In 2010, Bitcoin began to attract the attention of developers and cryptocurrency enthusiasts. At that time, the project was still very new, and Satoshi Nakamoto — the mysterious creator of Bitcoin — was still active in forums and in the development of Bitcoin software.
*Gavin Andresen, an American programmer interested in the idea of decentralized currency, began contributing to Bitcoin's source code. He quickly became a key contributor due to his deep understanding and dedication to the project.
Satoshi began communicating directly with Gavin via email and forums. The two discussed development, security, and the future of Bitcoin. By the end of 2010 to early 2011, Gavin became the most trusted person by Satoshi in the technical management of Bitcoin.
Handing Over Control
In April 2011, Satoshi sent a very important message to Gavin and the developer community. He stated that he had "transitioned to other projects" and handed over the responsibility for maintaining Bitcoin Core to Gavin. This was a significant moment: for the first time, Bitcoin's leadership shifted from its creator to the community.
Satoshi then disappeared, and his last recorded communication was around April 2011. After that, no one ever heard from him again — neither the public nor Gavin himself.
Legacy and Controversy
Gavin led the development of Bitcoin for several years, helping to make it more stable and widely accepted. However, in 2016, Gavin became involved in a major controversy when he stated that an Australian man, **Craig Wright**, was Satoshi Nakamoto — a claim that was later doubted by many. As a result, Gavin's access to the main Bitcoin repository on GitHub was temporarily revoked by other maintainers.
Gavin Andresen is remembered as the last person to "speak" with Satoshi Nakamoto, and as the early steward of the Bitcoin project after its creator stepped back. Their relationship is an important part of Bitcoin's history — a story of trust, mystery, and world-changing technology.