HBO to Reveal Bitcoin’s Creator? History Says: Don’t Bet on It

HBO is making bold claims with its upcoming documentary, Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, set to release on Tuesday. The film, directed by investigative filmmaker Cullen Hoback, promises to unmask the true identity of Bitcoin’s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. But is this just another failed attempt in the ongoing quest to reveal Satoshi?

Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, has remained a mystery since Bitcoin’s inception in 2009. Despite numerous attempts by journalists and investigators to uncover the identity of Satoshi, all efforts so far have ended in controversy and speculation.

Past Efforts to Unmask Satoshi

In 2014, Newsweek journalist Leah McGrath Goodman famously identified Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto, a Japanese-American living in California, as the creator of Bitcoin. However, Dorian Nakamoto vehemently denied these claims, stating that he had never even heard of Bitcoin before the article. The story was quickly debunked, and the mystery persisted.

A year later, Australian computer scientist Craig Wright claimed to be Satoshi in a media blitz, telling publications such as the BBC and The Economist that he was behind the cryptocurrency. However, Wright’s claims unraveled, revealing inconsistencies and raising suspicions about his motivations. A U.K. court recently ruled that Wright was not Satoshi, ordering him to publicly admit this on his social media accounts.

Wright’s attempts to access Satoshi’s fortune—around 1.1 million BTC, worth approximately $68 billion today—were ultimately thwarted. He has since filed lawsuits against various individuals, including Bitcoin developers and podcasters, in a futile bid to control the Bitcoin narrative.

Will HBO Succeed Where Others Have Failed?

Cullen Hoback, the director of Money Electric, is no stranger to high-profile investigations. He previously unmasked Ron Watkins, the administrator of the 8kun site and the alleged leader of the QAnon conspiracy theory, in a 2021 HBO series. But can Hoback truly uncover Satoshi?

HBO’s documentary promises “never-before-seen clues,” but the crypto community remains skeptical. Historically, the only irrefutable proof of Satoshi’s identity would be the movement of the 1.1 million BTC tied to Satoshi’s known wallet addresses—something no claimant has been able to do.

Satoshi Candidates: Theories Continue to Swirl

Speculation about Satoshi’s identity has persisted for over a decade. Several prominent individuals from the early days of cryptocurrency have been suggested, including:

• Hal Finney – A renowned cryptographer and one of Bitcoin’s earliest contributors, Finney lived near Dorian Nakamoto and passed away in 2014. Some believe he could have been Satoshi, or at least involved in Bitcoin’s creation.
• Nick Szabo – Creator of Bit Gold, Szabo has often been linked to Bitcoin’s early development. He has denied being Satoshi.
• Adam Back – The creator of Hashcash, Back has been involved in cryptography for years, but like Szabo, he has denied any involvement with Bitcoin’s creation.
• Wei Dai – Inventor of b-money, Dai has also been floated as a possible Satoshi, though he too has denied it.

Another lesser-known candidate gaining traction is Len Sassaman, a prominent cypherpunk and computer programmer who died in 2011. Sassaman was active in cryptographic circles and was involved in privacy technologies—both key elements in Bitcoin’s design.

On Polymarket, a decentralized betting platform, 46% of bettors believe Sassaman could be Satoshi. Galaxy Digital’s Alex Thorn even speculated that if Sassaman is revealed as Satoshi, it would be “neutral to positive” for Bitcoin, as Sassaman is deceased and would be unable to sell the 1.1 million BTC tied to Satoshi.

Could Satoshi’s Identity Ever Be Truly Known?

Despite the ongoing search, the crypto community has largely agreed that Satoshi’s identity may be better left a mystery. Coinbase, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has even listed the potential unmasking of Satoshi as a business risk in its public filings.

While curiosity remains strong, the idea that Satoshi is a group rather than an individual has also gained traction. With theories ranging from a collective of cypherpunks to even the CIA, the truth may never be fully known.

As Money Electric hits screens, only time will tell whether HBO’s investigation will yield real answers or simply add to the pile of failed attempts.

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