
Author: Alex Thorn, CoinDesk; Compiled by: Deng Tong, Bitchain Vision
The HBO documentary claims to have solved the mystery of Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto.But is this really important?
For years, journalists, bloggers and filmmakers have tried to uncover Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity, with the latest attempt from HBO’s Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery (scheduled to air on October 8 at 9 p.m. ET).So far, no one has successfully found Satoshi Nakamoto.However, Bitcoin adoption around the world has continued to grow.The fact that Bitcoin creators do their best to hide their identity is always to strengthen their decentralized spirit.
The mysterious origin of Bitcoin is the fundamental part of its charm and value.The claim that anonymous developers can create a revolutionary form of currency that is uncontrollable has resonated deeply with a generation.Over the past 20 years, the financial crisis, widespread distrust of government and a desire for greater economic autonomy have shaped this generation.
Money is the main factor that constantly speculates around Satoshi’s identity.It is estimated that Satoshi Nakamoto owns up to 1 million bitcoins and is currently worth about $63 billion.Any signs of these Bitcoin being cashed out will undoubtedly scare investors and cause Bitcoin price to plummet.
But Satoshi Nakamoto deliberately remained anonymous from the beginning.His intention has always been to address the fact that “the fundamental problem of traditional currency is all the trust needed to make it work”, as he said in 2009.By remaining anonymous, Satoshi Nakamoto eliminates any personal bias or centralized control, ensuring that Bitcoin can grow organically as a community.At present, only cryptographic proof can prove Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity.
Satoshi rarely shares his own information, but here is what we know.We know he wrote the Bitcoin White Paper and distributed it to the cryptography mailing list on October 31, 2008.We know he uploaded early source code to SourceForge.We know he registered for bitcoin.org.We know that he dug the first block (“Genesis Block”).We know he posted on the BitcoinTalk forum as “satoshi”.We know that in 2011, Satoshi Nakamoto said in his last known exchange that he had turned to something else and handed over the future of Bitcoin to the world.
Researchers estimate that Satoshi Nakamoto owns between 800,000 and 1 million bitcoins, but it is difficult to determine because Satoshi wants to remain anonymous.These coins are distributed in thousands of wallets, and we determined that only a few transactions and blocks were sent or mined by Satoshi Nakamoto.Sergio Lerner’s famous Patoshi model is widely regarded as the best theory to reveal which coins were mined by Satoshi himself.
In order to clearly prove his identity, Satoshi Nakamoto needs to sign a message with a key known to belong to him, or transfer the coins known to belong to him to the chain.No deficiencies are far from enough.This won’t happen on Tuesday night.This documentary won’t solve the mystery.Neither should it be!Satoshi Nakamoto’s anonymity is one of the most important features of Bitcoin’s origins and a key difference between Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
More importantly, those who intend to expose Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity should consider the destructive consequences of human flesh search.The lives of those who were wrongly revealed were ruined – whether it was Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto who suffered from the media storm or Hal Finney’s family who suffered from reckless speculation.
If someone truly respects Satoshi’s legacy, they will protect what he cherishes most: anonymity.