Peter Todd Is Satoshi: Why HBO Came to This Conclusion

Earlier this month, HBO stirred the internet with its promise to reveal who Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto is in a new documentary, “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery.”

The premiere of the film has finally arrived, and it identifies Canadian developer Peter Todd as Satoshi.

Peter Todd himself denies being Satoshi Nakamoto. The developer called the film “irresponsible” and told CNN that the documentary is playing up a few coincidences, nothing more. He also denied being the Bitcoin creator on X.

The film’s director, Cullen Hoback, told CNN in an interview that he spent years tracking down various theories. He believes Todd is the Bitcoin creator based on several factors.

A key reason is a 2010 Bitcoin Talk post that HBO assumes Todd meant to post using Satoshi’s account but accidentally posted from his own. This assumption is based on the similarity of writing styles and the use of asterisks.

Peter Todd is a Bitcoin Core developer who has been actively engaged in discussions surrounding the protocol since its early days. He’s known for using the phrase “I am Satoshi” to express his support for Bitcoin’s creator's right to privacy.

As soon as HBO revealed the film, users on the prediction platform Polymarket started guessing who would be the subject of the documentary. Interestingly, Peter Todd was not on the list of top contenders.

Who is Satoshi Nakamoto after all? The intriguing question remains unanswered as the HBO documentary presents another theory, but no conclusive evidence.