The true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, has been a heavily contested topic in the cryptocurrency community for the better part of a decade. Even though Satoshi has since faded into the shadows, with some classifying him as somewhat of a legend, many still seek to find out who he, she, or they are.
Crypto Mysteries: Who Is Satoshi?
Satoshi burst into this world in late 2008, following the financial crisis of the same year, posting the original Bitcoin whitepaper onto a cryptography forum. Eventually, the network was launched, and Satoshi became the face (ironically enough) of the project for the next few years. Although becoming a household name throughout the nascent cryptosphere, no one really knew who he was and what he had done with the bitcoin he had mined.
Some postulated that it was Craig Wright, an Australian coder who has claimed to be Nakamoto. Others say it was a group of like-minded individuals, set on making an impact through a new, decentralized system. While speculation rages, it could really be anyone’s guess, well for common civilians like you or I anyway.
As Ethereum World News reported previously, many have started to believe that there are some who know who Bitcoin’s “father” is, specifically governmental agencies who hold access to tools and tactics which may make it easy (easier) to find such a secretive individual.
The Game Is Afoot — Users Crowdfund International Search Campaign
While governmental agencies could potentially be keeping Nakamoto’s identity under lock and key, others have sought to take this matter into their own hands.
A group of individuals, joining hands through the #findsatoshi hashtag, recently launched an “International Search For Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto” campaign on Russian crowdfunder BoomStarter. German Neff is heading this move, hoping to raise upwards of 15 million Russian Rubles or $200,000 in the equivalent USD value.
Issuing a statement alongside the BoomStarter post, Neff wrote:
“It’s about time we found Satoshi Nakamoto…The appearance of Bitcoin is widely compared to a supernova explosion. And after one has happened, some uncertainty started to take place… Satoshi needs to be found. And it is not just a trite curiosity. Now the market is on a fragile balance; for the further development of cryptocurrency, we need to know who created crypto and why.”
Explaining how this search would work, the user went on to write about how they would hire independent detective agencies in the U.S., Japan, and Europe to find the figure. Additionally, the campaign would take on the support of linguists, IT professionals and others who held specific professional capacities to help in this search.
As it stands, the campaign has raised 31% of its goal, or 4.7 million rubles ($70,000 U.S.) It remains to be seen who exactly is behind the influx of funding, but this interest shows that users really want to know who Satoshi is. Neff seems to hold a polarizing view on Satoshi, as he wrote that “we (#findsatoshi proponents) have the right to know the identity of Satoshi.”
But as some see it, this shadowy figure is likely dead, captured by the government, or hidden in a place so secret that no one would have any clue where to find them. Moreover, many cryptocurrency proponents have kept their distance from such a search, as finding the Bitcoin figurehead essentially undermines the very nature of decentralization and pseudonymity itself.
Photo by Noah Silliman on Unsplash
