The Greatest Mystery in Finance
On October 31, 2008, a person — or group — using the name Satoshi Nakamoto published a 9-page document that would forever change the global financial system. To this day, their true identity remains unknown.
Bitcoin didn't emerge from a corporation or government. It was born from decades of cryptographic research and one anonymous visionary.
The world's most famous anonymous person. Explore all the clues, suspects, and theories behind the pseudonym that launched a trillion-dollar ecosystem.
Read More →From the 2008 whitepaper to the first real-world transaction — a step-by-step history of how Bitcoin went from theory to global phenomenon.
View Timeline →A plain-English breakdown of the 9-page document titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" — the founding document of cryptocurrency.
Read Breakdown →The Bitcoin whitepaper was published to a cryptography mailing list on October 31, 2008 — Halloween — under the name Satoshi Nakamoto.
The first Bitcoin block was mined on January 3, 2009. It contained a hidden message referencing a Times of London headline about bank bailouts.
Satoshi's final known communication was in April 2011, when they told developer Mike Hearn they had "moved on to other things."
Satoshi is estimated to hold roughly 1 million Bitcoin — worth tens of billions of dollars — that has never been moved or spent.
"Satoshi" means "clear-thinking" or "wise" in Japanese. "Nakamoto" translates roughly to "central origin." Whether these are coincidental is unknown.
Analysis of Satoshi's writing reveals consistent British English spellings ("colour," "grey," "maths") suggesting a UK connection — or deliberate misdirection.
Over the years, researchers and journalists have identified several individuals who may be Satoshi Nakamoto. None have been confirmed.
Cryptographer & cypherpunk. The first person to receive a Bitcoin transaction. Lived near someone named "Dorian Nakamoto."
Created "Bit Gold" — a Bitcoin precursor — in 1998. Linguistic analysis of his writing closely matches Satoshi's whitepaper style.
An Australian computer scientist who has publicly claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto. His claims remain widely disputed in the crypto community.
Dorian Nakamoto, Adam Back, Wei Dai, and others. Explore all theories and the evidence for each.