Satoshi Nakamoto is the name used by the presumed pseudonymous[1][2][3][4] person or persons who developed bitcoin, authored the bitcoin white paper, and created and deployed bitcoin's original reference implementation.[5] As part of the implementation, Nakamoto also devised the first blockchain database.[6] Nakamoto was active in the development of bitcoin up until December 2010.[7] Many people have or have been claimed to be Nakamoto.

Contents 1 Development of bitcoin 2 Characteristics and identity 2.1 Possible identities 2.1.1 Hal Finney 2.1.2 Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto 2.1.3 Nick Szabo 2.1.4 Craig Wright 2.1.5 Other candidates 3 References Development of bitcoin

Satoshi Nakamoto message embedded in the coinbase of the first block Nakamoto stated that work on the writing of the code for bitcoin began in 2007.[8] On 18 August 2008, he or a colleague registered the domain name bitcoin.org,[9] and created a web site at that address. On 31 October, Nakamoto published a white paper on the cryptography mailing list at metzdowd.com describing a digital cryptocurrency, titled "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System".[10][11][12]

On 9 January 2009, Nakamoto released version 0.1 of the bitcoin software on SourceForge, and launched the network by defining the genesis block of bitcoin (block number 0), which had a reward of 50 bitcoins.[13][14][15][16] Embedded in the coinbase transaction of this block is the text: "The Times 03/Jan/2009 Chancellor on brink of second bailout for banks",[17] citing a headline in the UK newspaper The Times published on that date.[18] This note has been interpreted as both a timestamp and a derisive comment on the alleged instability caused by fractional-reserve banking.[19]: 18

Nakamoto continued to collaborate with other developers on the bitcoin software until mid-2010, making all modifications to the source code himself. He then gave control of the source code repository and network alert key to Gavin Andresen,[20] transferred several related domains to various prominent members of the bitcoin community, and stopped his recognized involvement in the project.[citation needed]

Nakamoto owns between 750,000 and 1,100,000 bitcoin. As of November 2021, that puts his net worth at up to 73 billion US dollars, which would make him the 15th-richest person in the world.[21]