Satoshi Nakamoto Identity Is Causing Excitement For Linked-Meme Coins

Key Points:

• HBO’s documentary has sparked a surge in meme coins linked to Len Sassaman, a potential candidate for Satoshi Nakamoto identity.
• Numerous individuals have previously claimed to be Nakamoto, yet none have provided conclusive proof of their identity.

The new HBO documentary Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery, which will air this Tuesday, promises to unmask Satoshi Nakamoto, the mythical persona behind Bitcoin.

Read more: Select SEC Seeks To Take Satoshi Nakamoto To Court With Lawsuit Against Bitcoin

Satoshi Nakamoto Identity Sparks Rise of Meme Coins

The enigmatic character is believed to hold in his possession close to 1 million Bitcoin, which, at current market prices, is an estimated $63 billion, making him a target of intrigue among many in the digital asset space and the source of much speculation.

According to Bloomberg, the film has driven a spate of meme coins—cryptocurrencies without utility—particularly pegged to the late Len Sassaman, the cryptographer who died in 2011. Sassaman is viewed as one of the top contenders for Satoshi Nakamoto identity, according to blockchain-based betting platform Polymarket, which puts the probability that he is the inventor at 21%, way down from 68% just a few days ago.

Some traders have even created tokens referencing Sassaman’s cat, Sasha, in a good-natured jest at the speculation of the cryptographic community.

Unresolved Mystery: Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?

With all the fuss, Sassaman’s widow, Meredith Patterson, also denied that he was Nakamoto, and on October 5, she posted on social media about the swarming meme coins named after her cat, to show how something personal can be crossed with speculation in the cryptocurrency market.

This isn’t the first time there have been claims about Satoshi Nakamoto identity: many people have come forward over the last 15 years claiming to be the shadowy creator, but none have supplied the required proof. The most famous claimant of all is Australian cryptographer Craig Steven Wright, but so far, he has not provided the cryptographic proof needed to prove his claims.