Canadian software developer Peter Todd, an early Bitcoin contributor, has firmly denied being the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s creator, despite fresh speculation spurred by an HBO documentary, Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery. The documentary, directed by Cullen Hoback, suggests Todd might be the person behind the pseudonym. However, Todd has brushed off these claims, calling them “ludicrous” and saying Hoback is “grasping at straws.”
- The film presents circumstantial evidence, such as Todd’s deep knowledge of Bitcoin, early involvement in cryptographic projects, and British/Canadian spellings used by both Todd and Satoshi.
- One specific point highlighted by the documentary was a 2010 forum post by Todd, which Hoback speculates could have been made accidentally from Todd’s account instead of Satoshi’s.
Todd not only refutes the claims but mocks them, calling the theory “crazy” in the documentary, even sarcastically quipping, “Of course I’m Satoshi. And I’m Craig Wright.” Todd has previously joked about being Satoshi in the past, adding that the suggestion is far-fetched. He also criticized Hoback’s theory as “conspiracy thinking,” likening it to tactics used to identify figures behind the QAnon movement, which Hoback had explored in previous work.
Hoback remains steadfast, asserting that Todd had every opportunity to clarify his stance during filming. While the documentary stirs curiosity and intrigue, it ultimately fails to present any definitive proof, leaving Todd laughing off the allegations. Bitcoin enthusiasts and viewers are left to decide for themselves.
