Author: Wu Says Blockchain

This article summarizes the origins of Bitcoin and some current community speculations about "Who is Satoshi Nakamoto." This article uses GPT to summarize the information, and there may be inaccuracies.

On December 5, the price of BTC surpassed $100,000, setting a new historical high.

1 Introduction

1.1 The Birth and Background of Bitcoin

The Driving Force of the Financial Crisis

The global financial crisis that erupted in 2008 not only severely impacted the financial system but also triggered widespread distrust among the public. The collapse of major financial institutions, such as Lehman Brothers, and the U.S. government's emergency bailout plan exposed deep-seated issues within the financial system.

The Rise of Decentralization Ideals

The rise of the internet provided fertile ground for the spread of decentralization ideas, leading people to gradually recognize the benefits of a "decentralized control" system, which they believed better aligned with personal freedom, privacy protection, and the free flow of information.

• Network Libertarianism: This ideology advocates that internet users should have autonomy, possess digital freedom, and avoid excessive regulation by governments and corporations. In this spirit, people hope to be free from excessive interference from third-party authorities on key issues such as payments and wealth distribution. The peer-to-peer payment advocated by Bitcoin is the best interpretation of this idea.

• Early Electronic Currency Attempts: Before Bitcoin, several electronic currency systems attempted to achieve decentralization, such as DigiCash and B-money. However, most of these attempts failed due to a lack of true decentralization technology, the strong control of banks, and inherent trust vulnerabilities within the systems.

• DigiCash: Invented by cryptographer David Chaum in 1989, DigiCash was an early electronic currency system that employed innovative anonymity technology. However, DigiCash still relied on centralized financial institutions, and its business model made it unsustainable, ultimately leading to its bankruptcy.

• B-money: Proposed by computer scientist Wei Dai in 1998, the concept of B-money is very similar to Bitcoin, including features such as decentralization, anonymity, and peer-to-peer transactions, but the system failed to be realized. The failure of B-money provided important lessons for the development of Bitcoin.

Although these early attempts did not succeed, they inspired later technological innovations, especially in the context of the 2008 financial crisis, allowing Bitcoin to emerge as the world's first fully decentralized digital currency.

The Historic Significance of Satoshi Nakamoto's White Paper

The birth of Bitcoin can be traced back to October 31, 2008, when "Satoshi Nakamoto" published a white paper titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" on a cryptography mailing list. In this white paper, Satoshi Nakamoto detailed how the Bitcoin system works, including mining, blockchain, and the proof-of-work mechanism.

• The Release of the Bitcoin White Paper: The white paper is concise and insightful, using extremely simple language to describe a complex system, attracting the interest of cryptography enthusiasts, geeks, and anti-authoritarian advocates. Satoshi Nakamoto's innovation provided a truly viable technological solution for decentralized currency—blockchain—to ensure that transaction records are transparent, secure, and immutable.

• The Innovation of Decentralization and Peer-to-Peer Payments: Satoshi Nakamoto successfully solved the double-spending problem with Bitcoin. Double spending is a problem that digital currencies must address, ensuring that the same unit of currency is not used multiple times. Traditional currency systems rely on third-party verification, while Bitcoin cleverly establishes trust based on decentralized consensus through "proof of work" and blockchain.

• The Ideal of Decentralized Currency: Bitcoin is not only a novel technological experiment but also the beginning of an idealistic movement. The core idea of Bitcoin is a "decentralized currency system" that anyone can participate in without the approval or regulation of governments or banks. This idea makes Bitcoin not just a technological tool but also a symbol of new financial freedom.

Through the white paper, Satoshi Nakamoto laid the foundation for a future decentralized economy, allowing Bitcoin to quickly become the core of the cryptocurrency field. Thus, the ideas of decentralization, the impetus of the financial crisis, and the failed attempts of early electronic currencies collectively shaped the historical context of Bitcoin's birth.

1.2 The Mystery of the Name Satoshi Nakamoto

The Choice of Name and Secrecy

The name "Satoshi Nakamoto" has sparked countless speculations from the very beginning. Some believe it is a Japanese name, but based on the language style of the Bitcoin white paper and code, it is difficult to determine whether Satoshi Nakamoto truly has a Japanese background.

• Multiple Interpretations Possible: The name Satoshi Nakamoto may contain multiple layers of meaning. It could be a form of Japanese disguise, a symbolic code, or even a means to confuse others. Some believe that Satoshi Nakamoto is not a single individual but a code name for a team.

• Characteristics of Different Candidates: There have been numerous speculations about the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto within and outside the Bitcoin community, from early Bitcoin developer Hal Finney and smart contract expert Nick Szabo to Dorian Nakamoto, who was mistakenly identified by the media as Satoshi Nakamoto. While these names each have technical expertise, there is no conclusive evidence pointing to any specific individual.

Potential Motives for Hiding Identity

Satoshi Nakamoto's choice to anonymously publish the Bitcoin white paper serves both as a protection of personal privacy and possibly as a reflection of ideology.

• A Symbol of Decentralization: The decentralized nature of the Bitcoin system dictates that it should not have a revered founder. Satoshi Nakamoto's act of hiding their identity aligns with the "decentralization" spirit pursued in the design of the Bitcoin system. If Satoshi Nakamoto's identity were made public, the entire Bitcoin project might be imbued with personal characteristics, affecting its universality and openness.

• Avoiding Legal Risks: The birth of Bitcoin is essentially a challenge to the traditional financial system, and a currency form that operates outside government and bank control may face legal and regulatory pressures. Anonymity allows Satoshi Nakamoto to effectively avoid legal issues arising from the development of technology and the issuance of new currency.

• The Hacker Spirit: Cryptography and hacker culture value secrecy and anti-authoritarianism. In these communities, anonymity is an important means to avoid personal worship and authority, while also symbolizing rebellion and freedom. In this context, Satoshi Nakamoto's anonymous identity is not only for personal safety but may also reflect an identification with cryptographic culture.

2 The Technical Foundation of Bitcoin and Satoshi Nakamoto's Contributions

2.1 Interpretation of the Bitcoin White Paper

Structure and Core Concepts of the White Paper

On October 31, 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto published the white paper "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System," which sparked great interest in decentralized currency. The white paper is only 9 pages long but contains the core ideas and technical details of the Bitcoin system:

• Peer-to-Peer Network Structure: The system proposed by Satoshi Nakamoto bypasses banks and payment processing institutions, allowing transactions to occur directly between users. The peer-to-peer (P2P) network is essentially a decentralized network where each user node is both a provider and a verifier of information.

• This network structure eliminates the role of central institutions, allowing transactions to occur without relying on third parties, achieving true decentralized payments.

• Each node is equal, with the right to publish, receive, and verify transactions on the network, thus realizing a distributed power structure.

• Blockchain Structure: The blockchain is the core of the Bitcoin system, responsible for recording all transaction information. Satoshi Nakamoto stores all transaction data in a block structure, with each block containing a timestamp and the hash of the previous block. This chain structure design ensures data continuity and immutability.

• Block Generation: Miners (network nodes) generate blocks through "mining," producing a new block approximately every 10 minutes to fix the rate of Bitcoin production and prevent inflation.

• Immutability of Transaction Records: Once a transaction in the blockchain is confirmed, it is very difficult to change. This means that there is no "rollback" operation in the Bitcoin system, and it will not be subject to interference from centralized institutions.

• Proof of Work Mechanism (PoW): PoW is key to achieving distributed consensus in the Bitcoin network. Miners verify transactions and generate blocks by solving mathematical problems (hash calculations), ensuring the fairness of transaction records.

• Mining Process: Miners use computational power to perform hash calculations, competing to solve mathematical problems. Once a miner finds a hash value that meets the conditions, they can add the block to the blockchain and receive Bitcoin rewards.

• Tamper Resistance: Because each block in the blockchain relies on the hash of the previous block, tampering with any transaction record would require simultaneously altering all subsequent blocks and redoing the PoW calculations, which is nearly impossible.

Technical Challenges Addressed

The technical solutions proposed by Satoshi Nakamoto in the white paper not only respond to the decentralization and security requirements of cryptocurrency systems but also achieve breakthroughs in several technical challenges:

• Double Spending Problem: Traditional digital currency systems rely on intermediary institutions like banks to ensure the validity and uniqueness of each transaction, avoiding the risk of "double spending" (i.e., the same currency being used twice).

• Satoshi Nakamoto, through blockchain and PoW mechanisms, ensures that every transaction is verified by the entire network, and only verified transactions can be added to the blockchain. This way, any Bitcoin can only be used once, preventing double spending.

• Byzantine Generals Problem: The Byzantine Generals Problem refers to how to achieve consensus in an untrustworthy network. Satoshi Nakamoto, through the PoW mechanism, enables the Bitcoin network to reach consensus without central control, solving this classic problem in computer science.

• In the Bitcoin system, miners verify transactions through the PoW mechanism and form a unique "longest chain" (i.e., the blockchain with the most accumulated PoW), ensuring data consistency and reliability across the entire network.

Through these technical designs, Satoshi Nakamoto constructed a complete framework for a decentralized currency system, providing the technical support for the circulation and liquidity of Bitcoin.

2.2 The Architecture and Development of the Early Bitcoin Network

Network Construction and Expansion

• Generation of the Genesis Block: On January 3, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto generated the Bitcoin genesis block (block height 0), which contained a special message: "The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks." This message has been widely interpreted as Satoshi Nakamoto's distrust of the traditional financial system and hope for decentralized currency.

• Release of the Bitcoin Client: On January 9, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto released the first version of the Bitcoin client software and launched the Bitcoin network. The early Bitcoin network was small, with only a few nodes and users, and most users did not yet have a clear understanding of Bitcoin's value and potential.

Code Design Style and Functionality

• Programming Language and Concise Code: Satoshi Nakamoto's coding style is minimalist, written in C++, with almost no redundancy or excessive comments, indicating a high level of programming skill. The Bitcoin code is open source, allowing anyone to review and modify it, providing valuable technical resources for the cryptographic community and developers.

• Security and Functional Design: The Bitcoin code places particular emphasis on security in its functionality, including important features such as signature verification and private key protection. Without a central server, these designs ensure the data security of the Bitcoin network and the uniqueness of transactions.

Establishment of the Bitcoin Community

• Interaction with Early Developers: Satoshi Nakamoto communicated with early cryptography enthusiasts and developers through emails and the Bitcointalk forum, patiently answering technical questions. The early Bitcoin community was primarily composed of tech geeks, cryptography researchers, and a few anti-authoritarian advocates.

• Satoshi Nakamoto's interactions with developers helped others understand the technical characteristics of Bitcoin, deepening people's awareness of how it works.

• Gradual Expansion of the Community: As Bitcoin gained attention in the tech community, more users began to run nodes and mine Bitcoin. The early community culture emphasized decentralization and free trading, attracting more participants opposed to the traditional financial system.

2.3 Satoshi Nakamoto's Innovative Contributions to Cryptocurrency

Key Technological Innovations of Bitcoin

• Introduction of Blockchain: Satoshi Nakamoto first proposed the concept of "blockchain" in the Bitcoin system, recording transaction information in the form of blocks and linking them in chronological order, with each block containing the hash of the previous block, forming a "chain of immutability."

• The blockchain solved the trust issue of data in distributed systems, allowing each participant to view and verify transaction data, thereby increasing the system's transparency.

• Uniqueness of the Proof of Work Mechanism: Satoshi Nakamoto established the trust foundation of the distributed network through the PoW mechanism. The PoW mechanism requires miners to consume computational power to verify transactions, ensuring the network's security and decentralization through economic incentives.

• The successful implementation of the PoW mechanism not only ensured the security of the Bitcoin system but also incentivized miners to voluntarily maintain the system's operation, eliminating the need for reliance on a single authoritative institution.

Comparison with Early Electronic Currency Attempts

The reason Bitcoin stood out among numerous early electronic currency attempts is closely related to Satoshi Nakamoto's technological breakthroughs:

• Realization of Decentralization: Early electronic currency systems like DigiCash and B-money failed to achieve true decentralization. DigiCash relied on a central server, while B-money was merely a theoretical concept. Bitcoin achieved a decentralized peer-to-peer payment network through blockchain and the PoW mechanism.

• Resistance to Censorship and Anonymity: Transactions in the Bitcoin system are anonymous, protecting user privacy through cryptographic algorithms. In contrast, early electronic currency systems struggled to achieve complete anonymity and relied on centralized verification systems.

Satoshi Nakamoto's Influence on the Technical Community

• Open Source Philosophy and the Spirit of "Code is Law": The Bitcoin code is open source, and Satoshi Nakamoto advocated the idea of "code is law"—that all authority and rules in the network are determined by code. This philosophy has had a profound impact, setting an example for subsequent blockchain projects.

• Inspiration for Technological Innovation and Development of Cryptocurrency: The Bitcoin system designed by Satoshi Nakamoto opened the door to cryptocurrency, greatly promoting the dissemination of blockchain technology. The success of Bitcoin triggered a "blockchain revolution," with its core ideas and technologies becoming templates for other cryptocurrencies and decentralized projects.

3 Clues to Satoshi Nakamoto's Identity

3.1 Early Online Activity

Satoshi Nakamoto's online activities left several clues about his identity. The following are methods for analyzing these clues:

Messages on Bitcoin Forums and Mailing Lists

• Bitcointalk Forum and Cryptography Mailing Lists: Satoshi Nakamoto's main activity platforms were the Bitcointalk forum and cryptography mailing lists. He published a large number of technical discussions and discussions on the development direction of Bitcoin on these platforms.

• Language Style: Satoshi Nakamoto's English is very fluent, with British spelling, and his word choice is usually concise. This led many to speculate that he might come from an English-speaking country and likely received a formal education or lived in a predominantly English-speaking area.

• Conciseness of Technical Language: His messages mostly used concise technical terms, often avoiding complex explanations. This indicates a deep understanding of cryptography, computer science, and financial systems.

Timestamp Analysis

• Posting and Activity Times: Researchers found that Satoshi Nakamoto's online activity was roughly concentrated between 5 AM and 10 PM GMT, with almost no activity on weekends.

• Time Zone Speculation: Based on this activity pattern, some speculate that Satoshi Nakamoto may live in a time zone close to GMT+0 (such as the UK or Portugal). Some researchers believe that his daily routine aligns with the time arrangements of the UK or other parts of Europe.

Linguistic and Writing Style Analysis

• Vocabulary and Grammar Usage: Satoshi Nakamoto's language style in the white paper and emails is unique. For example, he tends to use British spellings like "whilst" and "colour," and his sentences are mostly concise and clear statements.

• Linguistic Analysis: Some linguists, through analyzing Satoshi Nakamoto's word choice and language structure, believe he may have a background from the UK or Commonwealth countries. The use of British spelling increasingly suggests that he is "not Japanese."

3.2 Bitcoin Code and Writing Style

• Use of C++ Language: The initial code of Bitcoin was primarily written in C++, a classic programming language commonly used for developing high-performance systems.

• Minimalist Code Style: Satoshi Nakamoto's code has fewer lines and concise comments, with almost no unnecessary explanations. This demonstrates his high programming ability and suggests he may have extensive experience in developing large projects or operating systems.

• Limited Dependency on Standard Libraries: Satoshi Nakamoto's code does not heavily rely on the C++ standard library, indicating that he is accustomed to directly manipulating low-level system resources and may have experience in operating system development, network engineering, or embedded system programming.

• Technical Preferences in Code: Satoshi Nakamoto used specific design patterns and cryptographic functions in his coding, showing a deep understanding of cryptography, network security, and distributed systems. These technical preferences further narrow down his possible professional background—such as a senior developer, cryptography expert, or network security specialist.

• No Redundant Functions: The Bitcoin code contains only necessary functions, and this precise design style indicates Satoshi Nakamoto's high level of control over the project. This minimalist coding style reflects his efficiency and focus in project architecture.

3.3 Satoshi Nakamoto's Online Footprints

In the early stages of Bitcoin's development and promotion, Satoshi Nakamoto communicated with several early experts and developers in the cryptocurrency field, providing more indirect clues about his identity.

Interaction with Early Developers

• Hal Finney: Hal Finney was one of the key figures in early Bitcoin. He was the first developer to run Bitcoin software after Satoshi Nakamoto and one of Satoshi's initial email correspondents. Finney himself was a senior expert in the cryptocurrency field, leading many to speculate that he might have a direct connection to Satoshi Nakamoto's identity or even be a collaborator.

• Nick Szabo: Szabo was an early explorer of cryptocurrency and smart contracts, proposing the concept of "bit gold" before Bitcoin, which is very similar to Bitcoin's design philosophy. Although Szabo has repeatedly denied being Satoshi Nakamoto, his technical background and early research have led him to be widely regarded as one of the candidates for Satoshi Nakamoto.

Satoshi Nakamoto's Decentralization Philosophy

• Influence in the Technical Community: Satoshi Nakamoto actively participated in discussions and answered technical questions on forums, gradually establishing influence in the technical community. In the early development of the Bitcoin community, Satoshi's anonymity meant that his influence relied more on technical contributions and the dissemination of ideas rather than personal worship.

• Disappearance of Online Footprints: Satoshi Nakamoto ceased public communication on Bitcoin forums and emails in 2010, suddenly disappearing from public view. The Bitcoin network continued to operate stably after Satoshi's departure, and this continuation of decentralized management is believed to align with Satoshi Nakamoto's decentralization philosophy.

3.4 Comprehensive Analysis of Linguistic, Writing Style, and Technical Characteristics

• Correlation of Writing Style, Programming Habits, and Technical Expertise: By comparing Satoshi Nakamoto's language style in the white paper, forum messages, and Bitcoin code, some researchers attempt to piece together Satoshi Nakamoto's personal profile. For example, the use of British English, the coding style in C++, and the depth of cryptographic knowledge suggest that Satoshi Nakamoto may have an academic background in mathematics or computer science.

• Temporal Inference and Research in the Technical Community: Satoshi Nakamoto's activity times, language characteristics, and technical knowledge provide rich clues about his identity. For instance, through time analysis and linguistic analysis, some speculate that Satoshi Nakamoto may come from the UK or at least have lived there for an extended period.

• Finney, Szabo, and Other Possibilities: In terms of linguistic, writing style, and technical characteristics, both Hal Finney and Nick Szabo exhibit traits that somewhat align with those of Satoshi Nakamoto.

• Nevertheless, researchers have not found conclusive evidence directly linking Satoshi Nakamoto's identity to any specific individual. Satoshi Nakamoto's identity remains ambiguous, and this ambiguity cleverly resonates with the essential philosophy of Bitcoin's decentralization.

4 Potential Candidates for "Satoshi Nakamoto" Analysis

4.1 Candidate 1: Hal Finney

In the dawn of cryptocurrency, Hal Finney was already a legendary technical expert. His life was marked by innovation, a geek spirit, and a persistent pursuit of privacy and freedom. As a pioneer in the cryptocurrency field, Finney began exploring cryptographic technology in the 1990s and was active in the Cypherpunk community, which advocates for information freedom and decentralization, with members firmly believing that cryptographic technology can bring about a "non-centralized, unrestrained" society. Finney was a staunch believer in this philosophy, dedicating nearly his entire life to it.

Finney's career initially did not focus solely on cryptocurrency; he worked as a software engineer at a game company called RPG. However, in his spare time, he devoted significant effort to exploring cryptography. In his view, cryptographic technology was not just a tool for protecting information but also a powerful means to help people defend their privacy. This commitment led him to participate in the development of the PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) project, a system for encrypting emails and files, which became one of the world's important tools for privacy protection. This experience also earned him a prominent reputation in the cryptography community.

In 2008, a mysterious figure named "Satoshi Nakamoto" published the Bitcoin white paper, and this peer-to-peer electronic cash system piqued Finney's interest. For him, Bitcoin was not just a technological innovation but also a tool for combating centralization. It was not merely about digital currency; it symbolized the cryptographic ideals that Finney had long championed—people could control their wealth and privacy without being subject to centralized institutions.

On January 3, 2009, Satoshi Nakamoto mined the genesis block of Bitcoin, officially launching the Bitcoin network. Finney was extremely enthusiastic about this and quickly reached out to Satoshi Nakamoto. Soon, Satoshi Nakamoto made the Bitcoin code public, and Finney immediately downloaded the software and ran it. He became the second person in the world to run a Bitcoin node after Satoshi Nakamoto. On January 12, he received 10 bitcoins from Satoshi Nakamoto, marking the first recorded Bitcoin transaction on the blockchain. Finney described his feelings at the time: "I sat in front of my computer, seeing 10 bitcoins in my wallet, feeling unprecedented excitement." This transaction is considered to mark the official entry of Bitcoin into practical use.

As the Bitcoin network gradually operated, Finney began engaging in technical discussions with Satoshi Nakamoto. They frequently communicated on Bitcoin forums and via email, sharing their programming experiences and solutions. During this time, Finney became a loyal "debugger" of the Bitcoin code, continuously helping Satoshi optimize the Bitcoin network and suggesting improvements for its future development. Although they never met in real life, their technical exchanges were close and efficient.

Throughout this process, Finney remained puzzled about Satoshi Nakamoto's identity. This mysterious "friend" rarely revealed personal information, acted discreetly and cautiously, and almost never disclosed any clues about his background. Finney sometimes speculated that Satoshi might be a fellow cryptography enthusiast with similar ideals or a representative of a skilled programming team. However, he refrained from asking too many questions, knowing that probing could lead this mysterious partner to distrust him, or even cause him to disappear.

Just as Bitcoin was gradually coming into the public eye, fate played a cruel joke on Finney. In 2011, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This rare disease gradually stripped him of control over his body, but Finney continued to fight bravely against the illness. His hands became increasingly unable to type, yet his mind remained active. Even while in bed, Finney still cared about the progress of Bitcoin, constantly contemplating the future of decentralized currency.

As Bitcoin's price soared and its influence expanded, Finney gradually attracted media and public attention. Many members of the crypto community believed that his relationship with Satoshi Nakamoto was unusual. Some even speculated that Finney was Satoshi himself, with his ALS explaining why "Satoshi Nakamoto" suddenly disappeared in 2010. Finney denied this, stating that he was merely an early user of Bitcoin who assisted in system debugging and was not the founder of Bitcoin. Nevertheless, many researchers continued to doubt Finney's claims, believing he might be "collaborating with Satoshi Nakamoto" or "using Satoshi Nakamoto as a pseudonym."

On August 28, 2014, Finney passed away due to ALS. His death sparked intense mourning in the cryptocurrency community, with many Bitcoin supporters spontaneously organizing memorial activities to honor the contributions of this technical master. The Bitcoin community even initiated fundraising for Finney to help his family with medical expenses. Although Finney consistently denied being Satoshi Nakamoto during his lifetime, his passing made the mystery even more enigmatic, and the possibility of Finney being the founder of Bitcoin was increasingly recognized.

Despite the lack of conclusive evidence to prove whether Finney was indeed Satoshi Nakamoto, his story became a symbol of the spirit of Bitcoin. Finney's perseverance, secretive assistance, and eventual silent departure embodied the belief in Bitcoin's decentralization. For the Bitcoin community, Finney represented all pioneers who firmly believed in technological freedom and personal privacy rights; his name became inseparable from the early history of Bitcoin, serving as a footnote to the identity of "Satoshi Nakamoto."

Next, we will tell the story of Nick Szabo as a candidate for "Satoshi Nakamoto." Szabo is a highly influential computer scientist and cryptographer whose concept of "bit gold" is considered a precursor to Bitcoin. Szabo's groundbreaking research on smart contracts and his consistently low-profile demeanor make him one of the popular candidates for Satoshi Nakamoto. Here is a narrative description of Szabo's story.

4.2 Candidate 2: Nick Szabo

In the years leading up to the birth of Bitcoin, computer scientist Nick Szabo was already contemplating how to create a "native currency" based on the internet. He believed that as the internet developed, information could be freely disseminated, but transactions still relied on third-party institutions like banks and governments. Szabo firmly believed that currency should be free from centralized control, becoming a decentralized, open, and transparent entity. His vision was deeply rooted in the ideals of the "Cypherpunk" community, which encourages personal privacy and autonomy, advocating for a free economic system free from centralized control through technology.

In 2005, Szabo published a paper proposing the concept of "bit gold." In the paper, he described a peer-to-peer digital currency that did not rely on banks or governments but ensured the validity of transactions and the security of the system through a mechanism known as "Proof of Work." The design of bit gold introduced the prototype of blockchain: a series of data records generated through Proof of Work, sequentially linked to form a decentralized ledger. This system could not only record transactions but also prevent forgery and tampering. Although bit gold was never realized, this idea became an important starting point for decentralized currency systems, leading Szabo to be considered as having all the technical foundations necessary to create Bitcoin.

In 2008, the release of the Bitcoin white paper garnered widespread attention. When people closely read the white paper, they found that the design of Bitcoin was remarkably similar to Szabo's bit gold—so similar that one could almost consider Bitcoin an upgraded version of bit gold. Both utilized the Proof of Work mechanism, advocated for a decentralized peer-to-peer network, and possessed an immutable distributed ledger. The concept of Bitcoin seemed to be the perfect realization of Szabo's bit gold vision.

When the author of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, appeared in the crypto community, Szabo was already very familiar with this emerging "virtual gold." He not only actively commented on the technical foundations of Bitcoin in its early days but also participated in its early promotion. He praised Bitcoin's working mechanism on his personal blog and analyzed the financial revolution it could potentially bring. Many researchers speculated that Szabo was not only a staunch supporter of Bitcoin but might even be its inventor, "Satoshi Nakamoto." After all, no one understood the design principles of bit gold better than Szabo, nor did anyone have a deeper understanding of the specific implementation of Proof of Work.

To verify whether Szabo could be Satoshi Nakamoto, researchers conducted linguistic analyses comparing the Bitcoin white paper and Szabo's early blog posts. The results showed a high degree of similarity in language style between the two, particularly in the use of technical terminology and sentence structure, with Szabo and Satoshi exhibiting remarkable consistency. For example, Satoshi used the term "chain of blocks" in the white paper to describe the construction of the blockchain, while Szabo had used similar phrasing in articles years earlier. Such word choices and sentence structures, including certain descriptions of technical details, led people to believe that Szabo was very likely Satoshi Nakamoto.

Moreover, the unique academic and technical style of the Bitcoin white paper suggested that the author not only possessed knowledge of computer science and cryptography but might also have a background in law and economics, which are Szabo's areas of expertise. Many researchers believe that Szabo likely made deliberate stylistic adjustments in writing the white paper to make it appear as an "independent and non-academic technical document," enhancing its readability and technical appeal.

Despite external suspicions that Szabo might be Satoshi Nakamoto, he has consistently maintained a low profile and made no public comments. Even in media interviews, Szabo has never directly acknowledged or denied his relationship with Bitcoin, and this "vague handling" attitude has further deepened the public's curiosity about his identity. As a cryptographer, Szabo is highly sensitive to privacy protection; he rarely discloses personal information in his life and is seldom active on social media, which aligns closely with Satoshi Nakamoto's anonymity.

Rumors in the crypto community suggest that Szabo's choice to remain anonymous and low-profile may stem from concerns about personal safety and legal risks. The decentralized design of Bitcoin is essentially a tool for countering the traditional financial system, which could attract attention or even intervention from governments and banks. For Szabo, maintaining anonymity is not only a form of self-protection but also a practice of the "decentralization" philosophy. By not exposing his identity, he avoids personal adulation and ensures that Bitcoin is not affected by any specific individual.

In the crypto community, Szabo is hailed as the "philosopher of cryptocurrency." His ideas about Bitcoin have profoundly influenced the spread of decentralized thought, leading many tech geeks and libertarians to view Bitcoin as a symbol of resistance against centralized financial control. Despite his continued silence, many Bitcoin supporters still firmly believe that Szabo is one of the strongest candidates for the founder of Bitcoin. Since Bitcoin's inception, Szabo's status in the community has risen, and every speech or technical statement he makes sparks in-depth discussions about Bitcoin and blockchain technology.

Interestingly, Szabo has never formally participated in the technical development of Bitcoin. Although he is well-versed in Bitcoin's concepts and technologies, he has never publicly claimed to be a developer or contributor to Bitcoin. The outside world believes that this calm and low-key attitude may be his personal style or a way to maintain anonymity. When faced with questions from skeptics, Szabo simply smiles in response, making no admissions or denials, and continues to provide knowledge and inspiration to the crypto community as a "Bitcoin supporter."

To this day, there is no conclusive evidence proving that Szabo is Satoshi Nakamoto. However, his influence in the crypto field and the similarities between Bitcoin and bit gold keep him high on the list of Satoshi Nakamoto candidates. People believe that Szabo may have played a "behind-the-scenes role" in designing Bitcoin, or even directly participated in its development at some stage. His silence has become part of the Bitcoin mystery, making the story of Bitcoin's birth even more enigmatic and captivating.

4.3 Candidate 3: Dorian Nakamoto

In March 2014, Newsweek published a sensational article claiming to have found the mysterious founder of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. In the article, the journalist pointed to an elderly Japanese-American man, Dorian Nakamoto. He was a resident of a small town in the San Gabriel Valley of California, living a simple life, appearing gentle, and leading a reclusive lifestyle. The author noted that Dorian's full name—Dorian Prentice Satoshi Nakamoto—seemed to match the name of Bitcoin's founder, "Satoshi Nakamoto," which piqued public curiosity, and the media quickly followed up, thrusting Dorian into the spotlight.

In the Newsweek report, Dorian Nakamoto was portrayed as a retired engineer who understood programming and acted discreetly, having worked on various high-tech and government projects, focusing on systems and security engineering. The article claimed that Dorian had accumulated rich technical experience over decades of his career, particularly in privacy and security, which made him a potential designer of Bitcoin's decentralized system. This "revelation" sparked widespread global attention, with media flocking to Dorian's doorstep, trying to uncover the mystery of the Bitcoin founder.

Faced with the media onslaught, Dorian Nakamoto felt shocked and helpless. In subsequent interviews, he repeatedly stated that he had never heard of Bitcoin and knew nothing about cryptocurrencies. Dorian appeared tired and resigned in front of the cameras, bluntly stating that he had neither the ability nor the interest to create Bitcoin. "I am just an ordinary engineer who doesn't understand what you are talking about," he said to the camera. Dorian's family was also angry about his identity being exposed, pointing out that the media's accusations were baseless; Dorian was simply a simple man focused on his family, with no connection to Bitcoin.

Despite Dorian's repeated denials, the media coverage still sparked public skepticism and controversy. People began discussing the identity of Bitcoin's founder. Some believed that Dorian's denial might be a cover-up, while others sympathized with him, thinking he was merely an innocent victim misidentified by the media. The Bitcoin community expressed understanding and support for Dorian's situation, with some supporters even fundraising online to help him cope with the sudden life pressures and financial difficulties.

Although Dorian insisted he had no connection to Bitcoin, some "coincidences" between him and the Bitcoin founder still piqued public curiosity:

• Similarity of Names: Dorian's name indeed contains "Satoshi Nakamoto," which is the name signed by the founder of Bitcoin. This coincidence raised questions about his identity and was the direct reason Newsweek chose to feature him.

• Matching Technical Background: Dorian had worked as a systems engineer in the defense sector, responsible for developing security and communication systems, giving him a certain background in cryptography and computer science. Newsweek believed this might provide him with the expertise needed by the Bitcoin founder, especially regarding decentralized and network security technologies.

• Mysterious Behavior: Reports indicated that when questioned by reporters, Dorian stated, "I am no longer involved," which was interpreted as a hint of his connection to Bitcoin. However, Dorian later clarified that he misunderstood the reporter's question, interpreting Bitcoin as one of his past work projects, which did not fully dispel public doubts about him.

As the news continued to develop, the Bitcoin community showed great sympathy and support for Dorian Nakamoto. Community members believed that Newsweek's report lacked solid evidence and was prone to overinterpretation. Dorian's life was thrown into turmoil because of this report, and many felt he was a victim of the media. Consequently, the Bitcoin community launched a fundraising campaign called the "Dorian Fundraiser" to help him through this difficult time. This fundraising effort received substantial support from Bitcoin users, ultimately raising tens of thousands of dollars, which were used for Dorian's daily living expenses and legal fees.

This fundraising activity reflected the humanitarian concern of the Bitcoin community. Many community members believed that Bitcoin was not just a technology or currency; it was also a symbol of decentralization, and supporting Dorian was a practice of this decentralized spirit. They felt that Dorian's experience reminded people that the power of decentralization lies not in the identity of any individual but in the independence of the technology itself and the cohesion of the community.

The Dorian Nakamoto incident ultimately proved to be a misunderstanding, but it revealed the unique allure of the mystery surrounding the identity of Bitcoin's founder. The media's interest, public speculation, and the Bitcoin community's response all reflected a strong curiosity about the identity of Bitcoin's founder. Although Dorian was not the founder of Bitcoin, his story added a layer of drama to the mystery of the founder's identity.

This incident serves as a reminder that Bitcoin's decentralized nature means it does not rely on any specific individual or team for its existence; its value lies in its independence, transparency, and distributed network structure. Even without a known founder, or even if Satoshi Nakamoto himself never appears, Bitcoin can still operate autonomously. The Dorian Nakamoto incident demonstrated to the world that Bitcoin is not just a decentralized technological tool; it has also evolved into a symbol representing information transparency, decentralized governance, and the protection of personal privacy rights.

Dorian Nakamoto's life was completely changed due to this misunderstanding. His daily life was disrupted, becoming the focus of the media, and then gradually faded from public view. The Dorian incident added a humorous and absurd layer to the mystery of Bitcoin's founder, reminding people that they may never find a definitive answer in the search for Satoshi Nakamoto. This ordinary man inadvertently became part of the Bitcoin myth, making the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto even more elusive.

4.4 Candidate 4: Adam Back

Adam Back is one of the pioneers in the field of cryptocurrency and decentralized technology, having been active at the forefront of cryptography and computer science since the 1990s. As a PhD in cryptography, Back focused on how to address issues of internet privacy and information security through technological means. In an era when the internet was gradually rising and the speed of information dissemination was increasing, Back recognized that online privacy and information security would become focal points of growing concern.

In 1997, Back published his groundbreaking research on "Hashcash," an innovative Proof of Work (PoW) mechanism. Initially, Hashcash was designed to reduce spam and prevent denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. Hashcash increased the cost of sending spam by requiring senders to perform complex calculations and expend a certain amount of "work" before sending emails. The Proof of Work required users to compute hash values to meet specified conditions, allowing only those who successfully solved the problem to continue sending emails. As a result, the cost of sending spam significantly increased, while network resources were effectively protected, leading to widespread recognition of Hashcash.

Although the original intention of Hashcash was to reduce spam, Back had a deeper understanding of its future potential. He believed that the Proof of Work mechanism could be applied not only to email but also to digital currency, thereby ensuring the security of decentralized networks. This idea seemed avant-garde and radical at the time, but it laid the theoretical foundation for the development of cryptocurrencies, becoming an important source of inspiration for Bitcoin's PoW mechanism.

In 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto released the Bitcoin white paper, proposing a decentralized currency system based on Proof of Work. Many noticed that Bitcoin's PoW mechanism was very similar to Back's Hashcash design, even to the point of being considered an "upgraded version" of Hashcash. The Bitcoin system verified transactions through miners performing Proof of Work, preventing double spending and network attacks, which closely aligned with Back's Hashcash philosophy. Back was not surprised by Bitcoin; instead, he quickly developed a strong interest in it. He recognized its potential early on and publicly supported the principles of Bitcoin.

The design of Bitcoin's Proof of Work directly referenced Back's Hashcash, and the white paper did not detail its design origins, which raised suspicions about Back. Some researchers believed that the founder of the Bitcoin system was clearly very familiar with the technical principles of Hashcash, and there were very few individuals in the crypto field with such technical expertise. More importantly, Back himself was passionate about decentralized systems and cryptocurrencies, and his technical background and personal ideals almost perfectly aligned with Satoshi Nakamoto's philosophy.

As Bitcoin gradually gained attention, Adam Back was considered one of the most likely candidates for Satoshi Nakamoto. Back not only played an indirect key role in the technical design of Bitcoin but also actively promoted it during its early development. He frequently spoke in the media, explaining the workings of Bitcoin and the advantages of decentralized systems in detail, which led people to further suspect that he might have some connection to the designer of Bitcoin, or even be the actual founder.

However, in the face of external speculation, Back maintained a low profile and repeatedly denied being Satoshi Nakamoto. He emphasized that he was merely a technical expert supporting Bitcoin and had never participated in its founding. Back pointed out that his support for Bitcoin was based on ideals of decentralization and personal privacy, not because he was the inventor of Bitcoin. Even so, many members of the crypto community still believed that Back might have played an important role in the founding of Bitcoin or at least be a member of some "core technical team."

Adam Back's technical philosophy and work style are highly consistent with the decentralized spirit of Bitcoin. He has always believed that decentralized systems should be "without a single authority" to ensure freedom of information and respect for personal privacy. In his technical philosophy, no individual or institution should have a monopoly on information, and decentralized systems should be maintained collectively by users, a principle reflected in the design of the Bitcoin network.

Back maintained close contact with Satoshi Nakamoto during the early stages of Bitcoin, a relationship that extended beyond technical support to a profound understanding of Bitcoin's design philosophy. Many experts in the cryptography field believe that Satoshi's reference to Hashcash in the Bitcoin white paper may have been a form of "homage," suggesting that he likely had direct contact with Back. In the crypto community's "Cypherpunk" ethos, respecting the technical achievements of predecessors while maintaining anonymity is a widely accepted culture, which may have facilitated some secret "academic exchange" between Back and Satoshi Nakamoto.

Adam Back has always led a low-profile lifestyle. Despite his extensive academic achievements and technical expertise, he rarely mentions his personal life in public and never boasts about his accomplishments in cryptography. Back himself has stated that the value of technology lies not in the fame of any individual but in its impact on society. He believes that decentralized systems are the future direction of societal development, and Bitcoin is the best embodiment of this philosophy. Regarding speculation about the identity of "Satoshi Nakamoto," Back appears indifferent: "The existence of Bitcoin itself is already important enough; who the founder is does not affect its value."

This attitude has led people to believe that Back may be intentionally keeping his distance to avoid excessive association between himself and Bitcoin. This "detachment" is very similar to Satoshi's "disappearance," both hinting at the essence of decentralization: Bitcoin does not belong to anyone and does not need to rely on individual authority.

Although Back is not the direct founder of Bitcoin, his influence on the future of Bitcoin cannot be overlooked. The Hashcash mechanism he created and the dissemination of his decentralized philosophy have kept the Bitcoin community focused on technological innovation and decentralization. Additionally, he holds an important position within the core developer group of Bitcoin, having frequently expressed key opinions on technical discussions regarding Bitcoin's scalability, transaction speed, and privacy protection. As one of the founders of Blockstream, Back has promoted innovation in Bitcoin technology and is committed to facilitating the global promotion and popularization of Bitcoin.

After Satoshi Nakamoto's disappearance, Back became one of the key figures in the development of Bitcoin. His influence extends beyond technical contributions to shaping the culture of the Bitcoin community. Back's low profile and persistence have made him one of the spiritual pillars of Bitcoin, symbolizing Bitcoin's ability to develop independently in a decentralized state.

4.5 Candidate 5: Gavin Andresen

Gavin Andresen was originally an unassuming computer scientist who made contributions in graphics programming and virtual reality technology early in his career. As a software developer, he worked for many years in the fields of 3D graphics and virtual reality, participating in the development of several well-known virtual reality projects. However, Andresen was not complacent about his technical expertise; he maintained a strong interest in cutting-edge technologies and emerging projects, eager to find more impactful technological endeavors.

In 2009, Bitcoin quietly emerged as a new type of decentralized digital currency, which greatly intrigued Andresen. At that time, Bitcoin was still unknown, with only a handful of tech enthusiasts paying attention to this innovative technology. Andresen was attracted to the ideals of Bitcoin: decentralization, open source, and the absence of third-party trust, all of which aligned perfectly with his vision for the future of currency systems. In 2010, Andresen officially joined the Bitcoin development team and quickly became a core member of the project.

As the Bitcoin network continued to develop, Satoshi Nakamoto gradually faded from the community. By the end of 2010, Satoshi decided to hand over the management of the Bitcoin code repository to Andresen and announced that he would "turn to other things." This move made Andresen the new technical leader of the Bitcoin community, responsible for the daily maintenance and code updates of the Bitcoin network. Although the outside world was unclear why Satoshi chose Andresen, the Bitcoin community largely accepted this arrangement, viewing him as a solid and enthusiastic developer.

After taking over the code repository, Andresen maintained Bitcoin's open-source and decentralized principles while also promoting improvements and expansions through technological innovation. Under his stewardship, Bitcoin's code became more stable, and the community's development became more vibrant. As Satoshi's appointed successor, Andresen gradually became a symbolic figure in the Bitcoin community, especially after Satoshi's "retirement," where he was widely regarded as Bitcoin's "spokesperson" by supporters.

During the early development of Bitcoin, Andresen communicated multiple times with Satoshi via email and forums, discussing the technical details and future direction of Bitcoin. Andresen has repeatedly stated that Satoshi was a respected technical expert with exceptional programming skills and an innovative spirit, but he knew nothing about Satoshi's identity. Despite their numerous email exchanges, Satoshi always remained low-key and never revealed any personal information.

Before Satoshi's gradual withdrawal, he advised Andresen to "keep a low profile and not talk too much about personal information publicly." This reminder has left a lasting impression on Andresen, who believes it was not only for the sake of Bitcoin's decentralized design but also Satoshi's insistence on privacy protection. Shortly after Satoshi's departure, Andresen began proposing broader plans for Bitcoin's future, aiming to promote the popularization of Bitcoin and expand its application scope.

After Satoshi's retirement, Andresen injected new vitality into the Bitcoin community. For the long-term development of Bitcoin, he established the "Bitcoin Foundation" in 2012, hoping to promote technological innovation, industry standardization, and educational outreach for Bitcoin. The foundation was initially intended to support Bitcoin developers and promote Bitcoin's global adoption. However, as Bitcoin's value and visibility increased, the foundation gradually attracted some controversy.

Some Bitcoin supporters believed that the establishment of the foundation deviated from Satoshi's decentralized philosophy. Although the Bitcoin Foundation did not directly control the operation of the Bitcoin network, its existence suggested that the Bitcoin community might gradually lean towards centralization. This viewpoint sparked divisions within the Bitcoin community, with some members questioning Andresen's intentions, believing he had inadvertently strayed from Satoshi's decentralized ideals.

Due to Andresen's prominent position in the Bitcoin community, many began to suspect that he might not only be the "manager" of Bitcoin but also potentially Satoshi himself or a core team member. Andresen repeatedly denied this, stating that he was merely a developer and supporter of Bitcoin, not its inventor. He believed that Satoshi's decentralized philosophy was the true reason for Bitcoin's success, and his role was simply to inherit and maintain Bitcoin's development.

Despite his repeated assertions that he was not Satoshi, doubts about his identity persisted. In 2016, Australian businessman Craig Wright claimed to be the inventor of Bitcoin and received some support from Andresen. After hearing Wright's evidence, Andresen expressed agreement with Wright's identity. However, due to insufficient evidence, Craig Wright's claims were ultimately deemed false, and Andresen faced scrutiny in this incident. This event left the Bitcoin community even more puzzled about Satoshi's true identity and further mystified the relationship between Andresen and Satoshi.

Although there has always been controversy surrounding Andresen's identity, his contributions to Bitcoin are undeniable. After taking over the management of Bitcoin's code, Andresen continuously pushed for technological innovation and improvement. To address the scalability issues of the Bitcoin network, he proposed a series of optimization plans, such as improving transaction processing efficiency and enhancing the network's resistance to attacks. These technological innovations allowed the Bitcoin network to operate stably under higher loads.

Additionally, Andresen's suggestions for improvements in Bitcoin's privacy protection and transaction speed propelled the technological development of Bitcoin. As one of the founders of the Bitcoin Foundation, he not only dedicated himself to promoting the Bitcoin community but also actively participated in establishing Bitcoin standards, advocating for compliance and stability in the technical field.

4.6 Candidate 6: Wei Dai

In the 1990s, cryptocurrencies had not yet entered the public eye. The internet was just emerging, and the openness and freedom of cyberspace made a group of tech enthusiasts and cryptographers realize that while information was freely disseminated, privacy and security were becoming increasingly important. These individuals gathered in the "Cypherpunk" community to discuss cryptographic technology and information freedom. Wei Dai was one of the members of this community. As a low-key and intelligent computer scientist, his interest in cryptography and decentralized systems went far beyond ordinary technical development, involving deep reflections on social structures, economics, and personal freedom.

In 1998, Wei Dai published a groundbreaking paper proposing the concept of "B-money." This was the first time in internet history that a decentralized digital currency was described. The core idea of B-money was to create a currency system that did not require third-party trust through decentralization and cryptographic means. Dai detailed the design principles of B-money in his paper: all transactions and account records in the network would be conducted anonymously and verified collectively by all nodes, ensuring the system's security and transparency.

This idea was radical because it attempted to completely overturn traditional financial and banking systems through technological means. Dai proposed that the operation of the B-money system did not require a central bank or any centralized regulatory authority; all participants would earn B-money through proof of work and achieve autonomy within the network. This concept laid the theoretical foundation for decentralized currency and is considered by many researchers to be the "intellectual prototype" of Bitcoin.

A decade later, in 2008, a person named "Satoshi Nakamoto" published the Bitcoin white paper, proposing a decentralized currency system that was almost entirely consistent with the B-money concept. Bitcoin not only surpassed B-money in technical implementation but also became the benchmark for cryptocurrencies with its decentralization, anonymous transactions, and proof of work design. In the white paper, Satoshi explicitly mentioned that the design of B-money inspired Bitcoin and paid tribute to Dai's contributions.

Due to the striking similarity between the concepts of Bitcoin and B-money, the outside world widely speculated that Satoshi Nakamoto was likely Dai himself. Although the Bitcoin system was more complex in its specific implementation, its core logic was almost identical to that of B-money, deepening suspicions about Dai's identity. Despite Dai never claiming a direct connection to Bitcoin, many members of the crypto community viewed him as an undeniable "prophet" in the design of Bitcoin.

Although regarded as a source of inspiration for Bitcoin's design, Dai himself has always remained low-key. He rarely gives interviews and shows little interest in external attention, even refraining from publicly expressing any opinions during Bitcoin's global popularity. His mysterious demeanor is strikingly similar to Satoshi's style: never discussing personal life, rarely appearing in public, and focusing on the dissemination of technology and ideas rather than personal fame.

Dai's low-profile attitude is not uncommon in the Cypherpunk community. This group generally believes that decentralized systems should not be controlled or represented by any specific individual but should be maintained collectively by the community. Dai's low profile is not just a lifestyle choice but also a commitment to the principles of cryptography and decentralization. He has always believed that technology should serve human freedom and privacy, rather than becoming a tool for certain individuals to gain power. This philosophy aligns closely with Satoshi's original design intent, further deepening speculation about his identity as Satoshi Nakamoto.

Although the concept of B-money was highly innovative, it failed to materialize due to a lack of specific technical implementation. Dai only proposed the idea of B-money theoretically and did not put it into practice, possibly due to technical limitations and insufficient resources. However, the emergence of Bitcoin changed this situation. Bitcoin not only realized a decentralized trading network based on B-money but also overcame the technical challenges of distributed ledgers by recording transactions on a blockchain and ensuring the immutability of the ledger.

B-money's design failed to address the "double spending" problem, which could not guarantee that transaction records in the network would not be reused, while Bitcoin solved this issue through its proof of work mechanism and miner reward system. This allowed Bitcoin to not only technically surpass B-money but also made the vision of a decentralized currency a reality. Many believe that Satoshi's ability to design the Bitcoin system stemmed from a profound understanding of B-money's limitations, which enabled him to achieve technological breakthroughs.

After the Bitcoin network launched in 2009, Satoshi and early developers frequently communicated in forums and emails, continuously improving the Bitcoin system. However, as Bitcoin's popularity gradually rose, Satoshi suddenly vanished in 2010, leaving only the Bitcoin code and network behind. Since then, Satoshi has not made any public appearances or revealed any identity clues. This departure turned the founder of Bitcoin into an unsolvable mystery, prompting many researchers to search for Satoshi's true identity in the cryptography community, with Wei Dai becoming one of the primary candidates.

However, in the face of external speculation, Dai has remained silent. He neither confirmed nor denied his relationship with Bitcoin, and this ambiguous attitude has led him to be viewed as a "possible Satoshi" within the Bitcoin community. Unlike other candidates, Dai's low profile not only makes him a mysterious figure in the history of cryptocurrencies but also adds to the intrigue surrounding the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto.

Even if he is not the direct founder of Bitcoin, Dai's B-money concept undeniably influenced the cryptocurrency landscape. The B-money concept sparked discussions and research on decentralized currency within the cryptographic community, inspiring the development of various cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. The introduction of B-money not only laid the theoretical foundation for Bitcoin but also propagated the ideas of "decentralized autonomy" and "information freedom" within the crypto community, leading more people to believe that technology could achieve the autonomy and democratization of financial systems.

After the flourishing of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Dai continued to live a low-key life. He did not participate in the subsequent development of Bitcoin and never publicly claimed his role in its founding. However, the intellectual legacy he left behind made him an undeniable "intellectual founder" in the history of Bitcoin. For the crypto community, Dai is both an academic pioneer and a philosophical enlightener in technology, and his pursuit of decentralized currency continues to influence generations of cryptographers.

4.7 Candidate 7: Dave Kleiman

Dave Kleiman was a computer security expert from Florida, USA, who was highly respected in the fields of computer forensics and cryptography during his lifetime. Kleiman served in the military as a computer technician and, after his discharge, dedicated himself to computer science and security technology, leaving a profound mark in the fields of cryptography and network security due to his exceptional technical talent. Despite a significant life change caused by a motorcycle accident that limited his physical abilities, Kleiman continued to engage in cryptographic research and computer forensics work with remarkable determination.

As a technical prodigy, Kleiman was not only a technical advisor to many members of the crypto community but also authored several professional papers on computer forensics and security. His expertise in computer security and sharp technical perspective earned him the respect of many peers. Additionally, Kleiman provided consulting services to several cryptographic technology companies and participated in the design of multiple cryptocurrency projects. To his friends, he was a calm and helpful technical genius, always committed to contributing his wisdom to the crypto technology community.

Kleiman became one of the candidates for "Satoshi Nakamoto" largely due to his connection with another well-known figure in the cryptocurrency field, Craig Wright. Craig Wright is an Australian businessman who claims to be "Satoshi Nakamoto" and has publicly asserted multiple times that he is the founder of Bitcoin, presenting some technical evidence. In this process, Wright claimed that Kleiman was his partner, and the two collaborated on the founding of Bitcoin and designed its technical architecture.

According to Wright, he and Kleiman jointly developed the Bitcoin system and reached an agreement for "joint anonymous release" around 2011, deciding to attribute the founding of Bitcoin to the pseudonym "Satoshi Nakamoto." Wright stated that Kleiman was responsible for some debugging and optimization of the Bitcoin code, and the two discussed the decentralized design philosophy and proof-of-work mechanism of Bitcoin together. However, Kleiman never publicly claimed to be the founder of Bitcoin during his lifetime, nor did he leave any direct records regarding the development process of Bitcoin. This silence has led to widespread speculation about his possible identity as "Satoshi Nakamoto."

After Kleiman's death, his family and friends discovered a mysterious hard drive among his belongings, which contained a large number of encrypted files. Some suspect that these encrypted files may include early development records of Bitcoin, or even private keys that hold a "treasury" of substantial Bitcoin. However, the contents of these files remain undeciphered to this day, leaving the outside world unable to ascertain whether there is indeed evidence of Bitcoin's founding within them.

Wright claimed that these hard drives contained records of his technical collaboration with Kleiman, as well as technical discussions between the two during the development of Bitcoin. However, due to the high level of encryption on the files, the Kleiman family has yet to unlock them, and real evidence regarding Bitcoin remains elusive. Therefore, many believe that Kleiman's hard drive could be the key to unraveling the mystery of Satoshi Nakamoto's identity, but it may also be an "eternal technical legacy" that can never be unlocked.

As a computer security expert, Kleiman possessed all the technical qualifications to be "Satoshi Nakamoto." He not only had profound knowledge in computer forensics and cryptography but was also skilled in developing and using complex encryption systems. Those familiar with Kleiman revealed that he had a comprehensive understanding of computer security, particularly unique insights into decentralized network systems and data encryption. Kleiman's coding style was concise and efficient, with a strong emphasis on privacy protection, which closely resembled Satoshi's programming style.

Moreover, Kleiman's low-key personality and aversion to publicity aligned with Satoshi's characteristic anonymity. He rarely appeared in public, and even when afflicted by illness, he maintained a high level of focus on technical research. Many members of the crypto community believe that Kleiman's reticent nature could explain why, even if he participated in the founding of Bitcoin, he might not claim to be "Satoshi Nakamoto." This characteristic of Kleiman is seen as a significant piece of evidence supporting the notion that he "could be Satoshi Nakamoto."

After Kleiman's death, controversies surrounding the identity of the Bitcoin founder and the substantial Bitcoin holdings continued to escalate. The Kleiman family, upon learning of Craig Wright's self-claim, filed a lawsuit asserting that the Kleiman family should own a portion of the Bitcoin generated during the founding process. Kleiman's brother argued that Wright had no right to unilaterally declare the identity of the Bitcoin founder or to claim sole ownership of all Bitcoin.

In this legal dispute, Kleiman's family publicly disclosed many of his communications with Wright, showing that the two had closely collaborated on multiple technical projects. However, Wright's self-identification as Satoshi lacked sufficient evidence, and the court ultimately could not confirm whether Kleiman and Wright were indeed the true founders of Bitcoin. Although the lawsuit did not reach a final conclusion, Kleiman's potential role in the development of Bitcoin reignited fervent discussions within the Bitcoin community regarding the identity of "Satoshi Nakamoto."

Kleiman passed away in 2013 at the age of 46 due to illness at home. His death prompted deep mourning within the Bitcoin community, and his departure added further uncertainty to the mystery of Satoshi's identity. Many believe that Kleiman's death diminished the chances of uncovering the identity of Bitcoin's founder, and the encrypted files he left behind may remain an "eternal secret" that can never be unlocked. Some members of the crypto community speculate that Kleiman could have been a member of the Bitcoin founding team, or even Satoshi Nakamoto himself, but his passing took that secret with him.

After Kleiman's death, his friends and family discovered his potential contributions to Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies, and the crypto community grew more respectful of his technical talents and achievements. Although there is no evidence to date that Kleiman is Satoshi Nakamoto, his story and his role in the early development of Bitcoin have made the speculation about the identity of the Bitcoin founder even more enigmatic.

4.8 Candidate 8: Peter Todd

Peter Todd is a computer scientist and cryptography expert known for his significant contributions to improving the security and privacy of the Bitcoin network. Todd developed a strong interest in cryptographic technology from a young age and quickly became involved in the development of cryptography and decentralized systems. He is highly skilled at identifying and resolving security vulnerabilities in blockchain systems, earning him the title of "Bitcoin's Guardian of Security."

Todd was not an early member of the Bitcoin founding team, but he closely followed Bitcoin's rise. As Bitcoin began to gain attention from the community and the market, Todd keenly recognized its potential to trigger financial transformation and soon joined the Bitcoin developer community. Shortly after he joined, Bitcoin had already become one of the most popular cryptocurrencies, but it also faced many technical challenges, particularly regarding security and scalability. Todd quickly emerged in the Bitcoin community, becoming one of its core developers.

After joining the Bitcoin community, Todd dedicated himself to enhancing the security of the Bitcoin protocol. He advocated for maintaining strict security standards in Bitcoin's code to ensure the stability of the entire system. He proposed multiple improvement plans, providing innovative solutions for Bitcoin's scalability, privacy protection, and censorship resistance. His technical contributions include improving Bitcoin's transaction mechanisms and proposing the concept of lightweight nodes, which allows users to participate in the Bitcoin network without running a full node, thereby increasing the network's level of decentralization.

In addition to his technical contributions, Todd also played the role of a "moral guardian" within the Bitcoin community. He strongly advocated for transparency in the Bitcoin development process and publicly opposed any changes that could lead to centralization. His high commitment to Bitcoin's decentralized spirit aligns closely with Satoshi's philosophy. Todd's development style is cautious and conservative; he prioritizes ensuring the system's security over the pursuit of expansion, a careful attitude that many believe closely resembles Satoshi's technical philosophy.

Within the Bitcoin community, Peter Todd maintains relatively close ties with other "Satoshi Nakamoto" candidates. As a Bitcoin developer, he has engaged in public or private technical discussions with Gavin Andresen, Adam Back, Nick Szabo, and others. These discussions have involved issues related to Bitcoin's scalability, privacy protection, and security, and Todd's views on these matters are highly consistent with Satoshi's design philosophy.

Notably, Todd has had close technical exchanges with Adam Back, the inventor of Hashcash. In Bitcoin's proof-of-work mechanism, Back's Hashcash is one of the core inspirations for Bitcoin's proof of work, while Todd is a staunch defender of Bitcoin's proof-of-work mechanism. He believes that Bitcoin's proof-of-work mechanism is a crucial design for ensuring the security and decentralization of the Bitcoin network and must be protected and improved.

Todd is suspected of being Satoshi Nakamoto primarily due to his deep understanding of the Bitcoin network, his firm belief in decentralization, and his mysterious low profile within the community. Although Todd is one of the core figures in Bitcoin development, he rarely engages in personal promotion or public activities. His style of operation is strikingly similar to Satoshi's: low-key, pragmatic, and possessing a clear vision for the future development of Bitcoin.

Additionally, Todd's "perfectionism" in technology has also raised questions about whether he could be Satoshi Nakamoto. He advocates that Bitcoin's core code should be simple, efficient, and nearly free of vulnerabilities. This extreme security standard not only requires developers to possess exceptional technical skills but also necessitates a profound understanding of system architecture and unique ideas. This aligns closely with the rigorous style of the Bitcoin white paper and Satoshi's demands for code quality.

In the face of external speculation, Peter Todd has never claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto. He has repeatedly stated that he is merely a member of the Bitcoin community and hopes to ensure the security of the Bitcoin network through his technical expertise. However, Todd has not publicly denied this possibility; he believes that the spirit of decentralization in Bitcoin is what truly matters, and the identity of the founder is not important.

Todd believes that Satoshi Nakamoto's choice of anonymity is the "symbol of decentralization" for Bitcoin. He admires Satoshi's "withdrawal" approach, arguing that the future of Bitcoin should not be influenced by any individual, a point that has been validated in Bitcoin's development. Todd consistently upholds the open-source nature and decentralized management of Bitcoin, asserting that these characteristics are the core values of Bitcoin. His responses are subtle and mysterious, neither denying nor confirming external speculation, which further convinces people that he could be one of the candidates for the identity of "Satoshi Nakamoto."

4.9 Candidate 9: Len Sassaman

Len Sassaman was a respected cryptographer and privacy advocate who left a profound mark in the fields of computer and cryptographic technology. Born in 1976, Sassaman was passionate about online privacy and personal information protection from a young age. He was an active member of the Cypherpunk movement, exploring how to defend information freedom through technological means alongside other tech enthusiasts and privacy advocates. As a computer scientist, Sassaman firmly believed from the outset that technology could protect individual privacy rights, dedicating significant time and effort to researching how to use cryptographic techniques to ensure online security.

Sassaman achieved remarkable accomplishments in cryptography, playing a key role in the development of the anonymous email network Mixmaster Remailer. Mixmaster is a distributed anonymous email system that helps users hide their identities and protect their privacy. As a core developer of the project, Sassaman's research in encryption and anonymous communication made significant contributions to online privacy protection. His philosophy aligns with Bitcoin's decentralized and anonymous design, making him a potential candidate for "Satoshi Nakamoto."

Sassaman was not only a technical expert but also an active privacy advocate. Before the birth of Bitcoin, he was already a leading figure in the field of cryptography, frequently giving talks in academic circles and among privacy activists to promote the importance of privacy protection. His technical expertise encompassed cryptography, network security, and decentralized systems, which are precisely the core components of the Bitcoin system.

Sassaman also served as a researcher at the University of Leuven in Belgium, where he delved into privacy protection, encrypted communication, and the security of distributed systems. With his deep understanding of encryption and privacy protection, Sassaman's technical achievements earned him widespread respect in the cryptographic community. He collaborated with several renowned cryptographic experts, such as the famous Phil Zimmermann (founder of the PGP encryption system), working on privacy protection projects that made him an important figure in the field of cryptography.

Sassaman's activities in the Cypherpunk community are a significant reason he is considered a candidate for "Satoshi Nakamoto." The Cypherpunk movement is a community of cryptographic technology enthusiasts who generally believe in decentralization and information freedom. Sassaman had close relationships with many heavyweight figures in the cryptographic community, including Hal Finney, Nick Szabo, and Adam Back, all of whom had a direct or indirect influence on the birth of Bitcoin. The atmosphere of the Cypherpunk community promotes privacy protection, technological innovation, and decentralized monetary systems, which aligns closely with Bitcoin's design philosophy.

As a member of the Cypherpunk movement, Sassaman shared the same ideals as the Bitcoin community, supporting the establishment of a network system that is not controlled by central authorities and protects individual privacy. The release date of the Bitcoin white paper (2008) coincided with a critical period when the Cypherpunk community was focused on cryptocurrencies and decentralized finance, further deepening speculation about Sassaman possibly being "Satoshi Nakamoto."

In July 2011, Len Sassaman tragically passed away at the age of 31. His sudden death shocked the cryptographic and privacy protection communities. Shortly after his death, it was noted that Satoshi Nakamoto's online activity also abruptly ceased that same year. Satoshi gradually faded from the Bitcoin development community in 2010, and after Sassaman's death in 2011, Satoshi never reappeared online. This coincidence sparked widespread speculation about whether Sassaman was indeed Satoshi Nakamoto.

Many believe that Sassaman's death may have been the reason for Satoshi's sudden "disappearance." The design philosophy of Bitcoin, its spirit of decentralization, closely resembles Sassaman's advocacy for privacy protection during his lifetime, and his influence in the cryptographic community and deep understanding of decentralized systems align with Bitcoin's technical needs. Although there is no direct evidence proving that Sassaman is the founder of Bitcoin, the overlap between Satoshi's "withdrawal" timeline and Sassaman's death cannot be overlooked.

Sassaman's technical capabilities fully matched the development needs of the Bitcoin system. He was not only familiar with cryptographic algorithms and decentralized systems but also skilled in building anonymous communication systems. The Mixmaster anonymous email system he developed shares similarities with Bitcoin's privacy protection features, demonstrating his persistent pursuit of anonymity and security. Sassaman's programming style and high security standards were also consistent with the streamlined, rigorous, and bug-free characteristics of Bitcoin's code.

Furthermore, Sassaman's firm belief in privacy protection kept him low-key, and he rarely discussed his personal life. This low-profile approach is very similar to Satoshi's choice to anonymously release Bitcoin. Sassaman believed that decentralized systems should not rely on any individual or centralized authority but should be maintained collectively by all users, which aligns closely with Bitcoin's decentralization philosophy. Although he never publicly stated that he participated in Bitcoin's development, his ideals, technical abilities, and choice of anonymity during his lifetime make him a strong candidate for the identity of "Satoshi Nakamoto."

5 The Mystery of Satoshi's Disappearance

5.1 Final Statements and Departure

Records of Satoshi Nakamoto's Last Activities

• Last Message: Satoshi left his final message on the Bitcoin forum in December 2010. In this message, he mentioned some technical updates and the direction of Bitcoin's development but did not disclose any personal information or hint at his impending departure.

• Last Email Before Leaving: In April 2011, Satoshi stated in an email to Bitcoin developers that he was "turning to other things," which became his final farewell to the Bitcoin community. The tone of this email was calm, without explaining the reason, and this simple statement sparked countless speculations.

Timing and Context of the Disappearance

• Expansion of the Bitcoin Community: By the time Satoshi left, the Bitcoin community had already established a certain scale. Core developers like Gavin Andresen took over the management and technical maintenance of the Bitcoin network. Satoshi may have believed that the stability of the network and the user base had allowed Bitcoin to move beyond the early phase that relied on its founder.

• Technical Stability and Early Market Maturity: In 2010, the Bitcoin market gradually developed, with prices first breaking the $1 mark. This indicated that the market demand for Bitcoin and its technology were maturing, possibly leading Satoshi to believe that his mission was complete, prompting his decision to withdraw.

5.2 Analysis of the Motivations Behind the Withdrawal

Avoiding Legal and Security Risks

• Possibility of Legal Pressure: The decentralization and anonymity of Bitcoin posed a potential threat to traditional financial systems, leading some governments to question the legality and compliance of Bitcoin. Satoshi may have chosen to withdraw to avoid legal pressure from financial regulatory agencies and to prevent being targeted due to Bitcoin's popularity.

• Considerations for Personal Safety: As the founder of cryptocurrency, Satoshi may have faced threats from governments, banks, or even hackers due to his identity and technology. Anonymity and withdrawal not only protected his personal safety but also freed Bitcoin from the control of any specific individual, reducing the likelihood of attacks.

Avoiding Personal Worship and Maintaining Decentralization Ideals

• Symbolic Decision for Decentralization: Satoshi consistently adhered to the principle of decentralization, and his anonymous identity and eventual withdrawal further reinforced this idea. If he remained active in the Bitcoin community, it could lead to a gradual concentration of decision-making power in individuals, contradicting the original intent of decentralization.

• Avoiding Founder Effect: In many technical communities, founders are often idolized, and personal preferences and opinions can overly influence community development. Satoshi's withdrawal allowed the Bitcoin community to achieve true decentralized management and development without "centralized" leadership.

5.3 Bitcoin Development After Satoshi's Disappearance

Decentralized Management Practices in the Community

• Transition Period with Gavin Andresen: After Satoshi's withdrawal, Gavin Andresen, as a core developer, took over the management of the Bitcoin project. During this process, Andresen did not centralize the management of the Bitcoin network but encouraged community participation in an open-source manner, continuing to maintain Bitcoin's decentralized characteristics.

• Establishment of the Bitcoin Foundation: In 2012, the Bitcoin Foundation was established to support the development and promotion of Bitcoin. Although the foundation took on some management functions, its operation method of "decentralized technology not relying on centralized management" aligns with Satoshi's philosophy.

Technical Updates and Community Consensus

• BIP (Bitcoin Improvement Proposals) Proposal Mechanism: After Satoshi's departure, the Bitcoin community adopted the BIP proposal mechanism, allowing developers to propose technical improvements that would be voted on by nodes across the network to decide whether to implement them. This mechanism ensured the democratic nature of Bitcoin's technological development, aligning system evolution with community consensus.

• Debates on Scaling and Forking: After Satoshi's departure, the Bitcoin network encountered technical disputes such as scaling issues. In these matters, the Bitcoin community continued to reach decisions through decentralized consensus. For example, the Bitcoin network forked into Bitcoin Cash (BCH) in 2017, demonstrating the continuation of Satoshi's philosophy—that the community has the right to make autonomous decisions, and the system does not rely on a single "authority" to reach consensus.

Insights from Satoshi's Departure for the Cryptocurrency Ecosystem

• Validation of Decentralization's Durability: Satoshi's departure required the Bitcoin network to rely on its decentralized consensus mechanism to maintain stability. This practice proved the feasibility of the decentralization philosophy while enhancing the Bitcoin network's resilience and longevity.

• Inspiration for Other Decentralized Projects: Satoshi's withdrawal encouraged other blockchain projects to adhere to decentralized management methods, downplaying the role of founders in projects and promoting self-management within decentralization.

6 Satoshi's Wealth and Its Future Impact

6.1 Satoshi's Bitcoin Wealth

Satoshi's Bitcoin Holdings

• Genesis Block and Early Mining: On January 3, 2009, Satoshi mined the genesis block of Bitcoin, obtaining the first 50 bitcoins. In the early days of the Bitcoin network, due to its small scale and low mining competition, Satoshi accumulated a large amount of Bitcoin through mining. It is estimated that Satoshi holds approximately 1 million bitcoins, accounting for 4.76% of the total Bitcoin supply.

• Tracking Wallet Addresses: Researchers have identified the addresses of these bitcoins through blockchain analysis, but these bitcoins have remained in a "dormant" state since Satoshi acquired them, never being transferred or spent. These "sleeping" bitcoins are distributed across about 20,000 addresses, which share consistent characteristics in their blockchain records and have not been utilized, believed to belong to Satoshi.

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