In February 2024, 1,000 cryptocurrency enthusiasts were interviewed by Online Gaming Company in order to identify who Satoshi Nakamoto is, the mysterious creator of Bitcoin.
The survey, therefore, attempts to gather the opinion of the cryptographic community on the possible identity of the creator of Bitcoin. Let’s see all the details below.
Who is Satoshi Nakamoto: the survey on the creator of Bitcoin
As anticipated, Online Gaming Company conducted an in-depth survey among cryptocurrency enthusiasts to identify who the real Satoshi could be.
In February 2024, among 1000 participants, the goal was to gather public opinion on the alleged identity of the mysterious creator of Bitcoin. Let’s see the top ten candidates based on the survey results.
First place for Nick Szab. 40% of the participants believe that Nick Szabo is the likely Satoshi Nakamoto. His extensive work on digital contracts and the creation of “Bit Gold”, concepts similar to those of Bitcoin, make him a strong candidate according to the participants.
Then we have Hal Finney. 35% of the respondents indicated Hal Finney as a possible Satoshi. His involvement in the first Bitcoin transaction and his deep knowledge of cryptography make him a popular choice.
Still, Adam Back. With 12% of the votes, Adam Back is considered a possible Satoshi Nakamoto thanks to his creation of Hashcash, essential for the proof-of-work mechanism of Bitcoin.
With 6% of the vote, Wei Dai is seen as a potential Satoshi Nakamoto due to his creation of b-money, a precursor to Bitcoin. His early work on digital currency makes him an interesting candidate according to survey participants.
Len Sassaman, with 3% of the votes, emerges as a candidate among a more select group of survey participants. His close relationships with crypto experts and his focus on privacy are cited as points in his favor.
Some participants also notice the coincidence between his disappearance and the end of Nakamoto’s communications.
Andersen, Mochizuki, Musk and not only among the possible candidates
Gavin Andersen instead ranked sixth with 1.5% of the votes, recognized for his initial contributions to the development of Bitcoin and for his direct interactions with Nakamoto.
Despite his claims under a pseudonym, only 1% of participants believe that Craig Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto. His credibility is being questioned by ongoing debates and the lack of concrete evidence.
Less discussed as a possible Satoshi, Shinichi Mochizuki receives only 0.5% of the votes, mainly due to his limited computer science background and lack of ties to cypherpunk culture.
Elon Musk, instead, with 0.5% of the votes, ranks ninth. While recognizing his genius, participants underline the weakness of his ties to the early days of Bitcoin.
Finally, with only 0.4% of the votes, Dorian Nakamoto closes the list, reflecting the lack of confidence in his alleged ties to Bitcoin.
Regarding this, a spokesperson for the Online Gaming Company stated the following:
“Curiosity about the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto grows every time the price of Bitcoin increases, especially considering Nakamoto’s alleged possession of over a million Bitcoins. His substantial wealth not only indicates extraordinary wealth, but also highlights his power over the Bitcoin market. With approximately 5% of all Bitcoins in circulation, even small changes in his wallet could influence the entire market. Knowing who Nakamoto is could provide important insights into understanding Bitcoin movements.”
The denial of Craig Wright’s claims to be Satoshi Nakamoto
As mentioned above, recently a British judge issued a ruling denying that Dr. Craig Wright is the pseudonym of Bitcoin creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.
Wright claimed to be the inventor of Bitcoin and tried to obtain the copyright on the Bitcoin whitepaper, but his claims were rejected by judge James Mellor.
The cryptocurrency community has greeted Wright’s claims with skepticism, as he has been involved in a legal battle with the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) and a group of Bitcoin Core developers since 2021.
The COPA, with the support of former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, accused Wright of fraud and extortion.
The process, which has recently concluded in a British court, confirmed that Wright is not the author of the Bitcoin whitepaper, nor has he operated under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto.
Judge Mellor clearly stated that Wright is not the creator of the Bitcoin system nor the author of the initial versions of the Bitcoin software.
Before the trial, Wright had proposed a resolution of the intellectual property case with COPA, but the organization publicly rejected his offer.