Satoshi Nakamoto's last known message wasn't exactly "I am now busy with other things." Instead, it was "I've moved on to other things," which he wrote in an email to Bitcoin developer Mike Hearn on April 23, 2011. This message marked the end of his direct involvement with the Bitcoin community.
Before this email, Nakamoto's last public message was on December 12, 2010, where he discussed denial-of-service prevention on the Bitcointalk forum. He had already handed over control of Bitcoin's development to Gavin Andresen, the newly-appointed Bitcoin Core Maintainer.
In his final emails, Nakamoto ¹ ²:
- *Expressed Frustration with Media Portrayal*: He asked Gavin Andresen to shift the focus from his mysterious persona to the open-source project and its development team.
- *Encouraged Continued Development*: Nakamoto supported Mike Hearn's BitcoinJ project, an alternative Java client for Bitcoin.
- *Confirmed Handover*: He assured that Bitcoin was in "good hands with Gavin and everyone".
Satoshi Nakamoto's true identity remains unknown, sparking intense speculation and controversy over the years. Despite numerous claims and investigations, none have been proven conclusively. Today, Bitcoin is one of the most valuable assets globally, with a market cap of over $1 trillion ¹.