Court rules Craig Wright is not Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto Court rules Craig Wright is not Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto
In a bench ruling the judge also affirmed that Wright did not write the Bitcoin whitepaper
2 min read
Updated: Mar. 15, 2024 at 4:15 pm UTC
Cover art/illustration via CryptoSlate. Image includes combined content which may include AI-generated content.
In a landmark ruling, the UK High Court has declared that Dr. Craig Wright, an Australian computer scientist, and businessman, is not the author of the Bitcoin whitepaper, did not create the Bitcoin system, and did not operate under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto from 2008 to 2011. The judgment comes as the culmination of the legal battle between Wright and the Cryptocurrency Open Patent Alliance (COPA).
The bench ruling, which took place on March 14, saw the final day of proceedings at the UK High Court. Judge Mellor, after considering all the evidence and submissions presented, concluded that the evidence overwhelmingly proved that Wright was not the creator of Bitcoin. As recorded by BitMEX Research, the judge made four key declarations:
Dr. Wright is not the author of the Bitcoin whitepaper.
Dr. Wright is not the person who adopted or operated under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto between 2008 and 2011.
Dr. Wright is not the person who created the Bitcoin system.
Dr. Wright is not the author of the initial versions of the Bitcoin software.
Throughout the final day, Wright’s legal team, led by Lord Grabiner, revisited various pieces of evidence to support their client’s claim. This included a 2017 patent application filed by Wright and Jamie Wilson, as well as arguments surrounding the availability of the Quill notepad, which Wright allegedly used to draft the Bitcoin whitepaper.
However, the court found the evidence presented by COPA overall to be more compelling. COPA’s case asserted that the print proof of the Quill notepad was only available after November 2009 and that the pad itself was not available until 2012, contradicting Wright’s claims.
The judgment also addressed the issue of relief sought by COPA. The organization had requested three declarations: that Wright did not author the Bitcoin whitepaper, that he has no copyright over Bitcoin, and that COPA is free to use Bitcoin and the whitepaper. Lord Grabiner argued that the court should not make these declarations, as COPA is not Satoshi and has no interest in the matter, stating that the court should not address hypothetical or academic questions.
Furthermore, Grabiner contended that even if the court finds Wright’s claim to be incorrect, it should not interfere with his right to express his belief in being Satoshi Nakamoto, drawing parallels to the principles of free speech in a democratic society.
The ruling marks a significant moment in the ongoing debate surrounding the true identity of Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin. While the court’s decision does not, of course, reveal who Satoshi is, it does definitively state that Craig Wright is not the creator of the world’s first decentralized digital asset.
The crypto community and legal experts alike will undoubtedly be analyzing the implications of this judgment in the coming days and weeks. Already, there are countless posts on social media platform X of industry members celebrating the judgment, with Satoshi Nakamoto trending. PeterMcCormack, who has also battled Wright in court, shared the below post,
CRAIG WRIGHT IS NOT SATOSHI
CRAIG WRIGHT DID NOT WRITE THE WHITE PAPER
CRAIG WRIGHT IS A LYING FRAUDWELCOME TO LAW BITCH!
The full written judgment, which will provide a detailed explanation of the court’s reasoning, is expected to be released in due course.
Mentioned in this article
Author 
Liam 'Akiba' Wright
Also known as "Akiba," Liam Wright is a reporter, podcast producer, and Editor-in-Chief at CryptoSlate. He believes that decentralized technology has the potential to make widespread positive change.
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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.
Craig Steven Wright, commonly referred to as CSW, is an Australian computer scientist and business professional who has been at the center of controversy within the cryptocurrency community.
