The Mystery of the Bitcoin Father's Wealth: Satoshi Nakamoto and the Unattainable "Digital Gold"

The Billion-Dollar Silence

When Bitcoin surged to a high of $109,000 in early 2025, a mysterious figure once again became the focus—Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. According to blockchain analysis, this anonymous billionaire controls between 750,000 and 1,100,000 Bitcoins. At the current market price of $90,400, this wealth amounts to between $63.8 billion and $93.5 billion, enough to rank among the world’s top billionaires.

What is perplexing is that this enormous fortune has remained untouched since 2011. No one knows whether Satoshi is still alive, nor can anyone explain why this potentially world-changing amount of money has always stayed in the original wallet address. Some speculate they have passed away, lost the private keys, or abandoned the wealth due to certain philosophical beliefs. Even more curious is that if Satoshi attempted to move these Bitcoins, it could trigger a market shock, yet they have chosen eternal silence.

The Fictional 50th Birthday

According to the P2P Foundation files, Satoshi claims to have been born on April 5, 1975. This means that on April 5, 2025, this mysterious individual will celebrate a symbolic 50th birthday. However, this date is likely not the actual birth date but a carefully chosen symbol.

April 5 carries deep meaning—it points to Executive Order 6102 signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 5, 1933, which declared it illegal for Americans to own gold. The year 1975 symbolizes the lifting of that ban, restoring the public’s freedom to hold gold. This coincidental choice hints at Satoshi’s libertarian ideals—Bitcoin is the modern “digital gold,” beyond government control.

However, linguists and cryptographers’ in-depth analyses suggest that Satoshi’s actual age is probably much older. His writings show habits from the typewriter era, such as double spacing, use of Hungarian notation programming style popular in the 1980s, and references to the Hunt brothers’ silver market manipulation in 1980—indications that the creator may be in their 60s.

Who is Satoshi? Key Clues to the Identity Mystery

On October 31, 2008, a white paper titled “Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System” suddenly appeared on cryptography mailing lists, changing the course of the financial world. But the identity of the publisher, Satoshi Nakamoto, remains an unsolved mystery.

Although claiming to be a 37-year-old male residing in Japan, linguistic analysis shows that Satoshi used British English spellings (like “colour” and “optimise”), and posting patterns indicate they are rarely active between 5 and 11 a.m. GMT, suggesting a location more likely in the US or UK.

Several figures from the cypherpunk movement have been suspected as possible Satoshi:

Hal Finney was the earliest recipient of Bitcoin transactions, with deep cryptographic expertise, but denied being Satoshi before his death in 2014. Nick Szabo conceived the “Bit Gold” concept as early as 1998, with a writing style strikingly similar to Satoshi’s, yet he has always denied involvement. Adam Back developed Hashcash, a proof-of-work system directly cited in the Bitcoin white paper, with some coding features showing similarities.

The most controversial is Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist who claimed to be Satoshi and even filed for US copyright of the white paper. However, in 2024, the UK High Court explicitly ruled that he was not Satoshi, citing forged documents.

A 2024 HBO documentary proposed a new hypothesis pointing to former Bitcoin developer Peter Todd. Todd dismissed these allegations as “ridiculous.” Some researchers believe Satoshi may not be an individual at all but a small team of multiple people.

The Birth of a Revolutionary Invention

The Bitcoin white paper is only nine pages long but contains innovations capable of reshaping finance. Satoshi solved the long-standing “double-spending problem”—how to ensure digital funds are not spent twice. Through proof-of-work and a decentralized verification network, Satoshi created true digital scarcity.

On January 3, 2009, Satoshi mined the genesis block, embedding a headline from The Times: “Chancellor on brink of second bailout.” This was not only a timestamp but also a political statement—the failure of traditional banking systems led to the birth of Bitcoin.

Satoshi continued developing Bitcoin until mid-2010, then handed control over to Gavin Andresen. Their last confirmed communication appeared in April 2011, after which they disappeared from the internet, leaving an eternal mystery.

Why Disappear? The Deep Logic of Anonymity

Satoshi’s mysterious disappearance was not accidental but a safeguard of Bitcoin’s decentralization. If the creator remained visible, they would become a central point of failure—subject to government pressure, criminal extortion, or market over-reliance on their opinions.

Anonymity ensures Bitcoin is not attached to any individual. The creator deliberately stepped back, allowing the network to evolve naturally without leadership. This perfectly embodies the cypherpunk ideal: trust in math and code, not in people or institutions. Essentially, Satoshi is saying—this system doesn’t need me, or even any creator.

From Virtual World to Cultural Icon

In recent years, Satoshi has transcended the technical realm to become a symbol of rebellion and innovation. In 2021, a bronze bust was erected in Budapest, with a reflective surface that shows viewers’ own reflections—an embodiment of the idea “We are all Satoshi.”

In March 2025, U.S. President Trump signed an executive order establishing a strategic Bitcoin reserve, marking a milestone where Bitcoin evolved from an experimental project to a national asset. Clothing brands launched Satoshi-themed merchandise, and his famous quote “The fundamental problem with traditional currencies is that they require trust to operate” became a motto for the crypto community.

Despite the mystery surrounding his identity, Satoshi’s influence is everywhere. Blockchain technology has spawned an entire decentralized industry ecosystem—from Ethereum to DeFi applications. Central banks worldwide are developing digital currencies based on its principles. And the creator, choosing eternal disappearance, remains an enduring enigma.

Will the Mystery Ever Be Solved?

As Satoshi symbolically turns 50 in 2025, their true identity remains shrouded in fog. There are rumors that the identity will be revealed on October 31, 2024, during the 16th anniversary of the white paper, but these claims have yet to materialize.

Whether Satoshi is one person or many, alive or not, they have already fulfilled their mission. Bitcoin is becoming a global asset, and the creator’s eternal disappearance only strengthens the system—no heroes needed, no leaders, only code and consensus. Perhaps this is Satoshi’s greatest design.