Who Will HBO Reveal As Bitcoin Inventor? Community Reacts

The Bitcoinverse is currently buzzing with anticipation as HBO prepares to air its documentary, “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,” which claims to unveil the true identity of Bitcoin’s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. The feature is scheduled to premiere on Wednesday, October 8, 2024, at 2 am CET (Tuesday, 9 pm EST).

Directed by the Emmy-nominated Cullen Hoback, known for his investigative prowess in the critically acclaimed series “Q: Into the Storm,” the documentary aims to take viewers on a thrilling journey into the origins of Bitcoin. Hoback’s previous work successfully unmasked the architects behind the QAnon conspiracy theory, raising expectations that he might indeed have the investigative chops to tackle the enigma of Satoshi Nakamoto.

In a tantalizing teaser posted on X, Hoback wrote: “A few of you might have wondered why I disappeared. Well, I was tracking down someone else who disappeared. Curious who’s behind Bitcoin? #MoneyElectric: The Bitcoin Mystery drops next Tuesday. It’s going to be a rollercoaster.”

Who Will HBO Present As Bitcoin Inventor?

This statement has ignited speculation across social media platforms, with many wondering if Hoback has truly uncovered the identity of the person—or group—behind the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. Despite the excitement, the BTC community remains largely skeptical.

Pierre, a well-respected crypto analyst, voiced his doubts via X: “An entire industry filled with turbo nerds couldn’t figure out who Satoshi is for the past 15 years, but yes I do believe that some journalists cracked the mystery.” Dennis Porter, CEO and Co-Founder of the Satoshi Act Fund, echoed similar sentiments: “HBO did not figure out the identity of Satoshi. Great looking trailer though.”

Max Keiser, a prominent Bitcoin advocate and early adopter, dismissed the documentary’s claims outright: “SPOILER ALERT. No, they don’t. This is a rehash of Bitcoin silliness circa 2016.”

The documentary also attracted comments from Peter McCormack, a podcaster and crypto expert, who underscored the ethical implications of unmasking Satoshi: “Satoshi gave the world a profound gift in Bitcoin, but deliberately chose to remain anonymous — a decision that must be respected. Efforts to unmask them are not just irresponsible but potentially dangerous.”

Notably, not all reactions have been negative. Samson Mow, CEO of JAN3 and a participant in the documentary alongside cypherpunk and early Bitcoin supporter Adam Back, highlighted the potential positive impact of the film: “HBO has ~100 million subscribers that now get a chance to learn about #itcoin. Regardless of what #MoneyElectric’s answer to the Satoshi ‘mystery’ is, having Bitcoin up there with Game of Thrones and Sopranos is a great orange pilling opportunity.”

The intrigue has led to a flurry of speculations about who the documentary might point to as Satoshi. Furkan Yildirim, a popular German crypto YouTuber, offered his own theory: “Wild claim: HBO thinks it knows who Satoshi Nakamoto is. […] Who or what do you think they are presenting? My crystal ball bullshit prediction: Something to do with China or Russia.”

However, Polymarket bettors think different. Their top-pick is Len Sassaman with 45% of all votes as of press time.

The mystery of Satoshi Nakamoto has been a subject of fascination since Bitcoin’s whitepaper was published in 2008. Among the most frequently speculated candidates are Hal Finney, a renowned cryptographer and the first person besides Satoshi to use BTC, computer scientist Nick Szabo and Hashcash inventor Adam Back. All of them have denied that they are Satoshi.

Notably, Finney already died on August 28, 2014 and can’t answer anymore. After new Satoshi emails emerged in the Craig Wright case, Adam Cochran, partner at CEHV, speculated in February this year: “I’ve always thought that Hal Finney was the main person behind Satoshi Nakamoto (supported by one or two other minor characters). And I think the new emails help back that up overwhelmingly.”

At press time, BTC traded at $61,550.

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com