The crypto neighborhood is reacting strongly to claims that an upcoming HBO documentary has unmasked Satoshi Nakamoto, the notorious and elusive creator of Bitcoin.
HBO launched a trailer for the documentary on October 3, which reveals snippets of interviews and analysis with a few of Bitcoin's early adopters, together with Blockstream founder Adam Again and JAN3 CEO Samson Mow.
Notably, the trailer doesn't definitively declare to have discovered the reply to “the web's greatest thriller,” and plenty of imagine the query will stay unanswered. Nevertheless, a later report from Politico claimed that the documentary unmasked Satoshi's id.
Based on Politico, the documentary identifies Satoshi and will probably reveal hyperlinks between the Bitcoin creator and felony exercise. Though the documentary has not but been launched, Politico's report has fueled intense debate and hypothesis inside the business.
Hypothesis has resumed
The main candidates in present speculative discussions in regards to the documentary are Len Sassaman, Hal Finney, and Adam Again, who the neighborhood has already theorized to be Satoshi Nakamoto.
Again has at all times denied these claims and maintains that he’s not the unique creator of Bitcoin. In the meantime, Sassaman and Finney died over a decade in the past, and there’s no substantiated proof that both was Satoshi regardless of their early involvement in Bitcoin.
Alex Thorn, head of analysis at Galaxy Digital, weighed in on the hypothesis, suggesting that if the documentary identifies Sassaman as Satoshi, it may have minimal market disruption by assuaging issues over his giant holdings.
He mentioned in a social media publish:
“If that is what the doc identifies, (it) must be impartial to constructive for BTCUSD on condition that Len handed away in 2011 (RIP).”
Author Evan Hatch, who explored the speculation that Sassaman could possibly be Satoshi in 2021, acknowledged his involvement in a earlier documentary that additionally examined the cryptographer's potential connection to the creation of Bitcoin.
Nevertheless, Hatch and others in the neighborhood are treating the newest claims with warning till the documentary airs and gives extra concrete particulars.
Politico criticized
The Politico report additionally confronted backlash from the neighborhood, significantly from Helius Labs CEO Mert Mumtaz, who criticized the article's framing of the historical past of Bitcoin and the the affiliation he establishes between Bitcoin and felony actions.
Mumtaz expressed frustration with the tone of the report, writing:
“Within the first paragraph, they’re in some way attempting to current it as an anti-Trump and Elon factor, as a result of the checks point out that Bitcoin has already been used for felony functions.”
Mumtaz condemned the suggestion that Satoshi could possibly be liable for felony acts facilitated by Bitcoin, arguing that fiat currencies are additionally utilized in unlawful transactions with out being topic to the identical degree of scrutiny.
He mentioned:
“Why don’t you go (and) arrest each authorities on the planet for issuing money? »
Many members of the crypto neighborhood share comparable frustrations with mainstream media, which they are saying usually emphasizes the connection between Bitcoin and unlawful actions whereas downplaying its revolutionary influence on monetary programs.
Because the HBO documentary's launch date approaches, anticipation continues to construct. The query of Satoshi Nakamoto's true id is likely one of the greatest mysteries within the crypto world, and the brand new claims, no matter their veracity, have reignited widespread curiosity.
