The statue of Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, has been recovered by municipal workers in Lugano, Switzerland, after it was reported stolen and thrown into Lake Lugano over the weekend.
The statue, created by Italian artist Valentina Picozzi, had been unveiled in October 2024 after 21 months of planning and construction, quickly becoming a symbol for the global Bitcoin community.
Details of the recovery
City workers discovered the statue in several pieces along the riverbank and in the lake, suggesting it was vandalized rather than stolen for profit.
Satoshigallery, the art collective behind the installation, noted that the statue had only been welded to its base at two points—its feet remained attached to the base after the rest was removed.
Satoshigallery had offered a 0.1 BTC reward, valued at over $11,000, for the statue’s recovery.
community responses to the incident
The vandalism drew strong reactions from the Bitcoin community.
Gabor Gurbacs, founder and CEO of Pointsville, commented on social media:
“Such a tasteless and stupid thing to do. Hope they find who did it.”
Some, including the pseudonymous advocate Gritto, speculated that the act may have been committed by intoxicated partygoers celebrating Swiss National Day.
symbol of resilience
Despite the attack, the Bitcoin art collective remains committed to its mission.
Satoshigallery stated:
“You can steal our symbol, but you will never be able to steal our souls.”
The group reiterated plans to install similar statues in 21 locations worldwide, underscoring the enduring influence of Satoshi Nakamoto’s legacy.
