Has Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, finally been revealed?
The New York Times thinks so.
They published this earlier this week:
Bitcoin’s founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, has remained hidden for 17 years. A trail of clues — and a year of digging by our reporter, John Carreyrou — led us to a 55-year-old computer scientist in El Salvador named Adam Back. https://t.co/s6Jy00IDdk
— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 8, 2026
However, the man in question, Adam Back, posted in response that he’s not Satoshi.
See here:
i’m not satoshi, but I was early in laser focus on the positive societal implications of cryptography, online privacy and electronic cash, hence my ~1992 onwards active interest in applied research on ecash, privacy tech on cypherpunks list which led to hashcash and other ideas.
— Adam Back (@adam3us) April 8, 2026
Over the last 10+ years, I’ve learned to be highly skeptical of anything published by the New York Times, so I take all of this with a grain of salt.
But The Daily Mail did add these details:
Ever since the unveiling of Bitcoin on Halloween 2008, the true inventor behind the revolutionary digital currency has been shrouded in mystery.
Its creator adopted the mysterious pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, but no individual, now undoubtedly one of the world’s richest people, has so far been decisively identified.
But after an extensive investigation involving artificial intelligence and forensic linguistics experts, the New York Times has claimed to uncover the anonymous architect of Bitcoin, who has hidden his identity for more than 17 years.
That man is Adam Back, a 55-year-old British computer scientist, who the newspaper says pioneered the decentralised digital currency, used for encrypted, peer-to-peer transactions without needing a central bank.
If true, the University of Exeter–educated cryptographer has generated a vast fortune: as per Bitcoin lore, Satoshi ‘mined’ 1.1 million coins in the digital currency’s nascency, a cache that is worth $70 billion today.
Mining is the process of creating new Bitcoins by solving complicated mathematical problems that verify transactions in the currency.
On Wednesday, Back decisively told his X followers, ‘I’m not Satoshi’ before adding in a follow-up tweet: ‘I also don’t know who Satoshi is, and I think it is good for Bitcoin that this is the case, as it helps Bitcoin be viewed a new asset class, the mathematically scarce digital commodity.’
Nevertheless, the New York Times’s conclusion was drawn from over a year of trawling through thousands of decades-old internet postings, revealing a trail of opaque clues that weaved together to point towards Back.
Over the years, the encryption expert used extraordinary methods to conceal his identity – allegedly even sending emails in his own name to the mysterious Satoshi, playing both roles at once in a Mr Ripley-esque charade to cover his tracks.
The University of Exeter–educated cryptographer has been unmasked as the true inventor of Bitcoin, according to a New York Times investigation
But try as he might to conceal his identity, a series of extensive linguistic analyses has uncovered persuasive similarities between Back and Satoshi’s writing styles, leading to the conclusion that they are, and always have been, the same man.
When confronted originally by the New York Times, Back resolutely denied that he was in fact Satoshi, telling the outlet in a sharp and defensive tone: ‘Ultimately, it doesn’t prove anything. And I will reassure you, it’s really not me.’
But his body language revealed something else, from his blushing cheeks to his shifting uncomfortably in his seat when bombarded with a cascade of questions.
This is not the first time Back has been linked to the shadowy Satoshi. The makers of a 2024 HBO documentary, Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, cornered him as he sat on a park bench in Riga, Latvia, his shirt untucked under a brown coat.
When the leading figure in the Bitcoin movement was asked whether he was actually the cryptocurrency’s inventor, his body language was again illuminating: he tensed up, vehemently denied that he was Satoshi, and insisted that the interview be kept off the record.
But if he claims he is not the father of the digital currency, then who is Adam Back?
The 55-year-old is the CEO of Blockstream, a blockchain technology company he founded in 2014 ‘to create the financial infrastructure of the future’, which builds products and services for the storage and transfer of cryptocurrency.
He also invented Hashcash in 1997, the proof-of-work algorithm cited by Satoshi in the Bitcoin whitepaper, as the future basis for its mining function.
I’ve actually covered this many times before, because it’s a fascinating topic.
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The U.S. Government Already Knows Who The “Four Satoshi’s” Are?
This is very interesting and hasn’t gotten NEARLY the attention it should…
So we’re going to cover it.
You may have heard the name Satoshi Nakamoto before.
“Satoshi” is allegedly the creator of Bitcoin, although he’s anonymous and no one has ever seen him or known his identity.
At least, that’s how the story goes….
Except there’s one clip circulating online that claims we know EXACTLY who Satoshi is…..
And by “we” I mean the U.S. Federal Government.
Or at least the Department of Homeland Security, to be more precise.
And it isn’t this guy:
NOT Satoshi Nakamoto….
👇 pic.twitter.com/R75b0UPoU3— Noah Christopher (@DailyNoahNews) December 21, 2023
It might be this guy 👇 but more on that in a moment:
Here’s the video that has been circulating but hasn’t been getting much attention….
It claims that in 2019, DHS Special Agent Rana Saoud and her partner wanted to interview Satoshi Nakamoto….so they did!
Only here’s the twist….it wasn’t just one person, it was FOUR people.
Watch:
DHS Special Agent Rana Saoud admits the US 🇺🇸 Government met with #BTC creator Satoshi Nakamoto in California.
Satoshi Nakamoto is not one single person, but clearly an “organization.” pic.twitter.com/Nj3atvrqcR
— EDO FARINA 🅧 XRP (@edward_farina) October 2, 2023
More here:
Satoshi Nakamoto was actually 4 people in California according to Homeland Security. ⬇️ https://t.co/8PTvg9NSss
— Linda P. Jones (@LindaPJones) July 11, 2022
Here’s what’s never totally made sense about Bitcoin (but why I am so bullish on XRP)….
If the creator is anonymous and still holds a big chunk of Bitcoin, isn’t that a huge security risk?
How much does Satoshi allegedly still hold?
According to Grok, about $23 billion worth:
So isn’t that a major security risk for any country or company to hold Bitcoin?
What if “Satoshi” ends up being Russia?
Or China?
Or some rogue actor?
Or….the CIA?
Or Kim Jong Un?
You getting the picture?
But, if the Government already knows who Satoshi is, then the risk is much diminished right?
And if people like Michael Saylor already know who Satoshi is, then maybe that’s why he’s mortgaging his company’s future buying as much Bitcoin as he can get his hands on?
GIGA CHAD #BITCOIN SUPER BONUS #4
WHO IS SATOSHI NAKAMOTO?
By Michael @Saylor pic.twitter.com/5RzULfgzHg
— Cedric Youngelman ⚡️ (@CedYoungelman) December 15, 2023
So….who is Satoshi?
Well, according to that video clip above, it’s FOUR people, and in 2019 they were residing in California.
Here is a list of 10 possible candidates:
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Nick Szabo: A computer scientist and cryptographer, Szabo is known for his work on digital contracts and digital currency. He created a precursor to Bitcoin called Bit Gold. Some of his writings and ideas are closely related to the concepts in the Bitcoin whitepaper.
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Dorian Nakamoto: A Japanese-American physicist, Dorian’s birth name is Satoshi Nakamoto. He has denied being the creator of Bitcoin but has a background in classified defense projects and computer finance.
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Hal Finney: A pre-Bitcoin cryptographic pioneer, Finney was the first person to receive a Bitcoin transaction from Satoshi Nakamoto. He was also involved in the cypherpunk movement and had a history of working on cryptographic projects.
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Craig Wright: An Australian computer scientist and businessman, Wright has claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto. He has provided some evidence, but it has not been universally accepted as definitive proof.
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Adam Back: A British cryptographer and computer scientist, Back is associated with the cypherpunk movement. Satoshi Nakamoto cited Back’s work on Hashcash in the Bitcoin whitepaper.
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Wei Dai: A computer scientist, Dai’s expertise in cryptography makes him a leading candidate for being Satoshi Nakamoto. He created an early cryptocurrency called b-money, which shares similarities with Bitcoin.
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David Kleiman: A cybersecurity expert and forensic analyst, Kleiman worked in the field of computer forensics and digital investigations. Some have speculated that he may have been involved in the creation of Bitcoin due to his expertise and close relationship with Craig Wright.
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Michael Clear: A computer science and cryptography student at Trinity College Dublin, Clear was named the university’s top computer science undergraduate in 2008. Some have speculated that his background and expertise make him a possible candidate for being Satoshi Nakamoto.
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Vili Lehdonvirta: A Finnish economic sociologist, Lehdonvirta was mentioned in a 2011 article in The New Yorker as a potential candidate for being Satoshi Nakamoto. He has denied any involvement in the creation of Bitcoin.
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Neal King, Vladimir Oksman, and Charles Bry: A 2011 article in Fast Company suggested that this trio of technology entrepreneurs could be Satoshi Nakamoto. They have a patent application with a similar description to the Bitcoin system, but they have denied any connection to the creation of Bitcoin.
I personally don’t think it’s any of them….except maybe Hal Finney.
I think it’s much more likely it’s one or all three of these:
David Schwartz, Arthur Britto, and Jed McCaleb all have backgrounds in cryptography, computer science, and finance. They possess the technical knowledge and expertise necessary to create a cryptocurrency like Bitcoin. Schwartz is a well-known cryptographer and the Chief Cryptographer at Ripple, while Britto is a legendary futurist with a deep understanding of technology and finance. McCaleb is a serial entrepreneur who has created several successful and influential companies in the cryptocurrency space, including Mt. Gox and Ripple.
The connections between these individuals and the development of Bitcoin are significant. Schwartz and Britto were both co-founders of Ripple, a company that has made substantial contributions to the development of blockchain technology and digital currencies. McCaleb, on the other hand, founded Mt. Gox, the first major Bitcoin exchange, which played a crucial role in popularizing Bitcoin and making it accessible to a wider audience.
If you want more on this topic, here’s a fantastic breakdown including why it’s most likely that David Schwartz (ex-CIA) is at least one of the four:
Is David Schwartz (Joel Katz) Satoshi? “It’s certainly plausible I was part of a group…”
What do YOU think?
This is a Guest Post from our friends over at WLTReport. View the original article here.