Was Hal Finney the Real Satoshi Nakamoto? Recent Evidence Unveils His True Identity!

For nearly a decade, the mysterious identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the person behind the creation of Bitcoin, has remained one of the most intriguing puzzles in the world of cryptocurrencies. While many have been suggested as potential Satoshis, one name that comes up often is Hal Finney. However, a recent and thorough analysis conducted by Jameson Lopp, a notable figure in the cryptocurrency world, sheds new light on this speculation.

Unraveling the Satoshi Puzzle

Lopp’s investigation, presented in an October 21 blog post, challenges the idea that Hal Finney might have been Satoshi Nakamoto. Lopp gathered various data, including archived emails from 2010 and evidence from a 10-mile race in California that occurred in 2009. This evidence, according to Lopp, discredits the theory that Finney could have been Satoshi Nakamoto.

The Race Against Satoshi

At the heart of Lopp’s argument is the 10-mile race in which Hal Finney took part, held in Santa Barbara, California, on April 18, 2009. Race data showed that Finney began at 8:00 am Pacific Standard Time and completed the race in 78 minutes. However, this race coincided with the timestamps on emails exchanged between Satoshi and Mike Hearn, one of the early Bitcoin developers.

Lopp points out, “Satoshi sent the email to Mike at 9:16 AM Pacific time — 2 minutes before Hal crossed the finish line.” This timing creates a significant gap during which it is highly unlikely that Finney was both interacting with a computer and participating in the race.

Hal Finney pictured running the 10-mile race on April 18. Source: PhotoCrazy

On-Chain Data Supports the Argument

In addition to the race timeline, Lopp also highlights on-chain data that further strengthens his claim. Mike Hearn’s emails reveal that Satoshi sent him 32.5 BTC in a single transaction. This transaction took place in block 11,408 which was mined at 8:55 am PST, 55 minutes into Finney’s race. Furthermore, Nakamoto confirmed this transaction in an email at 6:16 pm, while Finney was still racing.

Health Issues and ALS Battle

Lopp’s analysis delves even deeper into the matter by considering Hal Finney’s health. It is well-documented that Finney was battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a debilitating disease that significantly affected his ability to use a keyboard effectively. For example, a post from Hal Finney’s wife, Fran Finney, dated August 22, 2010, reveals that his ALS had drastically reduced his typing speed.

During this time, Lopp points out that Satoshi Nakamoto was actively involved in coding and participating in various forums, suggesting that the person behind the Satoshi identity did not face such health limitations.

Code Discrepancies

Lopp’s investigation also highlights differences between Finney’s Reusable Proofs of Work code and the original Bitcoin client code, further raising doubts about his role as Satoshi Nakamoto.

Possible Objections

While Lopp’s findings present a compelling case against the idea that Hal Finney was Satoshi Nakamoto, he acknowledges potential objections. It’s worth noting that Mike Hearn published the emails in 2017, seven years after the fact, and at a time when he had disagreements with the Bitcoin community regarding scaling issues.

Furthermore, it is possible that Finney could have prepared the emails and transactions in advance, or there could have been multiple individuals operating under the name Satoshi Nakamoto. However, Lopp argues that the available evidence points toward a single developer as the creator of Bitcoin.

The quest to unveil Satoshi Nakamoto remains a captivating mystery for the cryptocurrency community. While Hal Finney’s role in Bitcoin’s creation has been a topic of debate for years, Jameson Lopp’s thorough analysis, examining timelines, health issues, and code differences, challenges the notion that Finney could have been Satoshi. As the mystery continues, one thing remains clear: the true identity of Bitcoin’s creator remains a mystery yet to be fully uncovered.