According to the American television network HBO, the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto, who created Bitcoin, may not be a mystery for much longer.
The alleged discovery could significantly impact Bitcoin (BTC), as anonymity has played a strategic role in maintaining the cryptocurrency’s decentralized nature.
Satoshi Nakamoto Unmasked, HBO Says
In a Thursday post on X, HBO said it would premier a documentary to reveal the identity of the pseudonymous Bitcoin creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Based on the trailer, the documentary will feature some influential personalities in the Bitcoin playing field.
Among them is Adam Back, the inventor of the blockchain hashing algorithm used in some cryptocurrency mining software. Roger Ver, who later moved on to Bitcoin Cash, also features alongside Samson Mow and Philip Karađorđević, the self-styled Prince of Serbia and renowned Bitcoiner.
Satoshi’s identity has been a mystery since Bitcoin was created in 2009 as the first truly decentralized cryptocurrency. The revelation would make public the controller of about 1.1 million Bitcoin, the biggest BTC stash in the world.
If Satoshi Nakamoto still holds the cryptographic keys to their Bitcoin fortune, their net worth would be approximately $67.5 billion, based on current prices. Data from BeInCrypto indicates that Bitcoin is trading at $61,353 at the time of writing.
Read more: Who Owns the Most Bitcoin in 2024?
BTC Price Performance. Source: BeInCryptoCrypto enthusiasts widely believe that Satoshi Nakamoto has no control over Bitcoin’s code, network consensus, or its operations. Despite ongoing chatter, curiosity surrounding Nakamoto’s influence is deemed largely irrelevant.
Recently, several high-value wallets from the Satoshi era became active for the first time since 2009. While these wallets are not officially tied to Nakamoto, they may belong to early collaborators.
More Satoshi Nakamoto Theories to Go Bust Soon
There have been several theories about who is Satoshi Nakamoto. Some of the most prominent speculations over the years include:
- Nick Szabo — computer scientist and cryptographer.
- Hal Finney — cryptographic pioneer and the first person to receive a Bitcoin transaction from Satoshi Nakamoto.
- Dorian Nakamoto — he denied any involvement after a discovery article in 2024.
- Craig Wright – an Australian computer scientist who claimed he is Satoshi with cryptographic evidence to support his claim.
- A Group of Individuals – there are theories that Satoshi is not a single person.
However, the UK presiding judge, Mr. Justice Mellor, stripped off one theory, determining that Craig Wright is not the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin. The ruling came after the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (Copa), a conglomerate of cryptocurrency companies, levied charges against Wright.
Copa aimed to prevent Wright from claiming he had invented Bitcoin. Notably, the defendant was already using the speculation to expand his influence over the crypto sector.
“Wright is not the author of the Bitcoin white paper. He is not the person who adopted or operated under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto in the period 2008 to 2011… He is not the person who created the Bitcoin system…and he is not the author of the initial versions of the Bitcoin software,” Justice Mellor said.
With the UK court’s determination in March 2024, the search for Satoshi Nakamoto continued, and now HBO claims to have all the answers. Social media is already abuzz following the announcement, with discussions and concerns among crypto market participants.
Read more: Anonymity vs. Pseudonymity: Understanding the Key Differences.
To some, it is surprising why the supposed identity has not been leaked, with an entire series at the cusp of release. This speculation is based on the assumption that it would be nearly impossible to keep news of such magnitude airtight.
Other concerns include how the authorities could claim Satoshi Nakamoto’s complicity in crimes featuring Bitcoin use. The FBI is also said to have information about Nakamoto, which further heats up discussions on the subject.
