Key Points
- Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s creator, reportedly holds approximately $100 billion in cryptocurrency across numerous wallets.
- Bitcoin, the invention of Nakamoto, has grown to be a top 10 global asset with a $2 trillion market capitalization.
The enigmatic creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, is believed to hold an estimated $100 billion in the cryptocurrency, distributed across thousands of wallets.
According to Arkham, a blockchain tracking startup, as of Feb. 4, Nakamoto’s known Bitcoin (BTC) stack amounts to 1,096,354 tokens. This substantial collection of Bitcoin is spread across over 22,000 wallet addresses.
Tracing Nakamoto’s Bitcoin Holdings
Over the years, several analysts have speculated that Nakamoto managed thousands of Bitcoin wallets before disappearing from the public eye. Arkham has linked these wallets to Nakamoto using the “Patoshi Pattern,” a distinctive mining pattern associated with the elusive Bitcoin creator. The company also identified the only known address that Nakamoto used to spend Bitcoin.
Bitcoin’s Dominance in Crypto Market
In October 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto released the influential Bitcoin white paper, introducing the digital asset and explaining how the world could connect to its decentralized network.
Fast forward sixteen years, and Bitcoin has emerged as a top 10 global asset, boasting a $2 trillion market capitalization. Additionally, Bitcoin accounts for over 61% of the total cryptocurrency market, which was valued at over $3.3 trillion at the time of writing.
Interest in accumulating Bitcoin has been expressed by private corporations, federal governments, and states, with this interest further amplified by former U.S. President Donald Trump’s public support and pro-Bitcoin policies.
Around 15 states have proposed or considered legislation to establish Bitcoin reserves funded by sovereign wealth and taxpayer money. Plans are also in place in Washington to establish a national strategic Bitcoin reserve. Furthermore, Wall Street offers exchange-traded funds that invest in Bitcoin. These spot Bitcoin ETFs have attracted over $110 billion from investors in their first year of trading on U.S. exchanges, an amount that surpasses what Nakamoto holds in thousands of wallets.