A statue commemorating the mysterious founder of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, was stolen from Parco Ciani in Lugano, Switzerland.
This theft was confirmed by the organizing body of the global Satoshi statue project, Satoshigallery, which has offered a reward of 0.1 Bitcoin (BTC, worth over $11,000) for information leading to its recovery.
On Sunday, the group posted on platform X questioning 'Where is Satoshi Nakamoto?' and stated, 'You can steal our symbol, but you cannot steal our soul,' reiterating that they will install statues in 21 cities worldwide.
The artwork was designed by Italian artist and Bitcoin advocate Valentina Picozzi, made of 304 stainless steel and weathering steel, and was unveiled last October.
Lugano Mayor Michele Foletti stated that the statue reflects Lugano's commitment to digital innovation. He said, 'Lugano is rapidly becoming a leading center for digital innovation, and this statue not only commemorates Satoshi Nakamoto but also embodies our city's forward-thinking spirit.'
Notably, this is not the first public artistic tribute to Satoshi Nakamoto. In 2021, a bronze statue was unveiled in Budapest's Graphisoft Park, designed with a mirrored face so that viewers could see themselves in the statue, implying that Satoshi could be anyone.
Theoretically, after Bitcoin's price reaches $120,000, Satoshi Nakamoto would become the 11th richest person in the world. It is reported that Satoshi controls 1.096 million BTC, worth over $131 billion.
To surpass the current world's richest person Elon Musk, Bitcoin would need to rise more than threefold. Satoshi's wallet has yet to be used, further adding to its mystery.
