• HBO’s new documentary named Peter Todd as Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto.
• Todd denied the claims, expounding upon the persistent mystery around Bitcoin’s true founder.

HBO’s latest documentary, “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,” has sent shockwaves through the crypto community by naming Peter Todd as the real identity behind Bitcoin [BTC]’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.

This revelation comes amidst prior speculation about prominent figures like Leonard “Len” Sassaman or Nick Szabo as the creator of BTC. 

Is Peter Todd the real Satoshi Nakamoto?

The documentary, produced by Cullen Hobak, reportedly featured Hobak confronting Todd and Adam Back with meticulously gathered evidence, ultimately choosing Todd as Satoshi Nakamoto.

This was brought to light by Politico’s report on the 9th of October, which has stirred considerable attention.

Amidst the unfolding news, Peter Todd himself addressed the claims on X (formerly Twitter), and stated, 

“I’m not Satoshi.” 

Additionally, in an email sent to a publication, Todd expressed his skepticism about Hoback’s conclusion, remarking that Hoback—who previously uncovered the identity behind the QAnon conspiracy for HBO—was “grasping at straws” in suggesting Todd as Nakamoto.

What’s more to it?

Todd’s comments question the documentary’s claims, showing his skepticism about the speculation regarding his involvement.

He said, 

“Yes, that interview did happen and I believe that specific shot isn’t deepfaked.” 

Todd added,

“Of course, I’m not Satoshi. It’s ironic that a director who is also known for a documentary on QAnon has resorted to QAnon style coincidence-based conspiracy thinking here too.” 

For those unaware, Peter Todd has playfully claimed to be Satoshi Nakamoto on multiple occasions.

In a 2019 “What Bitcoin Did” podcast, Todd quipped to host Peter McCormack and said, 

“I am Satoshi, as is everyone else.”

During the conversation, Todd also shared that he made his first BTC purchase around October 2010, when the price hovered around 20 cents, about two years after the release of Bitcoin’s original white paper on the 31st of October 2008.

Peter Todd’s background says something else

Todd’s professional background also reflects a strong expertise in applied cryptography and cryptocurrency development.

His GitHub profile identifies him as a cryptography consultant, a role that has likely fueled his deep involvement in BTC development.

Since 2014, Todd has contributed as a Bitcoin Core Developer with Coinkite, a notable provider of BTC infrastructure.

Additionally, he has held influential roles within the crypto community, including as the head scientist for Mastercoin—a communication protocol and digital currency leveraging the Bitcoin blockchain.

Satoshi Nakamoto remains a mystery

That being said, this latest speculation about Bitcoin’s creator only reaffirms that Satoshi Nakamoto’s true identity remains a mystery.

Polymarket’s data further emphasizes this, with the majority favoring “Not proven in Q4” over any concrete revelation this quarter.

Meanwhile, BTC’s recent performance reflected the market’s uncertainty, trading at $62,410 with a slight 0.14% dip in the past 24 hours, according to CoinMarketCap.