The Mysterious Father of Bitcoin: Satoshi Nakamoto's Billion-Dollar Secret After 15 Years of Disappearance

April 2025 marks the return of one of the greatest mysteries in the crypto world—what if Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, is still alive? He would now be 50 years old. But this Bitcoin founder has long disappeared from the internet into darkness, leaving behind unclaimed wealth valued at $63 billion to $93.5 billion.

An almost-forgotten name that changed the financial world

On October 31, 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto stunned the cryptography community with a 9-page white paper that succinctly articulated a bold idea: a peer-to-peer electronic cash system that can operate independently without banks, governments, or intermediaries. Just over two months later, on January 3, 2009, Nakamoto mined the genesis block of Bitcoin, embedding a headline from The Times: “The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks”—not only a timestamp but also a statement: I am creating a financial system that does not rely on bank bailouts.

An unverifiable identity with world-class wealth

Blockchain analysis indicates that Nakamoto mined between 750,000 and 1.1 million bitcoins in the first year of Bitcoin’s existence. At the current price of approximately $85,000 per bitcoin, this amounts to a fortune of $63 billion to $93.5 billion—enough to rank among the top 20 wealthiest individuals globally.

But here’s the most mysterious part: these massive holdings have remained untouched since 2011. No one knows if Nakamoto is no longer alive, has lost the private keys, or intentionally left this wealth for the entire Bitcoin ecosystem. Security researcher Sergio Demian Lerner identified a pattern—the “Patoshi pattern”—that can recognize which blocks might have been mined by Nakamoto. This discovery confirms his control over mining scale and suggests he has been gradually reducing his mining activity, allowing others to participate.

His true identity, the greatest enigma in the cryptography community

Nakamoto’s official profile claims he is a 37-year-old Japanese, but language analysis reveals a flaw—his English usage is extremely idiomatic, with British spellings (colour, optimise). These details suggest he is likely a native English speaker. His activity timeline indicates he may have been operating in the US or UK.

At least five strong candidates have entered the public eye:

Hal Finney (1956–2014) is a legendary figure in the cypherpunk movement; he was the recipient of Nakamoto’s first Bitcoin transaction. Finney possessed exceptional cryptography knowledge and even lived near Nakamoto. Stylometric analysis shows similarities between his writing and Nakamoto’s. However, Finney always denied being Nakamoto until his death from ALS in 2014.

Nick Szabo is a computer scientist who proposed the concept of “Bit Gold” in 1998, widely regarded as the precursor to Bitcoin. Comparing his writings with Nakamoto’s reveals striking similarities. Szabo’s deep understanding of monetary theory, cryptography, and smart contracts aligns perfectly with Bitcoin’s design, yet he has repeatedly denied being Nakamoto.

Adam Back invented Hashcash, a proof-of-work system directly referenced in the Bitcoin white paper. Back was one of the earliest people Nakamoto interacted with during Bitcoin’s development and possesses all necessary cryptographic expertise.

Peter Todd was first suggested as a possible Nakamoto in the 2024 HBO documentary. This theory is based on some chat logs and his use of Canadian English, but Todd dismisses it as “ridiculous” and a “straw man argument.”

Dorian Nakamoto is a Japanese-American engineer who was mistakenly identified as the Bitcoin creator by Newsweek in 2014. When asked, he equivocated, saying “I am no longer involved in that,” later clarifying it was a misunderstanding related to his work as a military contractor. After the article, an inactive P2P Foundation account posted: “I am not Dorian Nakamoto.”

Craig Wright has persistently claimed to be Nakamoto, even registering the copyright of the white paper in the US. But in March 2024, UK High Court Judge James M. Mero issued a final ruling stating that “Dr. Wright is not the author of the white paper, nor is he operating under the name Nakamoto,” and found his evidence to be forged.

Other candidates include cryptographer Ron Sassman (whose memorial message is embedded in the Bitcoin blockchain) and Paul Le Roux, but none withstand rigorous scrutiny. Some researchers even suggest Nakamoto might be a team rather than an individual, though no conclusive evidence exists.

Why would someone with $90 billion choose to disappear?

Nakamoto’s last public appearance was in April 2011, when he sent an email to developer Gavin Andresen: “Sorry you guys have always portrayed me as a mysterious shadow figure. The media has just turned this into a pirate currency story.” He then handed over control of the Bitcoin code repository to Andresen and vanished from public view.

This disappearance may have been a calculated move. If Nakamoto remained a public figure, he would be a central risk point for Bitcoin. Governments could pressure, threaten, or even arrest him. Competing powers might try to buy him out or coerce him. His words could trigger market volatility. He could also become a target for extortion or violence—how can someone holding hundreds of billions walk freely in broad daylight?

Deeper reasons are philosophical: Nakamoto may understand that a truly decentralized system cannot revolve around any individual. By disappearing, he made Bitcoin a purely community-driven project, with no single person wielding excessive influence. This aligns with the core ethos of the cypherpunk movement—building systems that do not depend on any authority.

Bitcoin’s fundamental ethic is “trust in mathematics, not in persons or institutions.” In a system designed to eliminate reliance on trusted third parties, an anonymous creator embodies this principle perfectly.

From Budapest statues to Vans sneakers, Nakamoto has become a cultural icon

Although Nakamoto himself has vanished without a trace, his influence continues to expand. In 2021, a bronze bust was erected in Budapest, with a reflective surface that shows viewers’ own reflections—symbolizing “We are all Nakamoto.” There is also a memorial statue in Lugano, Switzerland.

In March 2025, the U.S. president signed an executive order establishing a Bitcoin strategic reserve, marking the first official recognition of Bitcoin by a national government as a store of value. What many cypherpunks once thought impossible is now happening.

Nakamoto’s quotes have become mantras in the crypto community. Phrases like “The fundamental problem with traditional currency is that it requires trust to operate” and “If you don’t believe me or don’t understand me, I don’t have time to convince you” are repeatedly cited, explaining Bitcoin’s mission.

Culturally, Nakamoto has transcended his role as a tech pioneer. T-shirts, hats, and apparel brands feature his name. In 2022, a well-known streetwear brand even launched a limited edition Nakamoto-themed series. A mysterious coder has become a cultural icon of the digital revolution.

The blockchain technology born from Nakamoto’s innovation has spawned an entire decentralized industry ecosystem—from Ethereum’s smart contract platform to DeFi applications, and even central banks rushing to develop digital currencies. While global central banks are adopting blockchain principles, they are creating centralized versions, vastly different from Nakamoto’s vision.

One person, one idea, changing the future of finance

As Satoshi Nakamoto celebrates his “50th birthday” in his own way, his true identity remains a mystery. Whether he is a genius individual or a secret team, he has already proven his foresight: creating a financial system that does not rely on any authority.

Today, approximately 500 million people worldwide use cryptocurrencies, and Bitcoin has evolved from an experiment for geeks into a global financial competitor. Nakamoto chose to retreat, allowing his creation to evolve and improve itself. Perhaps this is the smartest thing a creator can do—build a system that doesn’t need him.

The story of Bitcoin is still ongoing, but Nakamoto’s story has already become legendary. He left behind not only a digital asset but also a new way of thinking—a fresh understanding of money and power. Whether he is still alive or not, he has permanently changed the world.