A Cypherpunk Previous
Murray highlights Dorsey’s deep-rooted curiosity in cryptography throughout his college years. Dorsey wore an RSA t-shirt from Hashcash creator Adam Again, obtained cryptographic newsletters, and took a college course targeted on encryption applied sciences. In 2003, he penned an autobiography detailing his experiences with hacking and cryptographic tasks, typically engaged on them at 4 a.m. That is notable as a result of early Bitcoin code paperwork are timestamped at comparable hours.
Dorsey also expressed ideas about financial independence and alternative systems of trade. He once wrote about moving away from reliance on the US dollar and creating a barter network—concepts central to Bitcoin’s original vision.
Uncanny Coincidences with Bitcoin’s Timeline
Between September 2007 and January 2009, Dorsey’s Twitter bio simply read, “sailor.” Interestingly, the original Bitcoin code contains a phrase widely known among sailors: “Never go to sea with two chronometers—take one or three.”On January 10, 2009, Satoshi mistakenly logged into an IRC chat, revealing a California-based IP address. At the time, Dorsey was also in California. Murray points out other striking coincidences:
- The first-ever Bitcoin transaction took place on Dorsey’s mother’s birthday.
- Satoshi joined the Bitcoin forum on Dorsey’s own birthday.
- The last block mined by Bitcoin’s creator fell on Dorsey’s father’s birthday.
- Even more curiously, Bitcoin addresses generated by Satoshi contained patterns that seem to reference Dorsey’s San Francisco address: Jack Dorsey, 2 Mint Plaza.
Satoshi’s Disappearance and Dorsey’s Rise
In late 2010, Satoshi posted on the Bitcoin forum advising against donating cryptocurrency to Wikileaks. The following day, Twitter obtained a subpoena demanding particulars about the non-profit organisation. Shortly after, Satoshi vanished from public discussions.In March 2011, Dorsey grew to become Twitter’s Government Chairman whereas additionally main Sq.. Only a month later, Satoshi despatched his ultimate identified message. Murray believes that is no coincidence. “When Satoshi advised Martti Malmi that he was genuinely busy with work, Dorsey was absolutely engaged in launching Sq.,” he notes.
Doubts and Counterarguments
Not everybody buys into this principle. BitMEX Analysis analysts argue that it’s tough to find out precisely when Satoshi stopped mining Bitcoin. They problem one of Murray’s key claims: “How are you aware Satoshi’s final mined block, when the Patoshi sample steadily degrades over time?”
In 2014, Satoshi’s e mail account was hacked, and the attacker threatened to reveal his ties to St. Louis—Dorsey’s hometown. The hacker by no means adopted by.
Then in 2020, throughout an interview with Lex Fridman, Dorsey was requested straight if he was Satoshi. His response? “I’d not admit it even when I have been.” Murray sees this as a stark distinction to others who’ve been suspected, comparable to Nick Szabo, Adam Again, and Hal Finney, all of whom outright denied any involvement.
Dorsey’s Cryptic Remarks
Dorsey has remained elusive on the topic. In July 2024, he posted on the decentralised platform Nostr: “I typically think about Satoshi sitting someplace, laughing in any respect of this.”
He later thanked the late Hal Finney, one of Bitcoin’s earliest contributors, for his work. For Murray, this solely fuels the hypothesis. “The idea that Satoshi by no means needed to be discovered is one thing others have made up about him. Satoshi selected pseudonymity, not anonymity.”
A Thriller That Endures
Earlier, HBO’s documentary Cash Electrical: The Bitcoin Mystery recommended Canadian programmer Peter Todd was Satoshi. Todd denied it and later went into hiding attributable to security considerations.
So, is Dorsey the mastermind behind Bitcoin? There’s no concrete proof, simply an intriguing net of connections. The thriller of Satoshi Nakamoto stays one of the tech world’s best unsolved puzzles—and the theories are removed from over.