HBO Documentary Seems to Name Peter Todd as Bitcoin's Creator

Airing on 8 October, HBO's new documentary "Electric Money: The Bitcoin Mystery," directed by Cullen Hoback, explores the possibility that Peter Todd, a 39-year-old software developer, could be Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin's elusive creator.

The film presents circumstantial evidence, pointing to Todd's early involvement with Bitcoin and his ties to figures like cryptographer Adam Back.

Among the key pieces of evidence are a 2010 forum post where Todd appears to extend Nakamoto’s ideas, and a chat transcript where he mentions "sacrificing" Bitcoins.

The filmmaker speculates this could reference Satoshi's untouched stash, valued at around $65 billion.

Yet, with such indirect evidence, the mystery remains.

Todd Refutes Satoshi Nakamoto's Allegations

BitMEX Research dismissed the claim, calling it "clearly ridiculous," and characterised Todd's response to Satoshi as merely a "snarky, pedantic, and accurate comment."

It added:

“This is the kind of comment Peter could make today. There is zero reason to believe this was Satoshi.”

While Peter Todd may not be widely recognised in broader crypto circles, he has a notable presence on X (formerly known as Twitter), where he has 167,000 followers.

Known for his controversial online persona and connections to Ukraine, Todd responded to the media attention on 9 October.

He noted:

“I have some personal connections to Ukraine, and I've been there multiple times during the full-scale invasion […] giving talks to the Ukrainian Bitcoin community.”

In a CNN interview, Hoback stated that Todd explicitly denied being Satoshi Nakamoto, labelling the film "irresponsible" and warning it could endanger his safety.

Todd also revealed that HBO did not approach him for comment or allow him to review the film before its release.

Despite Todd's firm denial, Hoback stands by his conclusions.

Todd expressed in the CNN interview:

“Cullen is grasping for straws here. He is playing up a few coincidences into something much more. Ironic, really: that’s a hallmark of conspiracy thinking.”

He added:

“Based on what has happened and [Hoback's] behavior I strongly suspect that naming me as Satoshi was just a marketing ploy to drum up attention for his documentary."

Todd also pointed out that notorious self-proclaimed Bitcoin founder Craig Wright has come out to dis the documentary.

Who is Peter Todd?

Todd, a 39-year-old graduate of the Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, would have been just 23 when the Bitcoin white paper was published.

He claims to have started engaging with prominent figures in the crypto space and cypherpunk community as early as 15.

Despite his significant influence in Bitcoin's technical development, those familiar with him remain sceptical of the claim that he is Satoshi Nakamoto.

Nic Carter, partner at Castle Island Ventures and a longtime acquaintance of Todd, called him "one of the most important Bitcoiners from a technical perspective," but does not believe Todd is the elusive Bitcoin creator.

Similarly, prominent Bitcoiner Jameson Lopp expressed doubt.

The HBO documentary, Electric Money, also stops short of concluding Todd is Satoshi.

Even the film's climactic confrontation between Todd and Hoback remains speculative.

To clarify questions on the documentary and put things into clearer perspective, Todd sat down with Blockspace Media to hash it out.

As to who realliy is Satoshi Nakamoto, some things are better left unearthed.