Bitcoin creator finally revealed? Australian Craig Wright outs himself as 'Satoshi Nakamoto'
Australian businessman Craig Wright has revealed he is the man behind the cryptocurrency Bitcoin, ending years of speculation.
Bitcoin’s code was released in 2009 under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, and the true identity of Nakamoto was increasingly hard-sought as the virtual currency gained traction.
Bitcoin was the top performing currency last year, according to The Money Project, and one Bitcoin is currently worth about $456.
Wright used coins known to belong to the currency’s founder as a means of backing up his claim, the BBC reports.
He told the British broadcaster that the search for the true identity of Bitcoin’s founder had spurred him into making the announcement, saying: “There are lots of stories out there that have been made up and I don't like it hurting those people I care about.”
"I have not done this because it is what I wanted,” he said of the revelation, adding that he does not want fame, but instead wants to “keep doing what I want to do”.
After tech magazines Wired and Gizmodo published claims in late 2015 that Wright was the probable creator of Bitcoin, his Sydney home was subjected to a search by Australian authorities as part of a tax investigation.
Wright explains his struggle revealing his public persona, Satoshi, in a blog post he wrote on Monday. He references a quote by Jean Paul Sartre: “If I sign myself Jean-Paul Sartre it is not the same thing as if I sign myself Jean-Paul Sartre, Nobel Prizewinner.”
“I remember reading that quote many years ago…and having experienced the ebb and flow of life those years have brought, I think I am finally at peace with what he meant. If I sign Craig Wright, it is not the same as if I sign Craig Wright, Satoshi,” the businessman posted.
“Satoshi is dead. But this is only the beginning,” he adds cryptically, before outlining the verification process to back up his claims of being bitcoin’s founder.
There have been false claims about the supposed ‘true’ identity of Satoshi before. In 2014, Newsweek published an article claiming a Japanese-American man was behind the virtual currency.
Wright’s revelation has yet to convince many that he is indeed bitcoin’s creator:
Am I correct in thinking the Satoshi proof is that Craig has the private key that signed block 9?
— Alan Woodward (@ProfWoodward) May 2, 2016
https://t.co/nle4Y97imb This is the Bitcoin address that supposedly proves Craig Wright is Satoshi? Some account that mined 50BTC in 2009?
— Dan Kaminsky (@dakami) May 2, 2016
@dakami@gavinandresen
— Matt Hurd (@sumohurd) May 2, 2016
Two good friends (former emps of mine) worked for his collapsed firm in Sydney. They lol & say Wright is no Satoshi
Craig Wright exposed as Satoshi fraud and imposter by Redditors (?) https://t.co/NFYvHHEdnnpic.twitter.com/0leu4qLhCy
— the grugq (@thegrugq) May 2, 2016
Short version if you're not following along: if they actually saw the evidence they think they saw, virtually dispositive he is involved.
— Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) May 2, 2016
https://t.co/DN4PqZrfgm
— Ian Grigg (@iang_fc) May 2, 2016
Craig Wright comes out as Satoshi Nakamoto team leader.
I confirm this is true. CARS.
If Satoshi really wanted to prove his identity, he'd sign a msg "Hal Finney is Satoshi <recent block hash as a secure timestamp>"
— Oleg Andreev (@oleganza) May 2, 2016
