Peter Todd from HBO Documentary: Is He the Real Satoshi Nakamoto?

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So why do some people believe Todd could be Nakamoto? 

Todd’s Background 

  • Todd has a long history with Bitcoin, dating back to its early development. 
  • He’s a contributor to Bitcoin Core and works at Coinkite, a Bitcoin platform. 
  • He has also been an adviser to Verisart, a digital collectibles platform, since 2015. 

 

Key Facts About Peter Todd 

Fact 

Details 

Background 

Cryptographer, blockchain developer, Bitcoin contributor 

Major Contributions 

Bitcoin Core development, blockchain security 

Alleged Evidence 

December 2010 forum post connecting him to Nakamoto 

Todd’s Statement 

“I’m not Satoshi,” often jokes about the speculation 

Community View 

Most skeptical of Todd being Nakamoto 

The Documentary’s Claims 

In Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, filmmaker Cullen Hoback suggests that Todd is Satoshi Nakamoto. The film cites a forum post from December 2010 as key evidence. In this post, Todd responds to Satoshi Nakamoto on a Bitcoin discussion forum. The documentary claims this was a slip-up, and that Todd meant to post as Satoshi but used his own account by mistake. 

Criticism of the Documentary 

Many in the crypto community, including BitMEX Research, have questioned these claims. In an Oct. 8 post on X (formerly Twitter), they called the evidence “ridiculous” and stated that there is “zero reason” to believe Todd is Nakamoto. 

Peter Todd’s Connection to Satoshi 

Whether or not Todd is Satoshi, one thing is for sure: he was involved in the development of Bitcoin. He corresponds with Nakamoto before the Bitcoin creator disappeared in 2011. Todd also has deep knowledge in cryptography, as well as an understanding of how Bitcoin is designed, making him a potent candidate for those in search of Satoshi. 

He started interacting with notable figures like Hal Finney and Adam Back, both of whom were possible Nakamoto contenders. In fact, Todd was just 23 when Nakamoto published white paper in 2008. 

Is Todd Satoshi? 

Despite the speculation, Todd has consistently denied being Satoshi, although he has occasionally joked about it. He once claimed, “I am Satoshi,” a reference to the famous “I am Spartacus” moment, where multiple people claimed the same identity to protect the true person. This statement is widely seen as a tactic to obscure Nakamoto’s true identity. 

In October 2024, Todd posted on social media, saying, “Satoshi is the entire human race minus Craig Wright.” Wright, another figure who claimed to be Nakamoto, was ruled out by a UK judge earlier this year. 

While Todd’s skills and knowledge make him a reasonable candidate, his denials and occasional jokes seem to suggest he is not the elusive Bitcoin creator. For now, the mystery remains unsolved, and Todd continues to be a major figure in the world of Bitcoin.