Jameson Lopp demonstrates why Hal Finney could not have been Satoshi Nakamoto Jameson Lopp demonstrates why Hal Finney could not have been Satoshi Nakamoto
The famed cypherpunk brought the receipts to his post explaining why Finney and Nakamoto could not have been the same.
2 min read
Updated: Oct. 25, 2023 at 8:00 am UTC
Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.
Jameson Lopp, a significant figure in the Bitcoin community, published a detailed blog post on Oct. 21 dismissing the speculation that programmer Hal Finney was Satoshi Nakamoto.
The anonymity of Satoshi Nakamoto has been a matter of intrigue since Bitcoin’s (BTC) debut in 2009. Speculation has real-world implications, as evidenced by the experiences of Finney, who faced both extortion and a “swatting” incident in 2014, and Dorian Nakamoto, who was mistakenly identified as the creator by Newsweek the same year.
Lopp, however, dismissed the idea, citing critical pieces of evidence, including an incident from April 18, 2009. On this day, Finney, an avid runner, participated in a 10-mile race in Santa Barbara, California. During the exact time of Finney’s race, Satoshi Nakamoto was actively corresponding with early Bitcoin developer Mike Hearn. According to time logs and Lopp’s investigation, Satoshi sent an email just two minutes before Finney crossed the race finish line. This timeline, bolstered by third-party photographic proof of Finney’s participation, suggests the two individuals could not have been the same person.
Further, in Aug. 2010, when Satoshi was notably active online, Finney attended the Singularity Summit in San Francisco. Hal’s wife had commented on his deteriorating health due to ALS during this time, which significantly impeded his ability to type – casting further doubt on him being the active online presence of Satoshi.
Lopp also highlighted distinct differences in their coding styles, including preferences for indentation, comment formats, and naming conventions. Moreover, the two had inconsistencies in their viewpoints and knowledge, particularly related to certain foundational aspects of Bitcoin’s design and influences.
The examination of early Bitcoin logs presented another distinction. IP addresses from Jan. 10, 2009, showed that while Finney and Satoshi were connected, their IPs pointed to different locations in California with no discernible overlap.
While the quest to unmask Satoshi Nakamoto continues, Lopp’s research provides a comprehensive argument against the popular notion of Hal Finney being the elusive genius behind Bitcoin. The wider community awaits further insights or potential revelations on this enduring mystery.
Mentioned in this article
Author 
Jacob Oliver
Jacob Oliver is a recovering academic and English teacher turned crypto journalist and web3 writer. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Washington.
Latest Bitcoin Stories
Featured Story
Advertise Here
In this article
Bitcoin, a decentralized currency that defies the sway of central banks or administrators, transacts electronically, circumventing intermediaries via a peer-to-peer network.
Jameson Lopp is an American software engineer and prominent figure in the cryptocurrency industry.