A recent hypothesis linking Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey to the elusive creator of Bitcoin, known only by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, has sparked intrigue in the cryptocurrency world. On February 15th, financial news editor Seán Murray published a detailed thread on X (formerly Twitter), presenting what he views as evidence that Dorsey might secretly be Nakamoto.
Murray's theory is built on a series of coincidences between Dorsey’s life and Bitcoin’s early development. He notes that the date of Bitcoin's first transaction aligns with Dorsey's mother’s birthday, January 11th. Similarly, Satoshi's last block was mined on Dorsey's father's birthday, March 5, 2010.
Additional observations include Satoshi joining the Bitcoin forum on November 19, matching Dorsey’s birthday, and timestamps on Bitcoin’s original code consistently showing 4 a.m., a time linked to Dorsey’s early Twitter activity.
The plot thickens with geographical ties. Murray points to a 2014 incident where a hacker allegedly tried to extort Satoshi by linking them to St. Louis, Missouri, Dorsey's hometown. In another instance, an IP address traced to California appeared when Satoshi inadvertently logged into Internet Relay Chat on January 10, 2009. Dorsey frequently worked at Twitter’s California headquarters.
However, skepticism abounds. Critics cite contradictions, especially the notion that the inventor of a censorship-resistant currency would later enforce content policies on a social media platform. Blockchain researcher Jameson Lopp harshly criticized Murray's approach, arguing that falsely accusing someone of being Satoshi could endanger them and their family. Despite this, Murray's comprehensive analysis has captivated many, extending previous speculations about other possible identities such as Hal Finney, Adam Back, and Nick Szabo.
During a 2020 interview with Lex Fridman, Dorsey cryptically addressed the speculation, saying, “No, and if I were, would I inform you?” His ambiguous response does little to quell the rumors, and he has yet to address Murray's latest claim directly. This theory surfaces shortly after another contentious suggestion that Canadian computer scientist Peter Todd might be Satoshi—an idea experts largely rejected.
The debate carries significant implications, as Satoshi’s estimated Bitcoin holdings of about 1 million BTC equate to over $96 billion at present valuations. The quest for Nakamoto’s true identity continues to enthrall the community, adding complexity to one of technology’s most captivating enigmas.