Satoshi Nakamoto

Why it matters

Satoshi combined earlier work in digital cash, cryptography, proof of work, and distributed systems into a working peer-to-peer monetary network. Bitcoin’s continued operation after Satoshi left also demonstrates that the network does not depend on its creator.

What California Bitcoin maintains

• Bitcoin was created by a person or group using the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Satoshi published the Bitcoin white paper in 2008, released the first Bitcoin software in 2009, mined the genesis block, and worked with early contributors before stepping away around 2010–2011. Satoshi’s real-world identity remains unknown.
• Satoshi Nakamoto is a pseudonym; no real-world identity has been established with broad, verifiable evidence.
• Satoshi published the white paper in 2008 and released the first Bitcoin software in 2009.
• Satoshi mined the genesis block and collaborated with early contributors including Hal Finney.
• Satoshi gradually stopped participating publicly around 2010–2011, while Bitcoin continued as an open-source network.