Who Is Satoshi Nakamoto? HBO’s Money Electric Takes Viewers On Global Hunt For Bitcoin’s Mystery Man

A new HBO documentary claims to have cracked who Satoshi Nakamoto, the creator of Bitcoin, is. The documentary, Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, by Cullen Hoback, was released on October 8, 2024. Apart from aiming to reveal the person behind Nakamoto, the film also tried to understand the consequences of the presence of Bitcoin in the world economy.

Hoback started travelling around the globe to speak with early Bitcoin stakeholders and theorists, including those who proposed ideas for the currency. The makers of the documentary claim Canadian programmer, Peter Todd, is Nakamoto. But Todd has downright rejected the claim, saying Hoback used what he refers to as “QAnon-style coincidence-based conspiracy thinking.”

The documentary then leaves several clues indicating Todd was Nakamoto. It also included a discussion he had at a 2010 forum where he seemed to agree with Nakamoto. This conversation also elicits doubts whether at such a young age, that is, 23 years, Todd took part in the development of Bitcoin alongside Nakamoto. Some of the critics have questioned the above timeline saying that it reduces the chances of him being capable of designing such a system.

The film focuses on the importance of identifying Nakamoto’s true identity for how wealthy they are.

Some reports estimate that he owns almost one million bitcoins which could put him in the list of the richest men in the world.

Hoback claims that learning Nakamoto’s identity is not only a question of interest, but it has serious consequences for financial power and control over Bitcoin developments. The documentary highlights how Bitcoin impacts the world’s financial structures and makes governments reassess their approaches to cryptocurrencies.

Other than Nakamoto’s identity, Money Electric discusses how Bitcoin went from being just an internet currency to a major player in the global economy.

But Todd has dismissed these claims as “ludicrous”. As for his identity, he said to the BBC, “I am not Satoshi Nakamoto”.

Aside from the mystery surrounding their identity, Nakamoto’s immense fortune is another factor contributing to the curiosity around them.

Currently valued at over $69 billion, Nakamoto would rank as the world’s 20th richest person if they still had possession of their bitcoin wallet.