Hal Finney and Satoshi Nakamoto’s Identity
Adam Back, the CEO of Blockstream, has expressed strong beliefs against the notion that the late Hal Finney, a notable figure in the cypherpunk movement, was Satoshi Nakamoto—the enigmatic inventor of Bitcoin. Back’s stance is bolstered by insights from a recent blog post authored by Jameson Lopp, the CTO of Casa, who laid out arguments suggesting Finney’s disassociation from the creation of Bitcoin.
Historically regarded as a leading contender for the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, Finney’s candidacy was challenged when Lopp presented time-sensitive evidence back in 2023.
Key Evidence Against Finney as Satoshi
Lopp drew attention to an incident in April 2009, during which Hal Finney participated in a 10-mile race in Santa Barbara, California. This event coincided with ongoing communications between Satoshi and former Bitcoin contributor Mike Hearn. Lopp provided photographic documentation showing Finney engaged in the race while Satoshi was actively corresponding, offering a compelling timeline that possibly rules him out as Bitcoin’s creator.
“The emails exchanged between Satoshi and Hearn, which would later come to light, correspond precisely to the time of the race, adding further weight to Lopp’s thesis.”
Finney, who is credited with receiving the inaugural Bitcoin transaction, was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in 2009, which severely limited his capabilities beginning mid-2010. Despite his condition, it was reported that Satoshi was still involved in coding and forum discussions during August 2010—a level of engagement that would have been challenging for someone with Finney’s physical constraints at that time.
The Broader Debate on Satoshi’s Identity
In addition to this, Back has reiterated his own position, refuting claims that he was the original architect of Bitcoin. He is often mentioned in discussions about the potential identities of Satoshi Nakamoto, having been cited within the Bitcoin white paper itself.
Interestingly, the discourse surrounding Satoshi’s identity has grown to include unconventional theories, such as a recent suggestion by former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, who proposed that Bitcoin might have originated from an advanced artificial intelligence from the future. Thus, while many names continue to circulate, the true identity of Bitcoin’s creator remains elusive and contentious.
