Who is Satoshi Nakamoto and why is he relevant?
The discussion surrounding Satoshi Nakamoto, the anonymous creator of Bitcoin, is currently gaining momentum again. In particular, the recent movements of large Bitcoin amounts from so-called “Satoshi-era” wallets are making headlines. These wallets originated from the early days of Bitcoin (2009–2011), when Satoshi was still active and presumably mined Bitcoins himself.
Significance for the question of the richest person in the world
- It is believed that Satoshi Nakamoto owns about 1 million Bitcoins, which he generated in the early years. At current prices, this constitutes a fortune in the double-digit billions – depending on price developments, even exceeding 50 billion USD.
- On July 5, 2025, around 80,000 BTC (over 8 billion USD) were moved from several of these early wallets, fueling speculation about whether Satoshi or someone with access to his coins is becoming active and either realizing or redistributing his wealth.
- If Satoshi indeed has access to these coins and uses or sells them, his fortune could increase further, theoretically making him the richest person in the world – depending on the value of Bitcoin compared to other billionaires.
However, Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity remains unknown, despite numerous speculations about possible individuals such as Dorian Nakamoto or Craig Wright. Likewise, it is unclear whether these large transfers are actually connected to him or belong to other actors.
Impacts on investments and investor behavior
Such movements of large amounts of Bitcoins can have significant impacts on the crypto market. Investors should keep an eye on these developments, as these transactions could potentially lead to major market volatility.