When it reached a high of $19,771 yesterday, Bitcoin made the creator of the cryptocurrency the 44th richest person on the planet â if you go by Forbesâ list, noted Quartz. The problem? Even after eight years since it was launched, we still donât know who that is.
Over the past few years, many people have been suspected to be the inventor, who goes by the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto. The list includes cryptography student Michael Clear, Finnish game developer Vili Lehdonvirta, and even a trio identified by Fast Company.
The closest the world might have got to unmasking Nakamoto was back in December 2015, when businessman Craig Steven Wrightâs home was raided by Australian police in Sydney over his taxes.
Wright was identified by Wired and Gizmodo by numerous emails, blog posts and leaked transcripts of legal interviews. Wright didnât confirm it at the time, but later claimed to indeed be the Nakamoto the world was looking for. He subsequently failed to prove he was the creator of Bitcoin, as he was unable to cryptographically sign the first block of data generated while growing the cryptocurrency â something the real Satoshi wouldâve been able to do.
Once again, weâre back to square one in the search for the real inventor of Bitcoin. Whoever they are, Quartz notes that with their estimated fortune of 980,000 BTC, theyâd be worth $19.4 billion, and rank above billionaire Saudi investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, and below Apple co-founder Steve Jobsâ widow Laurene Powell Jobs.
Of course, with Bitcoin being as volatile as it is, the currencyâs value has now dropped to $18,981 at the time of writing â bringing Satoshiâs net worth down to $18.6 billion. Thatâs still a pretty penny, and it keeps them on the top 50 list, just one position below the Saudi prince, and one ahead of Russian gas and chemical billionaire Leonid Mikhelson. Is now a good time to cash out?
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