Key Points
- An upcoming HBO documentary has sparked speculations that Len Sassaman could be the real Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s creator.
- On Polymarket, a prediction market platform, bettors are heavily wagering on Sassaman being identified as Satoshi in the documentary.
An HBO documentary has sparked fresh interest in the identity of the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. Len Sassaman, a name that may not be familiar outside of cryptography or cryptocurrency circles, is now a significant figure in these discussions.
The Betting Frontier
Polymarket, a platform where users can place bets on various events, is witnessing a surge in bets that Sassaman is the individual behind the pseudonym that introduced Bitcoin to the world. Currently, Sassaman has a 46% chance of being named as Satoshi in the documentary, according to the bettors on the platform.
Who Was Len Sassaman?
Sassaman, who passed away in 2011, was a renowned cryptographer known for his contributions to privacy and decentralization. He worked on tools like Mixmaster, an email anonymizer that protected users’ identities. He was deeply involved in the cryptographic community.
His relationship with Hal Finney, an early Bitcoin developer who was also the recipient of the first Bitcoin transaction from Satoshi, adds another dimension to the speculation. In 2008, Satoshi released the whitepaper that laid the groundwork for Bitcoin. As the digital currency started gaining traction, Satoshi vanished in 2011. A few months later, Sassaman also died, with his wife reporting his death as a suicide.
Some suggest that Sassaman’s death could be connected to Satoshi’s disappearance. Conspiracy theories propose that Sassaman might have taken his life to safeguard his privacy and Satoshi’s identity.
Despite Sassaman leading the bets on Polymarket, other candidates include Hal Finney, who holds 11% of the wagers. Finney was an early contributor to Bitcoin’s codebase and a notable figure in the cryptographic world.
Despite all these speculations, many remain doubtful. Another contract on Polymarket shows that 83% of bettors believe the documentary won’t conclusively prove Satoshi’s identity this year.