As a long-time Bitcoin user, I had to roll my eyes when I saw this HBO releases a trailer For an upcoming documentary, he attempts to uncover Satoshi’s identity. Speculation arose He will reveal who Satoshi Nakamoto is. After seeing many incomplete attempts to “unmask” Satoshi over the years, I’m sure these latest attempts won’t provide conclusive proof either.
If you’ve been using Bitcoin long enough, you know the drill – someone claims to know or is Satoshi, and theories start swirling, but there’s never any convincing evidence. It inevitably ends in embarrassment for the accused. We’ve been to this rodeo many times now.
With Bitcoin becoming a $1.2 trillion asset class, the appeal of the Satoshi reveal is understandable. His stash alone is supposedly 1.1 million bitcoins, currently worth over $65 billion.
The usual suspects like Adam Back, Hal Finney or Nick Szabo will likely be revived as main candidates. The accused will vehemently deny the accusations again. Our favorite Bitcoin historian, Pete Rizzo, actually made a $200 bet with Shinobi, Nicholas, Frank, and myself, which Buck ended up naming and denying.
However, ideally, Satoshi should remain anonymous as he clearly wanted. Bitcoin succeeds because of its decentralized design, not based on a single persona. Revealing Satoshi risks undermining Bitcoin’s mystique and independence.
As Bitcoin grows into a global asset, the risks involved in identifying its creator increase dramatically. The richest person on earth is offering an attractive bonus. But the real proof remains elusive.
This periodic media frenzy claiming to solve the case creates a sensation but is always disappointing. They act as amateur investigators following flawed hunches rather than conducting impartial investigations seeking the truth.
So I advise my fellow Bitcoiners to take next week’s “big reveal” with a grain of salt. It is likely to be more sensational than substantive, repeating familiar theories that fall short of conclusive evidence.
The only person who can definitively prove who Satoshi is is Satoshi himself. Until then, the mystery will continue – as it should.
This article is a takes. The opinions expressed are entirely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of BTC Inc or Bitcoin Magazine.