Key Takeaways
- Peter Todd was named as Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto by HBO.
- Todd has denied being Nakamoto, both before and after the documentary.
- He has joked in the past about being Satoshi, supporting privacy for the real inventor.
Peter Todd, a prominent Canadian developer known for his work on Bitcoin Core, was named as Bitcoin’s creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, in HBO’s documentary Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery. Despite the claim, Todd has consistently denied the accusation. Before the documentary aired, Todd stated:
I’m not Satoshi.
He then reiterated his denial after the episode was released.
Todd has been a key figure in Bitcoin’s development, contributing to its codebase and communicating with early figures like Hal Finney and Adam Back, both also rumored to be Nakamoto. His deep involvement in Bitcoin from its early days, combined with his cryptographic expertise, makes Todd a plausible contender for Nakamoto in the eyes of some. However, Todd has previously invoked the “I am Spartacus” analogy, jokingly claiming to be Satoshi while implying everyone has a claim to that identity.
In 2024, Todd continued to deflect, humorously posting:
Satoshi is the entire human race minus Craig Wright.
This was in reference to another claimant, who had his own case dismissed by a UK judge earlier this year.
