Who is Satoshi Nakamoto? New documentary says Peter Todd is Satoshi, Todd says nonsense

A new HBO documentary, Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, has sparked fresh debate over the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin. Here is what we know.

In Short

• A new documentary has sparked fresh debate over the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto
• Satoshi Nakamoto is the name used by the person or group that created Bitcoin
• The documentary suggests Canadian software developer Peter Todd might be Nakamoto

A new HBO documentary, Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, has sparked fresh debate over the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin. The documentary suggests that Canadian software developer Peter Todd might be Nakamoto, but Todd has dismissed this claim, calling it nonsense.

Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?

Satoshi Nakamoto is the name used by the person or group that created Bitcoin, the world’s largest cryptocurrency. Since Bitcoin’s launch in 2009, the true identity of Nakamoto has remained a mystery. Over the years, there have been many guesses about who Nakamoto could be, but no one has been able to prove it.

Bloomberg reported that the HBO documentary features interviews with key people involved in Bitcoin’s early development, including Peter Todd, who is a well-known figure in the Bitcoin community. According to the documentary, old posts from early Bitcoin forums suggest that Todd could be Nakamoto.

Todd denies the claim

In the documentary, Todd is asked directly if he is Satoshi Nakamoto. He strongly denies it, calling the idea ridiculous. At one point, he jokingly says, "I am Satoshi Nakamoto," but he quickly makes it clear that he does not believe the claim.

Others featured in the documentary also laugh off the suggestion, leaving the question of Nakamoto’s true identity unanswered.

Why does Nakamoto’s identity matter?

The identity of Nakamoto has been a topic of speculation for years. In the past, media outlets have named other individuals as potential candidates, including physicist Dorian Nakamoto and computer scientist Nick Szabo. Australian Craig Wright even claimed to be Nakamoto, but a UK court ruled that he is not the creator of Bitcoin.

Although Satoshi Nakamoto has not been heard from since 2011, the Bitcoin creator’s influence remains significant. Nakamoto’s Bitcoin wallet holds about 1 million Bitcoins, which is worth over $62 billion today. Any movement of these funds could have a major impact on the cryptocurrency market.

The search continues

The identity of Bitcoin’s creator could affect how governments and corporations view the cryptocurrency. For now, Peter Todd’s denial adds another layer to the ongoing mystery, as the world continues to wonder who really created Bitcoin.