Satoshi Nakamoto

Satoshi Nakamoto is the pseudonym used by the person or people who created Bitcoin and published its original design in 2008. Their identity remains unknown.

Bitcoin white paper: A 2008 paper describing a peer-to-peer electronic cash system based on cryptographic proof rather than trusted intermediaries. Nakamoto introduced Bitcoin’s design in this paper under the pseudonym.
Satoshi Nakamoto identity theories: Proposals identifying particular people or groups as Satoshi Nakamoto, none conclusively established. The pseudonym’s unknown owner has prompted competing claims and investigations.
Proof of work: A consensus mechanism that requires computational effort to produce valid blocks and makes rewriting them costly. Nakamoto used it to order transactions and secure Bitcoin without a central authority.
Cypherpunk: A movement advocating the use of cryptography and privacy-enhancing technologies to advance social and political change. Nakamoto’s project emerged from concerns and practices associated with this movement.
Bitcoin genesis block: The first block in Bitcoin’s blockchain, mined by Satoshi Nakamoto in January 2009. Its embedded newspaper headline marks Bitcoin’s launch under Nakamoto’s stewardship.
Bitcoin's early coins: Bitcoin balances associated with mining activity during the network’s earliest years, often attributed to Nakamoto. Their ownership and whether they remain controlled by Nakamoto are unsettled.
Blockchain: A distributed ledger formed from blocks of data linked by cryptographic hashes. Bitcoin’s chain of blocks records the transactions Nakamoto’s system validates.
Cryptocurrency: A digital asset that uses cryptographic techniques and distributed networks to manage or verify transactions. Bitcoin’s creation helped establish the broader category of cryptocurrencies.
Bitcoin Core: The open-source software implementation that powers the Bitcoin network and descends from Nakamoto’s original client. Nakamoto released Bitcoin’s first software, the predecessor to this implementation.
Hal Finney: An American programmer and cryptographer who received the first Bitcoin transaction from Satoshi Nakamoto. His close involvement in Bitcoin’s launch has made him a subject of identity speculation.

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Elena FerranteRelated: Nakamoto offers a rare parallel in which sustained anonymity is central to public discussion.