As a long-time Bitcoiner, I had to roll my eyes when I saw it HBO releases a trailer for an upcoming documentary teasing Satoshi’s identity to be revealed. Speculation arose that it would reveal who Satoshi Nakamoto is. Having seen many half-baked attempts to ‘unmask’ Satoshi over the years, I’m sure the latter won’t provide definitive proof either.
If you’ve been in Bitcoin long enough, you know it: someone claims to know or be Satoshitheories begin to swirl, but no convincing evidence ever materializes. It inevitably ends with shame for the accuser. We’ve been through this rodeo too many times.
With Bitcoin becoming a $1.2 trillion asset class, Satoshi’s appeal is understandable. Its supply alone is believed to be 1.1 million BTC, currently worth over $65 billion.
The usual suspects want Adam Back, Hal Finney or Nick Szabo are likely to reemerge as leading candidates. And the suspect will again vehemently deny the accusations. Our favorite Bitcoin historian, Pete Rizzohave already wagered $200 with Shinobi, Nicholas, Frankand I who is ultimately called Back and denied.
But ideally, Satoshi should remain anonymous, as he clearly wished. Bitcoin succeeds because of its decentralized design, and is not based on a single personality. Unmasking Satoshi risks undermining Bitcoin’s mystique and independence.
As Bitcoin grows into a global asset, the stakes around identifying its creator rise exponentially. The richest person on earth provides an attractive premium. But real proof remains elusive.
These periodic media frenzies claiming to solve the case create great hype, but always disappoint. They act as amateur sleuths who follow flawed hunches rather than impartial investigations in search of the truth.
That’s why I advise fellow Bitcoiners to take next week’s “big reveal” with a huge grain of salt. It will likely be more sensationalism than substance, repeating well-known theories that provide no definitive proof.
The only person who can conclusively prove that he is Satoshi is Satoshi himself. Until then, the mystery continues – as it should.
This article is a To take. The opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.