - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- Latest cryptocurrency news and prices, 09 October 2019 - The South African - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- Alipay Claps Back at Binance, Reaffirms Ban on Bitcoin & Other Cryptocurrencies - BlockPublisher - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- Bitcoin Association and Cambridge Partner Over Bitcoin SV - Live Bitcoin News - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- How Bitcoin Miners Fueled the Bear Market Trend of 2018 - BTCNN - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- Bitfinex and Tether Face Class Action Filed by Lawyers Who Sued Craig Wright - CryptoGlobe - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- Cryptocurrency: What to know about digital money - Fox Business - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- Bitcoin History Part 18: The First Bitcoin Wallet - Bitcoin News - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- 2 Bitcoin Developers Explain How The Cryptocurrency Could Still Fail - Forbes - October 12th, 2019 [October 12th, 2019]
- With 18 Million Bitcoins Mined, How Hard Is That 21 Million Limit? - CoinDesk - October 25th, 2019 [October 25th, 2019]
- Wonders Of The Blockchain-Enabled Supply Chain - Coinrevolution.com - October 25th, 2019 [October 25th, 2019]
- Oxford English Dictionary Recognizes Growing Adoption of Crypto by Adding 'Satoshi' - CryptoGlobe - October 25th, 2019 [October 25th, 2019]
- Bitcoin moves towards the foresight of inventor Satoshi Nakamoto - OBN - October 25th, 2019 [October 25th, 2019]
- Jack Dorsey: Bitcoin is becoming the Internets national currency - Decrypt - October 25th, 2019 [October 25th, 2019]
- Exclusive Interview with John McAfee: Epstein Didnt Kill Himself, Bitcoin to Hit $1 million, & Rus - U.Today - November 25th, 2019 [November 25th, 2019]
- More than just crypto: blockchain usage grows amidst greater regulation - Bobsguide - November 25th, 2019 [November 25th, 2019]