Bitcoin was created in 2009 by an anonymous person pseudonymously known as Satoshi Nakamoto, whose real identity remains a mystery to this day. Many have put forth guesses as to who Nakamoto may actually be, and the latest theory comes from Elon Musk, also theorized once as the famous inventor. On a podcast with AI researcher Lex Fridman, Musk revealed that he believes computer scientist Nick Szabo might be Satoshi Nakamoto, a theory many support. He also said that people often suspect him to be the creator of Bitcoin, a claim which he has denied many times.
The Argument: While clarifying that he “obviously” was unaware of Nakamoto’s real identity, Musk said Szabo ticks all the boxes indicative of Bitcoin’s founder. Nick Szabo is a computer scientist and cryptographer who helped develop smart contracts. In 1998, Szabo proposed the creation of an early form of cryptocurrency called “BitGold.” A 2015 New York Times article also attributed bitcoin’s invention to Szabo, to which Szabo replied, “Well, I will say this, in the hope of setting the record straight, I’m not Satoshi.” In 2011, the mysterious Bitcoin inventor bid farewell to the crypto space and apparently “moved on to different things.” Satoshi Nakamoto’s BTC wallet currently holds 1.1 million bitcoin (over $46 billion) and remains unspent until now.
