The creator of Bitcoin has never made his or her identity public. Satoshi Nakamoto is one of the great enigmas in modern technology. Figuring out this person or group’s real-world identity remains challenging but is also rather futile.
Satoshi Nakamoto Is A Mystery
Ever since Bitcoin was created many years ago, no one has come a step closer to figuring out who made it. All the world has is a pseudonym of Satoshi Nakamoto, but that is about it. Bitcoin’s creator has remained anonymous all this time, which appears to be a conscious decision. Satoshi never sought the limelight, being eager to effectively hand over the project’s reins to other developers within the first two years.
Despite numerous efforts to figure out Nakamoto’s real identity, the trail is still cold. So far, the search only yielded a few people who have been “accused” of creating Bitcoin. Although the “witch hunt” appears to be over — for now — the mystery still tickles the mind of many Bitcoin enthusiasts.
That being said, the vast majority of “older” Bitcoin enthusiasts have completely given up on identifying Satoshi. They see no reason to explore this option right now, even though everyone will always remember the name. It is also, for this reason, the smallest unit of a Bitcoin — 0.00000001 BTC — is called a “Satoshi”, a way to pay homage to the creator of the world’s leading cryptocurrency.
Remaining Anonymous For A Reason?
There are several good reasons why Satoshi Nakamoto doesn’t want to be the center of attention.
As Bitcoin is decentralized, there is no need for a “spokesperson” or “figurehead”, even though several other cryptocurrencies have opted for a different approach. Satoshi appears more interested in providing the tools to the masses rather than being an enabler.
Another potential reason is to avoid the attention of authorities, either for better or worse. Historically speaking, new forms of currency or money with a central figurehead are snuffed out very quickly. By removing oneself from the center of attention, Satoshi Nakamoto managed to avoid any awkward questions.
Does It Even Matter?
A bigger question everyone needs to ask themselves is whether it even matters to know who Satoshi Nakamoto is in real life. It is evident he, she, or they have no intention of returning to Bitcoin in the future. This is despite addresses associated with Nakamoto holding over a million BTC, which have never been moved despite the rising Bitcoin price.
As the network is now in the hands of many capable developers, Satoshi Nakamoto’s return is no longer necessary. Instead, they can even use a completely different pseudonym to remain part of the Bitcoin movement, and no one would ever find out.
Whether we ever manage to reveal the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto or not will ultimately make no difference. Bitcoin belongs to everyone and can be supported by everyone. The technology is more robust than ever before, and the network has grown by leaps and bounds. With or without Satoshi, Bitcoin will always be Bitcoin and continue to track along.
