The world has long speculated about the true identity of the creator of Bitcoin (BTC), Satoshi Nakamoto. However, some of the main candidates have remained silent, leaving intriguing questions about the potential involvement of the CIA. We analyze the potential connection of Gavin Andresen with Satoshi Nakamoto and whether the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States (CIA) was involved.
Who is Gavin Andresen?
Gavin Andresen was born in Melbourne in 1966 and, at the age of six, moved to the United States. Although the details of his childhood remain hidden, we know that he studied at Princeton University and graduated in computer science in 1988. After completing his studies, he began working as a developer of graphic systems at Silicon Graphics, a major hardware and software company. His focus was on Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML), which allows the creation of a 3D universe.
In 1996, Andresen ventured into entrepreneurship after leaving Silicon Valley. He dedicated himself to his company while remaining involved in the development of three-dimensional software for years. Since the early 2000s, he contributed to the creation of software for VoIP telephony, online games, and credit management.
His trajectory took a crucial turn in 2010 when he discovered Bitcoin. Andresen established his crypto faucet and then joined the cryptocurrency development team. There, he collaborated with Satoshi Nakamoto, playing a key role in the development of an initial token exchange system. After Nakamoto's disappearance, Andresen took over the BTC team, reengineering the token by introducing Bitcoin Core, an optimized version of Nakamoto's code. Later, he founded the Bitcoin Foundation and served as its president before retiring in 2014. Although he distanced himself from the project in 2016, Andresen continued to offer advice before finally leaving. He created Bitcoin XT, introducing changes to the token's block size. Andresen's perspective on the original cryptocurrency changed as he advocated for Bitcoin Cash, arguing that it better incorporates Satoshi Nakamoto's vision.
What does Andresen think of Satoshi Nakamoto?
Andresen has been frequently questioned about the true identity of Bitcoin's creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. He refrained from speculation, possibly because he never met Nakamoto personally. Their interactions mainly occurred via email, suggesting a long-distance collaboration. However, in 2016, Andresen publicly endorsed Craig Wright as Nakamoto. However, the evidence supporting Wright's claim to being Nakamoto was later debunked. According to a report by The Guardian, this incident led to Andresen's distancing from the Bitcoin project amid concerns that he could mistakenly provide access to the Bitcoin code to an imposter.
Is he Satoshi? Expert Opinions
Andresen never claimed to be the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. At the same time, no expert has identified him as Nakamoto. However, some members of the crypto community have considered the possibility for the following reasons:
- Andresen's deep understanding of the Bitcoin system and its associated policies;
- The ease with which Nakamoto handed over the project to him;
- Speculation that Nakamoto disappeared after CIA involvement and that his identity change was linked to the agency's scrutiny;
- The notion that Andresen may have created Bitcoin while attributing it to another identity for personal protection.
However, Gavin Andresen's position remains controversial within the ecosystem. Some consider him the true father of Bitcoin, while others believe he undermined it by involving the CIA. The last email exchange with Nakamoto suggested that he no longer wanted to hide.
Assessing possibilities with a probability test
Is Gavin Andresen really Satoshi Nakamoto? Did the creator of Bitcoin leave anything on the table? Our probability test may shed some light on the matter:
- Cryptographic proof: Gavin Andresen did not use any tool, private key, or account belonging to Satoshi Nakamoto. Even when Nakamoto left him the project keys, or he managed to retrieve them himself.
- Technical Knowledge of Cryptography and Contributions: Despite his active contribution to the development and subsequent improvement of Bitcoin, there is no evidence that Andresen has any knowledge or skill in cryptography. If he had a good understanding of it, his role after Satoshi Nakamoto's departure would have been essentially to ensure the maintenance of Bitcoin and bug fixes.
- Communications and language correspondence: As a Bitcoin programmer and developer, Andresen is fluent in various computer languages, including C++, which was used to encode the first cryptocurrency. It has often been accepted that Satoshi Nakamoto was from the Commonwealth. Originally from Australia, Andresen does not always use the same expressions. Additionally, Andresen often distinguished himself by using colloquial terms.
- Consistency of statements: Both Satoshi Nakamoto and Andresen agree on the need to maintain privacy. Andresen opposed central banks, centralized governments, and supervision of financial systems. However, his involvement with the CIA continues to be debated. He justified his actions by stating that Bitcoin would make the world better. However, presenting the token to an intelligence agency may contradict the original libertarian vision of cryptocurrencies. This is why some industry members suspect that he is a secret agent whose mission was to overthrow Satoshi.
- Community Recognition: Although recognized in the crypto community, Andresen's claim about Nakamoto's identity remains marginal.
Therefore, when conducting a probability test, it is unlikely that Andresen is Nakamoto, with a probability rate of only 10%.
References:
- Nakamoto, S. (2008). "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System." Available at: https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf
- Antonopoulos, A. M. (2014). "Mastering Bitcoin: Unlocking Digital Cryptocurrencies." O'Reilly Media.
- Popper, N. (2015). "Digital Gold: Bitcoin and the Inside Story of the Misfits and Millionaires Trying to Reinvent Money." HarperCollins.
- Andresen, G. (2014). "Gavin Andresen on the Past and Future of Bitcoin." Available at: https://www.coindesk.com/gavin-andresen-past-future-bitcoin
- Narayanan, A., Bonneau, J., Felten, E., Miller, A., & Goldfeder, S. (2016). "Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency Technologies: A Comprehensive Introduction." Princeton University Press.