The HBO documentary 'Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery' suggests that Peter Todd is the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin. Todd quickly took to X to deny the claim.
The nearly two-hour documentary, billed as a “globe-trotting investigation” aimed at solving one of the internet’s greatest mysteries, features interviews with various individuals and explores numerous clues before focusing on Todd. Although his motives remain unclear, Todd appears to engage playfully with the film's director, Cullen Hoback, during exchanges towards the end of the documentary.
'Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery', created by Hoback, aired on HBO Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET. Hoback is also known for directing 'Q: Into the Storm', the HBO docu-series that revealed the individuals behind the QAnon conspiracy theory.
The true identity of Nakamoto has sparked intense debate since the creator of Bitcoin disappeared in December 2010. Estimates suggest that if Nakamoto were alive, they could control approximately 1.1 million Bitcoin, valued at roughly $68 billion.
Initially, Bitcoin had no monetary value, despite early enthusiasts believing in its potential as a decentralized digital currency. Today, Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency by market capitalization, exceeding $1.2 trillion as of Tuesday, trading at about $62,000.
Last week, Hoback mentioned to Fast Company that the documentary's identification of Nakamoto would likely stir a fair amount of controversy. He acknowledged, “people are going to debate it regardless of how strong of a case we made, and that’s fine.”
Prior to the film's release, the decentralized prediction platform Polymarket saw over $20 million in volume as users speculated on Nakamoto’s identity. Top contenders included Len Sassaman, Nick Szabo, Adam Back, and David Kleiman, but Todd was not among them.
Willem Schroé, CEO and Founder of Botanix Labs, stated, “It's remarkable that Satoshi has managed to remain fully anonymous for over 15 years.” He suggests that the global effort to discover Satoshi's identity implies that it is likely a single individual.
Since rumors about the documentary’s revelations began, speculation has been rampant, with discussions on which name might be confirmed. Self-proclaimed DeFi researcher @CryptoNobler predicted that HBO would either present multiple candidates or focus exclusively on one deceased individual.
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