Pete Rizzo: The Disappearance & History of Satoshi Nakamoto

Pete Rizzo is going on 10 years as a Bitcoin journalist. He’s Editor at Bitcoin Magazine, Editor-at-Large at the Kraken cryptocurrency exchange, and a contributor at Forbes. Pete conducts archival research on Bitcoin's history, highlighting and identifying the people and events that most impacted its development. He is best known as a founding writer and editor for CoinDesk, serving as Editor in Chief from 2014 to 2019.
🐦 Follow Pete on Twitter / pete_rizzo_
🗒️ IN THIS EPISODE:
0:00 Intro, Swan Bitcoin promo
1:39 Growing up in Massachusetts
3:59 Started journalism in college to force himself to write
6:58 Occupy Wall Street protests
8:05 First hearing about Bitcoin, importance of journalism
12:23 Holding people accountable
17:53 Journey from altcoins to just Bitcoin
22:55 iTrustCapital, Bitcoin 2023 promos
25:03 CoinDesk breaking FTX SBF story
28:30 Bitcoin 2021 conference changed everything
29:44 Bear market
30:17 Satoshi Nakamoto's disappearance anniversary
34:43 Improbability of still not knowing Satoshi's identity
37:20 What we know about Satoshi
43:04 Creating the name "Bitcoin"
43:49 Fold app, CrowdHealth promos
45:49 Satoshi on the blockchain
48:23 Digital cash, David Chaum, blind signature, cypherpunks, Adam Back
54:20 Hal Finney's contribution
55:41 Why was Hal not Satoshi?
57:10 Did Hal have a neighbor named Dorian Satoshi Nakamoto?
58:40 "I'm comfortable with my legacy."
1:00:07 When and where did Satoshi work?
1:02:03 Satoshi's disappearance 12/12/11
1:06:11 Government's role, Bitcoin could be non-government currency
1:10:35 Why is Bitcoin special if it's open-source code?
1:12:47 No book yet on Satoshi
1:13:11 Satoshi is unquotable
1:15:13 Is Satoshi alive or dead?
1:16:05 No real wallet address
1:17:42 Why 21 million as total supply? Maybe connected to blackjack
1:19:35 Threats to Bitcoin
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Producer: Aron Bender / aron-bender
🛑 DISCLAIMER This show is for entertainment purposes only and does not give financial advice. Before making any decisions consult a professional.
#bitcoin #cryptocurrency #money

[@TaylorRCastle]

“Satoshi” is such a great name as well! It translates to “Wisdom”

[@miguelmejia1952]

Satoshi nakamoto never left he is alive and watching

[@NeuroPulse]

I didn't know Satoshi paid for the domain names in cash. That's fascinating!

[@btcmoonguy]

Great conversation! Very interesting. I hope Pete writes a book about this topic. thank you!

[@user-ey4od6jp9n]

Great Guest and Interview.

[@DadTrades421M]

It’d be a better world if everyone could listen to Pete talk about Satoshi and Hal from about 37:00 on. Beautiful actually, thanks.

[@yblimited]

Thanks a million for that time stamp

[@kimgaugemusic]

❤

[@richg657]

Great interview Natalie! You definitely bring out the best of your guests with good questions and hearing them out with pertinent follow-up. Big fan here!!

[@elle-lw1rl]

Satoshi nakamoto is one person. When I lived on the west coast in the late eighties, I frequented a small sushi bar couple times a week with some friends, and our sushi chef's name was Satoshi, he was he would tell us about a game he was creating that would enable people to barter and trade, using a digital type currency, where people could just deal with each other directly without having to go through any financial institutions, sort of like monopoly trading Reading railroad for Park place. When I bought my Bitcoin in 2013 I didn't recall any of this until I saw his name on the internet, and I thought oh my God this is what he was talking about. If I saw his picture in a lineup I could identify him, but I would never reveal who he is to honor his desire to remain in anonymity.

[@elle-lw1rl]

He had it all figured out then, the blockchain, the decentralization, the miners and the intricate computer system around the world to protect, all of it, it was brilliant. Satoshi if you're reading this, I remember your 60 lb tuna story, we enjoyed that fish! 🐟😊

[@Scorch428]

we already know its Nick :P

[@elle-lw1rl]

You don't shit ...I know who Satoshi is....Nick will face identity theft charges, just like Craig ,if he pursues it...and prison.

[@TheRealDerekS]

Petes right, narratives mean everything. Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn't understand markets. reflexivity: not only do minds move markets, but markets move minds too.

[@danc1873]

Dear Natalie, you are the one which will be able to tell the whole story. I liked your conversation with Rizzo, and I see how much more passionate, curious and interested in discovering what happened before and during Bitcoin's early years you are. Keep digging in. You are the one.

[@1chriswessels202]

Loved this interview.

[@NeuroPulse]

The fact that Satoshi used the term "bloody" would narrow my initial search to British people.

[@maribethmiller3292]

Wow, wonderful episode! One of your best, thanks so much for the Bitcoin history lesson. So interesting and filled with complexity!

[@brutusmaximus5380]

Craig Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto. The original bitcoin blockchain is now called BSV and is not limited by a block size cap. One BSV was worth $400 before the pandemic. BTC was created with a block size in order for miners to have more reward from fees.

[@LioBilly]

This was freaking awesome. Was just discussing the history w some skeptics the other day. I sent this to them. Greta work as usual! Fellow Chicagoan :)

[@kennethedwards3095]

29:48 your gonna love this line: "before there was a rabbit hole, because no one had dug anything." You heard it first here on the Natalie Brunell Show 😇

[@tonymccarty3828]

Great historical context. 💪🏻

[@richardweaver4361]

Great conversation, enjoyed every minute...

[@GeorgeGABaker]

They act like they don’t know Dr. Craig S. Wright, holds directly and indirectly over 4000 patents Bitcoin related.

[@bitcoinpoemspro1406]

Thanks Natalie!

[@mikerudinsky]

Great show. I was apprehensive that it was going to be too long, but then it ended too soon.

[@2224710]

Satoshi the Digital Humanist , the greatest person from this century . If I knew who this person was I would never reveal it to no one.

[@ttully]

Well said

[@one4320]

Fascinating story. Pete should stick to writing, he's frustrating to listen to. Great information though.

[@LaplantFilm]

great story ❤️

[@pt5820]

I would have to think that there has to be some one or a few people who would know who or what satoshi Nakamoto is. it is hard for me to believe that it was just one person and no one else knew about him personally. There has to be some people that are keeping quiet. Just my opinion. Fantastic show as always thanks Natalie!

[@markpalmer8083]

It's not a mystery. It's obvious that it's Dr Adam Back.

[@thesolitaryadventurer]

@@markpalmer8083 Sure.... Sure. If it happens to be Adam Back though, good for him. He is not charismatic in any way so moving the focus to a nom de guerre was genius. I'm going Hal Finney.

[@duanejackson6718]

It could have been a group of government agents. I like Bitcoin but it is possible it was made by the government.

[@markpalmer8083]

@@duanejackson6718 Dr Adam Back. Look no further.

[@pinetwork8414]

Satoshi is Dr Nicolas ❤

[@edgarc98]

Loved this episode and the history of the Satoshi

[@dsflat6785]

I don't see any BTC KZbin channels talking about last weeks UK court news... Judge Rules Craig Wright Must Prove He is Satoshi In January Before His Lawsuits Proceed In Tuesday’s ruling, Judge Mellor decided that this question will be resolved for all cases during a January 2024 trial. As Judge Mellor wrote in the ruling, the results of the January trial will determine whether the other cases will go forward. Bitcoin Legal Defense Fund has the case covered in last weeks news but I don't see any open discussion on YT about what is probably the most important event that could happen to BTC....Makes you wonder how controlled the BTC YT channels are and if they are any better than MSM is pushing their agenda.

[@whippoorwillss]

My god this interview is awesome! Thank you!!

[@darrenbeutel6849]

That was amazingly fun

[@mrbiglicks8267]

How can I follow a channel who doesn't even recognize Craig Wright as Satoshi?

[@swisscottage1070]

Craig Wright has zero integrity due to his manipulation of documents, his lies, both of which have been exposed on numerous occasions. Surely Satoshi Nakamoto did not have these very unsavoury character defects

[@joshuavanderplaats]

BTC does not make sense while people buy it with fiat. Once it reaches the point where people are wanting to be paid in it, then we will have crossed the rubicon. Until then, I am not convinced. Even with all the money printing. We need to be able to get paid for our labor and be able to use it for goods and services. Until it is used as a payment mechanism as satoshi designed it (and not just a store of value), then I could see myself as becoming bullish.

[@hectorg.m.3350]

Not a peep about Len Sassaman? 😑🤨🙁

[@Mondegreen2020]

Awesome! I'm unclear though about why BTC shouldn't be viewed as a counterforce against CBDCs.

[@vegefranz]

👍Vielen Dank

[@suunt12]

Great show. 👍👍

[@plunk52o]

Hal Finney - ethics 1000%!

[@kimgaugemusic]

❤this 😊

[@JdubtheBitcoiner24]

Natalie still Killin it !🤙🏾💪🏾✊🏾

[@JonFrumTheFirst]

Regarding journalists: I can't help but suspect that one of the main reasons that journalists can't begin to understand this subject is that years ago, when they were in school, the education establishment decided that kids didn't need to learn facts any more - they could look it up on the Internet! Contentless education can only produce contentless brains.

[@Fujtajblus]

I see it as an interesting thought that ... let's say you were Satoshi and your goal was to keep your identity secret. Because that way it just creates that mystery. Which gives it certain level of protection. And then, at some point, the value of bitcoin will be so huge that his wealth could secure like 5 generations of his descendants... but if he does try to make anything... it will be visible on the blockchain and therefore his identity might be revealed.

[@pauline9085]

I think Shinichi Mochizuki is the closest person who has the level of intelligence to be a great creator of bitcoin. He also wrote a paper on solving the "abc conjecture". After writing the paper, he quietly left and let the rest of the world to ponder on his paper. He's raised in California, and left for Princeton as an undergraduate at the age of 16, went on the finished his Phd. in mathematics there.

[@willloo6080]

Dear Nat, Your amazing professional. "The world is your oyster"

[@const71]

the way he looks away from the interviewer while speaking says alot about his character

[@knuu]

Satoshi was online in Bitcointalk for the last time 2010/Dec/13. That includes the same numbers than Genesis Block; 21/1/3 -> 12/13. 575 messages so same as haiku format 5/7/5.

[@joshuavanderplaats]

I just had flashbacks of my youth when I saw Kathy Ireland for the first time in SI. 😂 I cannot be the only one.

[@mapro3594]

Intelligent women, and beautiful too. Blessings

[@firefoxtogo2209]

Very stupid arrogant and knows it all type. Dig deeper you will see. And there’s nothing beautiful to eyes saying f*ck you to each other 😂

[@nilskp]

Simp 😊

[@reknow3872]

Hasn't embraced bsv or craig yet. So not so bright. Hot tho

[@HowardARoark]

Very interesting, very smart guy, pity about the 'F' word on Natalie's channel though !

[@c05l24]

Sorry but I do not feel this guest did much in terms of the discussion. He seemed to stumble often on some basic information that is out there. I love the idea of this topic but feel people like Simon Dixon, Eric Vorhees or Adam Back and others would offer much more on this topic. Great ideas though Natalie keep up the great work!

[@gaeldesmontagnesnoires1711]

2009 International debt = 2.1Quadrillion$ .. 2.1Quadrillion Satoshies... Coincidence?

[@MrVara411]

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 ... for Bitcoin. I meant for Bitcoin.

[@jappiejojo777]

It is Szabo though

[@valireklaam]

Nikzaabo - nakamoodo

[@powercomm]

Satoshi is like George Washington. He left thinking that his job was done.

[@proto7688]

Monero is incredible

[@posterestantejames]

Content starts at 31:30

[@rickdeckard9810]

Would like to learn more about how Satoshi was able to hide his tracks during the early days.

[@pinetwork8414]

Yes

[@luisavila3108]

Is that Roman from Succession?

[@PatrickN.]

I'm with you Natalie! Satoshi WAS Hal. 👍👍👍👍

[@markpalmer8083]

That's exactly what Adam Back wants you to think.

[@PatrickN.]

@@markpalmer8083 ? Do you think Adam Back was Satoshi? I love this subject. Just curious.

[@markpalmer8083]

@@PatrickN.It's pretty clear to me from watching Barely Sociable videos on KZbin about who was Satoshi.

[@pinetwork8414]

Not Hal, His name is Nicolas

[@MC-iu6xr]

Natalie, I'm officially in Love!!!

[@everythingwave]

Has anyone ever used seimeihanda to see if they can reverse engineer the pseudonym?

[@knuu]

21 million was chosen because that's 2 10 00000 and Satoshi's initials are 2nd and 10th alphabet. The other 5 zeroes are like olympic rings - halving every 4 years just like olympics. From email to Wei Dai 2 bank months (=30 day periods) and 10 days until whitepaper. From whitepaper to publishing Bitcoin software 2 bank months and 10 days. 210 000 block rewards per halving. Not a coincidence. 21 -> blackjack -> B. J.

[@cyberable404]

Always be careful of scammers guys. Someone is trying to inpersonate Natalie and others. CISA unbosomed a surge in online impersonation in June 2022. Thanks for the conversation guys! I trust Bitcoin. ❤️

[@matt8746]

Good lord that is a great yarn

[@SatoshinakamotoAdo]

Ip adresses Or Satoshi Nakamoto, yes look at that all 2009.

[@markpalmer8083]

You've interviewed Satoshi Nakamoto. I've seen your interview with Dr Adam Back.

[@TheVitkuz]

Natalie is such a beauty😍

[@dusanveselka3240]

The reason for 21 million bitcoins has been explained. If bitcoin gets adopted world wide, then 1 satoshi would be worth about 1 cent.

[@wills-fromreno5444]

It is interesting that you could manage to have that whole discussion of early Bitcoin without discussing what it was mostly used for during the time it traded for an actual US penny to a US dollar- financing child porn and snuff films on a pay per view and or as paid performance art, hardcore drugs and military type arms trade. From everything I have studied of real cause and effect history - as opposed to court historian, party line, "prevailing orthodoxy," propaganda - Satoshi Nakamoto is so consistent with a Mossad operation that even if it was somehow not - that model would still be useful for understanding every part of it and how the rest of the crypto story launched from it. There is a lot to unpack there, but in the end the complete opaqueness each early step of the way - set up, allowed, and perhaps even helped facilitate the future problems including a plethora of scams and the whole FTX debacle which all rode on acceptance yet again of opaque financial dealings. A very good question would be - was that all so baked into the original plan as to be intentional? Convince me otherwise...

[@didactica9326]

2 things: 1) the US dollar and every other accepted currency funds porn, drugs and weapons on a massive scale compared to the amount that bitcoin ever did (if it ever did at all, you conjecture unless proof is provided). 2) Bitcoin is not crypto. Your ignorance surround bitcoin vs. shitcoins is showing when you bring up the ftx drama- THEY HELD ZERO BITCOIN. Centralized crypto in the form of shitcoins is not decentralized bitcoin, keep educating yourself on this one simple fact

[@didactica9326]

Also- please explain in detail what you mean by a 'Mossad operation', its use is too vague here

[@wills-fromreno5444]

​@@didactica9326 As I stated in the original comment, there is a lot to unpack there. There is a rich collection of stories there, with a very consistent direction that explains a lot of what goes on in this world. But that would be a book, or at least a long free-form interview - and this replier would have to know that is not possible in this very limited space - an argument designed to not be honestly answerable is in effect a dishonest argument. There were two other arguments from same that I can no longer see here that I can respond to briefly - 1) dollars being used for more malfeasance - well not on the dark web, you have to come off the dark web for any other form of payment than crypto, which at the time was only Bitcoin; and 2) while Bitcoiners are now trying to distance themselves from the rest of crypto - no matter how much distance you claim, there is still the common sale again of opaque finincial dealing and all the abuse that supports. I would add that all the other mechanisms outlined in the Deagle report are in full operation and it claims that most Americans are now supposed to be losing all their wealth to unspecified financial schemes and shenanigans. Obviously I would like to avoid that - so what is new or different now? I am invested in Bitcoin, but only as much as I really know - which is not much. I believe that the Bitcoin operation is strong enough to withstand external attacks, I just am not fully sure of all the interior design. Here is another hypothetical question - what if it was to be revealed that Bitcoin was designed to completely implode - would you rather that happened tomorrow or a year later. Every "Bitcoin journalist" would say a year later, trying to preserve wealth and fan base. But a year later, that year later will have come very quickly - and you would have nothing. We live in very violative times, with huge price swings, if you can dollar cost average invest every day, in something not designed to collapse - you could have quite a nest egg - that is what you have to lose.

[@andrewlupton5012]

All I can hear is me me me, I I I...

[@homme436]

He is I.

[@MultiShawnt]

money for lack of a better word is romantic

[@enevision6101]

Satoshi is alive and hiding in plain sight he is still working on scaling Bitcoin and it’s the most beautiful thing ever that noone has caught on yet

[@NotMe-wh5vb]

Yes, the most likely person to be Satoshi Nakamoto is Dr. Adam Back. There is a lot of circumstantial evidence pointing to Adam Back. Prove me wrong)

[@VEGANWARRIOR]

Expert in Bitcoin...smh never think or say that out loud LOL. There are no experts in BTC. Just adopters. Stay humble or pay the price. LOL

[@bram5150]

Its not one person. Satoshi Nakamoto are 3 ibm people. SATOSHI hada Naohiko uraMOTO Toshiaki taNAKA

[@chrisbova9686]

all you got is a name, made of letters. a lot can be done with that.

[@dannybitcoin116]

Pete Pete Pete… satoshi’s himself told you he was not gonna be involved anymore why is so hard for you to believe

[@pro60noscope52]

He struggles to tell you when he went bitcoin maxi because it was the day he realised that shilling just one asset is easiest. 😆

[@sw3559]

Satoshi invented Kaspa.

[@michaelblevins7834]

I don’t understand how he is a Satoshi expert and never even mention that if you break Satoshi nakamoto down by meaning you find is means one in the middle or central. Second part smart or intelligent one. Intelligence. Third part is foundation. Or agency. CIA. Duh. The CIA made bitcoin. Spread the word. What will they do with it????? Probably destroy it. Peace

[@waynerichardson1051]

Sorry Natalie, first time ever but this guest of yours today just spoke dribble!!! He was terrible!! Just my opinion of course!!

[@sensenisok]

Your right,, Most liberals just spew dribble.

[@shkottrendezvous6644]

Will subscribe again to help you get to 100k. Please don’t talk about Trump or have guests who are ardent supporters. I lose respect. Otherwise thank you!🙏

[@michaelblevins7834]

Coincidence????haha. Don’t think so. cIA

[@beatingobesity2410]

Really irritating how the guest talks or moans while the host is talking. Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm.

[@andrewweinstein6255]

Satoshi = Sassaman, Nakamoto = Nash

[@RyanZakMusic]

please stop pretending that satoshi may have been a woman

[@joetoe9947]

… whatever it takes- to get your mind off REAL💰MONEY…

[@merryfergie]

Get tour mind off money

[@knuu]

It's not that nobody knows Satoshi. I have found at least 10 people (Musk, Dillinger, Malmi, Szabo...) who seem to know him (different reasons to believe so for all of them). But either they don't want to doxx him, or when they do, almost nobody believes them. Satoshi has his "fingerprint" in all about Bitcoin. His "autograph". Genesis Block for example has his and his wive's birthday, wedding day, wive's name... Bitcoin code has his wive's birth year. And a tip about how to read the hints at Genesis Block. One must ask himself why not Jan/3 or 3rd of January (or Jan.) and why 03/Jan - the reason is quite clear after one counts 1+1. Masatoshi Nei was born 31/1/2 and Genesis Block was mined 21/1/3 (japan calendar). James A Donald's website has only one pdf. By Nei and Naoko T. Masatoshi+Naoko T ->.... That's only 5% of my proof (900 hours of research).

[@sensenisok]

Nothing worse than a liberal blabbing for an hour and 20 mins. I'm out at 15 mins,,,,,,

[@geoffr4018]

He is like christ Made up Grow up

[@Satronaut-pw3ij]

Most gorgeous woman in crypto.

[@shamsham1983]

Gary Gensler