Bitcoin Community Challenges HBO’s New Satoshi Nakamoto Claims
A recent HBO documentary, Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, claims to have uncovered the identity of Bitcoin’s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Central to the film’s theory is Peter Todd, a prominent Bitcoin Core developer. The filmmakers argue Todd secretly used the pseudonym Nakamoto during Bitcoin’s early development, although this has led to significant controversy and scepticism.
screw it, full Satoshi Nakamoto podcast drop
We sat down with @peterktodd, a Bitcoin core developer (of HBO fame) with extensive work on decentralizing Bitcoin’s tech stack. We dig into pool centralization threats, the what and if of miner extractable value on Bitcoin and what… pic.twitter.com/BmHl2RfbNH
According to HBO’s interpretation, Todd’s involvement with Bitcoin dates back to its creation in 2008. However, Todd has publicly disputed this, stating, “I didn’t begin working on Bitcoin until 2014.” He also sarcastically remarked, “Oh no, I am Satoshi,” a comment seemingly misconstrued by the filmmakers. At the time of Bitcoin’s creation, Todd was studying fine arts, which further challenged the theory that he could have been Nakamoto.
Forum Posts Used as ‘Evidence’
The documentary presents a 2010 BitcoinTalk forum post as evidence linking Todd to Nakamoto. The filmmakers allege that Todd inadvertently revealed himself by posting under both his real name and the Nakamoto alias. However, Todd dismisses this, calling it “coincidental” that he signed up for the forum just one week before Nakamoto’s final post. The film pushes the narrative further by suggesting that Todd’s subsequent disappearance mirrored Nakamoto’s withdrawal from public life.
Just finished watching HBO Satoshi documentary.
That was one of the least compelling Satoshi Nakamoto identities I've ever seen.
Early on in the documentary, (around 11 minutes in), the narrator suggests the identity of Satoshi should not be known because it could endanger his… pic.twitter.com/nSZFUDxcCa
Todd has vocally criticised the documentary, accusing its creators of “sensationalism” and crafting “ludicrous” theories. In a sarcastic tone, he commented, “Of course I’m Satoshi, and I’m Craig Wright,” referring to another controversial figure who claims to be Bitcoin’s creator. Todd suggests that the documentary is an example of how media can distract from the true value of Bitcoin, stating, “The point is to make Bitcoin the global currency, not get caught up in wild conspiracies.”
The film also ties Todd’s introduction of Replace-by-Fee (RBF) in 2014 to Satoshi’s original vision. However, RBF was not part of Bitcoin’s original design and was introduced years after Nakamoto’s disappearance. Despite this, the documentary attempts to link the feature to a grander conspiracy involving government influence, an argument that many in the cryptocurrency community have found unconvincing.
Conclusion
While Money Electric aimed to unravel the mystery behind Bitcoin’s creation, it has instead sparked heated debate. Peter Todd’s denial of being Satoshi Nakamoto, combined with apparent factual errors in the documentary, has led many to dismiss the film’s conclusions. As the search for Bitcoin’s true creator continues, the controversy surrounding Todd serves as a reminder of the complexities in uncovering the origins of such a transformative technology.
