Bitcoin Creator's Net Worth Surpasses Bill Gates
1min read Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto's net worth may have surpassed that of Bill Gates, according to recent onchain research. Conor Grogan, director at Coinbase, estimates that Nakamoto's holdings could exceed 1.096 million Bitcoin (BTC), worth over $108 billion. This valuation would make Nakamoto the world's 16th richest person, overtaking Gates.
New research from Akrham Intelligence identified additional addresses potentially belonging to Nakamoto, supporting Grogan's findings. At the time of writing, Bill Gates had a net worth of approximately $106 billion, making him the world's 16th richest person according to Forbes rankings.
Centralized exchange (CEX) Kraken may possess data related to Nakamoto's identity, as Nakamoto's last known transactions with a CEX occurred through Cavirtex, a Canada-based exchange acquired by Kraken in 2016. Grogan noted that there is a chance Kraken has information on the true identity behind Satoshi if they maintained any KYC information on this wallet. However, Cavirtex may have lacked KYC verification at the time of Nakamoto's transactions.
Kraken was among the first documented exchanges to implement KYC verification as early as 2014, but requirements for all users were only implemented in 2017 and 2018. Kraken acquired Cavirtex in January 2016, but there are no documents suggesting that the exchange had KYC requirements for users at that time.
The revelation regarding Satoshi Nakamoto's extensive Bitcoin holdings presents a curious intersection of wealth, anonymity, and technological scrutiny in cryptocurrency. As discussions around Nakamoto's identity continue to evolve, it remains imperative for industry participants to approach these topics with a commitment to transparency and factual integrity. Future investigations may one day uncover the true identity of the man or woman behind Bitcoin, significantly shaping the narrative of digital currencies.
