A British computer scientist has firmly stated that he is not the mysterious individual behind the creation of bitcoin, following a report that suggested he might be its founder.
An article published by the New York Times outlines a prolonged investigation aimed at revealing the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the enigmatic figure responsible for the bitcoin white paper, which established the theoretical framework for contemporary digital currencies.
The report identifies Adam Back, a computer scientist and entrepreneur originally from London. In response to the claims, Back took to X to assert that he is not the enigmatic and presumably extremely wealthy creator of bitcoin.
“I also don’t know who Satoshi is, and I believe it benefits bitcoin that his identity remains a mystery, as it positions bitcoin as a new asset class—a digitally scarce commodity,” he stated.
The quest to unveil Nakamoto’s true identity has long fueled speculation. Past investigations have pointed to various candidates, including Nick Szabo, a reclusive Hungarian-American computer scientist; Hal Finney, a software developer; and an unidentified Australian figure who turned out to be a fraud.
This latest inquiry led journalist John Carreyrou to focus on Back, who was part of an online community of anarchist cryptographers known as the cypherpunks in the early 1990s.
Carreyrou discovered similarities between Back and Nakamoto by examining decades-old internet posts and analyzing the parallels in their public writings—including casual remarks like “I’m better with code than I am with words”—as well as shared niche interests. He also looked at timelines, noting that Back became inactive on cryptography forums around the same time that Satoshi began to appear publicly, and employed artificial intelligence to compare the language used by both individuals.
During a bitcoin conference in El Salvador, Carreyrou confronted Back with his findings, describing Back’s reaction as visibly uncomfortable and suggesting he inadvertently spoke as if he were Nakamoto. “He removed any lingering doubt in my mind that I had the right man,” Carreyrou remarked.
Back dismissed the claims as coincidental, attributing the connections drawn by Carreyrou to “a blend of coincidence and similar phrases from individuals with comparable experiences and interests.”
Reactions to Back’s denial varied. Domer, a prominent figure in Polymarket betting, commented, “After reading that article, I’m betting 99% that you’re Satoshi. Such obvious signs (the disappearing act is a classic mafia/werewolf rookie error).”
Conversely, others remained skeptical. Stephen Murdoch, a computer science professor at University College London, noted, “There’s some indication that it could be him, but there’s no definitive proof.” He leaned towards Hal Finney as the likely candidate, particularly since Finney was the recipient of the first bitcoin transaction from Satoshi, a common practice for testing systems.
Dr. Jacky Mallett, an assistant professor of computer science at Reykjavík University, suggested that Satoshi was “almost certainly a group of individuals,” pointing to updates in the bitcoin code that imply multiple contributors. “I believe there was a small collective involved in this, and they possessed a greater understanding of financial structures than they are often credited with,” she noted.
Currently, Back operates a firm focused on bitcoin treasury management, which is in the process of merging with a publicly traded company established by Cantor Fitzgerald, previously led by former U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
If Back were indeed Nakamoto and possessed 1.1 million bitcoins valued at tens of billions of pounds, he would be required to disclose this information to the Securities and Exchange Commission, as such a fortune could significantly influence the bitcoin market.
“We are all Satoshi,” Back concluded in his post on X.
