Key Points
- A new HBO documentary fuels speculation that Len Sassaman, a software engineer and privacy advocate, could be the creator of Bitcoin.
- Despite this, the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonym of Bitcoin’s creator, remains unproven and a topic of debate.
The decade-long mystery surrounding the identity of the creator of the world’s leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, may soon be revealed.
A forthcoming HBO documentary has sparked speculation that the late Len Sassaman, a revered software engineer and privacy advocate, could be the real Satoshi Nakamoto.
The Case for Sassaman
Crypto users on Polymarket, a decentralized prediction market, have placed bets that the HBO special will name Sassaman as the real Bitcoin creator.
The timing of Sassaman’s death in 2011, which closely coincided with Nakamoto’s sudden disappearance from public communication, is seen as evidence.
The speculators suggest that Sassaman’s passing could explain why Nakamoto ceased all activity and communication since his last message in December 2010.
However, without direct proof, such as a cryptographic signature from one of Satoshi’s known Bitcoin wallets, this remains speculative.
Alternative Possibilities
Despite the bets on Sassaman, Polymarket users have not ruled out other possibilities.
About 32% of those who voted believe there is a chance that the documentary will name an entirely new figure or multiple people as Bitcoin’s creator.
Furthermore, another contract on Polymarket suggests there is an 89% likelihood that Satoshi’s identity will not be definitively proven in 2024, regardless of the revelations in the documentary.
The upcoming documentary is set to delve into the technical brilliance behind Bitcoin, the personal stories of those potentially involved in its creation, the complex world of cryptography, the cypherpunk movement, and the early days of Bitcoin’s development.
The true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto has fascinated and perplexed the world ever since the Bitcoin whitepaper was published in 2008 under the pseudonym.
Bitcoin has grown from a niche cryptographic project to a trillion-dollar financial asset, challenging traditional financial systems and governments.
Yet, Nakamoto’s identity remains a mystery.
Whoever Nakamoto is, they are estimated to control around 1.1 million Bitcoin, worth approximately $66 billion at current prices, making them one of the wealthiest individuals on the planet.
However, the funds have remained untouched since the early days of Bitcoin, leading many to wonder if Nakamoto is even alive or if they have lost access to the private keys that control the fortune.
Several individuals, such as Australian computer scientist Craig Wright, have claimed to be Nakamoto but have consistently failed to provide verifiable proof, leaving the mystery unsolved.
