The identity of Bitcoin's pseudonymous founder is the subject of endless and devoted speculation among the cryptocurrency public, and for good reason: the mystery truly beckons.
While there are many candidates, there is something about avid runner, cypherpunk, and early Bitcoin contributor Harold Thomas Finney II, better known as Hal, that makes people believe it's him. However, if you do not wishful thinking, then you can turn to the facts. In 1979, Phinney graduated from the world-famous California Institute of Technology with a degree in engineering. After years of working in computer game development, he joined PGP Corporation, creating one of the world's first "pretty good privacy" products.
Finney was an early cyberpunk, an early 90s mailing list member, and an avid developer and philosopher when it came to cryptocurrency solutions for maintaining privacy, anonymity, and financial autonomy.
His pre-Bitcoin achievements include the creation of the first known anonymous remailer and the 2004 Reusable Proof-of-Work (RPOW) digital money system. He also received the first transaction in Bitcoin history directly from Satoshi. These basic facts are impressive enough, but it's worth taking a closer look at some of the coincidences and other facts that may shed light on whether there really is a case for Hal being Nakamoto.
For starters, here's a quote from Finney, as quoted in a 1992 cyberpunk email: We are facing problems of loss of privacy, creeping computerization, huge databases, greater centralization - and Chaum is proposing a completely different direction that puts power in the hands of individuals rather than governments. and corporations. The computer can be used as a tool to liberate and protect people rather than to control them.
As a cyberpunk, Finney expressed many libertarian and anarchist views on individual freedom. An analysis of Satoshi Nakamoto's correspondence, the Bitcoin white paper, and the famous Genesis block hash message may hint that Satoshi held similar beliefs. In one 2010 letter addressed to Laszlo Hanecz, famous for his 10,000 Bitcoin pizza, Nakamoto expresses doubt that GPU mining will surpass CPU mining, and says GPUs will prematurely limit the incentive to only those with high-end GPU hardware...
I don't want to sound like a socialist, I don't care that wealth is concentrated, but at the moment we will get more growth if we give this money to 100% of people than if we give it to 20%." Since libertarian anarchists are usually individualists and oppose socialism, this Satoshi's statement deserves attention. It is known that Finny lived just a few blocks from the real-life Satoshi Nakamoto in the small town of Temple City, California; the name of the Japanese American was Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto.
Although Newsweek quoted Dorian as saying, "I am no longer involved with it [Bitcoin] and cannot discuss it" and "It has been transferred to other people," Nakamoto has since issued a statement emphasizing his denial of Newsweek's explosive article, noting : “I did not create, invent or work on Bitcoin.
I unequivocally rebut Newsweek's report." He also explained that due to the terms of his previous work contract, he was not at liberty to talk about any past projects, and therefore Newsweek incorrectly assumed he was referring to Bitcoin.
Some ardent Satoshi hunters speculate that Finney may have used Dorian as a sort of inspirational pseudonym to honor the humble and financially struggling California coder, who noted in his official statement: “For ten years I was unable to find a regular job. as an engineer or programmer. I worked as a laborer, district police officer, and substitute teacher. In 2013, I stopped connecting to the Internet due to difficult financial situation.”
