Hunt for Bitcoin’s elusive creator Satoshi Nakamoto hits another dead-end
Bitcoin, which anchors a cryptocurrency industry valued at over two trillion dollars, is now traded by the world’s largest investment firms and has even achieved official currency status in one country.
Yet, despite its remarkable ascent, a profound mystery endures: who truly is Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s enigmatic founder?
Numerous efforts have been made to solve this puzzle, but all have fallen short. In October, an HBO documentary raised eyebrows by hinting that Canadian Bitcoin expert Peter Todd could be Nakamoto. However, Todd denied it, and the crypto community largely dismissed the claim.
So, naturally, our newsroom—and the broader crypto world—was intrigued on Thursday when word spread of a press conference where Bitcoin’s elusive creator was supposedly going to reveal their identity.
The interest in Nakamoto’s identity is partly because they are viewed as a visionary programmer who played a pivotal role in establishing the crypto industry. Their perspective and insights would carry enormous weight in a space with such a passionate following.
But the intrigue also lies in the fact that, as the owner of over one million bitcoins, Satoshi would be a multi-billionaire, especially with Bitcoin’s price hovering near an all-time high.
Given this extraordinary wealth, it was somewhat unexpected to be asked by the event organizer to pay for a seat at the much-anticipated unveiling.
A front row seat would be £100. It was another £50 if I wanted unlimited questions. Organiser Charles Anderson even encouraged me to spend £500 in exchange for the privilege of interviewing “Satoshi” on stage.
I declined.
Mr Anderson said I could come along any way but cautioned there might not be a seat for me, such was the level of anticipation.
As it happened, seating wasn’t a problem.
Only around a dozen reporters turned up to the prestigious Frontline Club – which interrupted proceedings at one point to stress it only provided a room, and not any official endorsement.
Very soon it became clear that all attendees were extremely sceptical.
After some digging it emerged both the organiser and the purported Satoshi were currently embroiled in a complex legal fight over fraud allegations – linked to claims to be Satoshi.
It was an unpromising start, and things only got worse from there.
Mr Anderson invited “Satoshi” to come on stage.
A man called Stephen Mollah, who had been sat silently on the side the whole time walked up and resolutely declared: “I am here to make a statement that yes: I am Satoshi Nakamoto and I created the Bitcoin on Blockchain technology.”
Over the following hour, reporters went from amused to irritated as he failed to provide any of the promised evidence for his claims.
Mr Mollah promised that he would make the Hail-Mary move of unlocking and interacting with the first-ever Bitcoins to be created – something that only Satoshi could do.
But he didn’t.
I departed, along with other bemused reporters, taking with us any lingering doubts that this would prove to be yet another dead-end in the quest to unmask Satoshi.
