Key Insights
- The mystery of Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity has been a hot topic in the crypto space for years.
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Recently, Seán Murray pointed out in an X post that Jack Dorsey might be Satoshi Nakamoto
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Murray’s “evidence” has roots in a series of coincidences, including the birthdays of both of Dorsey’s parents, his former residential address, the former Twitter headquarters, and so on.
- Critics have pointed out that Jack Dorsey has some small but important ideological differences from Nakamoto.
- Moreover, Dorsey isn’t well known for having the skillset in cryptography to create Bitcoin.
The identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s creator, has been one of the biggest mysteries in the crypto industry.
Ever since the first Bitcoin block was mined in 2009, the identity of the mastermind behind the world’s largest decentralized network has remained under wraps.
However, a recent theory has now linked Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter (and a vocal Bitcoin supporter), to the Satoshi Nakamoto name.
According to several “coincidences” pointed out by financial news editor Seán Murray in a lengthy X post, Dorsey and Nakamoto just might be the same people.
Here are all the details:
Clues Linking Jack Dorsey to Satoshi Nakamoto
Murray seemed to have come prepared as he published the thread that got everyone talking.
Said thread contained a series of dates and cryptographic hints that he believes connect Jack Dorsey to Bitcoin’s early history.
While the so-called “evidence” is largely circumstantial at this point, it does bring up some interesting facts.
One example of these is the Birthday coincidences.
To begin with, Bitcoin’s first block was mined on 11 January, which happens to be Dorsey’s mother’s birthday.
Not only this, the last block mined by Satoshi on 5 March 2010 coincides with Dorsey’s father’s birthday.
But this isn’t all.
Other Details Point Towards Dorsey
Murray also pointed out that Satoshi registered on the Bitcoin forum on November 19, which happens to be Dorsey’s own birthday.
Moreover, the original Bitcoin source code documents are timestamped at 4 a.m.—which happens to be a time of day that Dorsey once featured on his Twitter profile.
Even more intriguing is how a Bitcoin address created by Satoshi starts with the letters “jD2m.”
This sounds like a straw-grasping attempt to link Jack Dorsey to Satoshi, only that Murray suggests that “jD2m” could stand for “Jack Dorsey 2 Mint.”
Dorsey once lived at a San Francisco residence at 2 Mint Plaza.
However, dates and addresses weren’t merely what Murray brought to the table.
The mystery also involves some interesting geographic and behavioral clues.
More Clues Uncovered
To start with, Satoshi’s GMX email was hacked in 2014, and the attacker claimed to have found a link to St. Louis, Missouri—Dorsey’s hometown.
Satoshi also accidentally logged into an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) on 10 January 2009.
This mistake revealed an IP address located in California—Twitter’s headquarters at the time.
Interestingly, Satoshi also famously warned against donating Bitcoin to WikiLeaks on 5 December 2010.
Coincidentally, Twitter received a secret court order (or a subpoena) demanding WikiLeaks-related data a few days later.
Satoshi was just logged into the Bitcoin forum on 13 December of the same year—a day before Twitter received the subpoena.
Aside from birthdays, geographical clues, addresses, and acronyms, Murray pointed out some interesting ties between Dorsey and Nakamoto.
For example, Jack Dorsey had always been a vocal supporter of decentralization.
Dorsey’s public interest in Bitcoin also aligns closely with the time when Satoshi “disappeared” and became the mystery he now is.
This similarity in the ideologies of both characters further enhances the narrative that they might be the same person.
Not Everyone Is Convinced
Despite the convincing “evidence” and coincidences that continue to mount, not everyone in the crypto community is convinced.
Some good reasons for this include the lack of concrete evidence.
Murray’s hypothesis is based solely on speculation, and no specific “proof” has been presented so far.
Secondly, while Jack Dorsey is a skilled software developer, he is not known for being a cryptography expert—one of the key components of Bitcoin’s birth.
Critics also argue that Satoshi was a stubborn advocate of censorship resistance—an ideology that contradicts Dorsey’s content moderation at Twitter.
Jack Dorsey even wore a “Satoshi” shirt in public once, which also contradicts the extreme privacy that Bitcoin’s creator seemed to favor.
So far, Jack Dorsey has not commented on or even denied the theory.
Interestingly, in a 2020 interview, Dorsey was asked about whether he was Satoshi, to which he responded, “No, and if I were, would I inform you?”
The Endless Search for Satoshi
This isn’t the first time someone has been “accused” of being Bitcoin’s creator.
Over the years, several figures have been suggested, including Hal Finney, who was one of the first people to receive Bitcoin from Satoshi.
Others include Adam Back and Nick Szabo, who also worked closely with the core team in the early Bitcoin days.
Interestingly, a recent October 2024 documentary from HBO titled “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” suggested that Peter Todd, a Canadian developer, was Satoshi.
Others like Craig Wright have taken up the mantle, with Satoshi Nakamoto claims over the last decade.
Why Does It Matter Who Satoshi Nakamoto Is?
The search for Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity is a lot more than solving a mystery.
It has several impacts on Bitcoin and the rest of the crypto industry, in terms of price, security, trust and even the philosophical significance of the cryptocurrency.
If Satoshi’s identity were to be revealed at this instant, it could influence the price of Bitcoin massively—especially considering how Satoshi holds over one million untouched BTC.
The panic that ensues from a possible move of this 1 million BTC could affect the market’s stability and lead to a massive crash.
Moreover, the mystery of Satoshi’s identity aligns with Bitcoin’s decentralization.
Revealing Satoshi’s identity could change how Bitcoin is viewed by the general public and again cause a massive crash.
Overall, whether Jack Dorsey is or isn’t Satoshi Nakamoto has no bearing on what Bitcoin itself stands for.
The search for Nakamoto will likely continue—with or without a conclusion.
