The new HBO documentary “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” has put forth the claim that Peter Todd, an early Bitcoin developer, is actually Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin. Todd quickly took to social media platform X to deny these allegations.
The documentary, directed by Cullen Hoback, is described as a “globe-trotting investigation” aiming to “solve one of the internet’s greatest mysteries.” It features interviews with various individuals and explores numerous clues before suggesting that Todd is Nakamoto. During a few exchanges with the filmmaker, Todd appears to toy with the idea, hinting at being Nakamoto but later contradicting himself in other segments.
Following the documentary’s release, the crypto community reacted strongly on social media, with many enthusiasts criticizing the film’s conclusions and its choice to zero in on Todd as the possible creator of Bitcoin.
“Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery” aired on HBO on Tuesday, directed by Hoback, who previously directed the HBO docuseries “Q: Into the Storm,” which investigated the QAnon conspiracy theory. The documentary’s claim about Todd has sparked renewed debate over Nakamoto’s identity, which has been a mystery since the Bitcoin creator disappeared from public view in December 2010.
Nakamoto is estimated to control around 1.1 million Bitcoin, worth approximately $68 billion at current prices. Bitcoin remains the world’s most valuable cryptocurrency, with a market cap of over $1.2 trillion.
In the lead-up to the documentary’s release, speculation about Nakamoto’s identity ran rampant, with platforms like Polymarket showing high levels of activity as users guessed who the documentary would name. Surprisingly, Peter Todd was not even considered a top contender by Polymarket users, with names like Len Sassaman, Nick Szabo, Adam Back, and David Kleiman leading the predictions.
Despite the ongoing debate, the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto continues to intrigue the world, with some believing that maintaining anonymity for over 15 years suggests Nakamoto is likely a single individual.