FameEX Hot Topics | Who Is Peter Todd, the Man HBO Identifies as Satoshi Nakamoto?

Peter Todd is a well-established figure in the Bitcoin community and has made significant contributions to blockchain technology. Recently, HBO’s documentary *Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery* stirred controversy by naming Todd as the possible identity of Bitcoin’s elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Despite the claim, Todd, a 39-year-old Canadian developer, has consistently refuted this suggestion, asserting that he is not Nakamoto. Instead, he emphasizes his prominent role as a longtime Bitcoin core developer, consultant, and contributor to various blockchain and cryptocurrency projects.

Todd has been vocal in denying the claims both before and after the documentary aired. He took to X (formerly Twitter), declaring, “I’m not Satoshi.” When Nakamoto published the Bitcoin white paper in 2008, Todd was only 23 years old. During a 2019 podcast, Todd mentioned that he had started communicating with early Bitcoin figures like Hal Finney and Hashcash inventor Adam Back when he was about 15 years old, long before Bitcoin's creation.

In July 2014, Todd began his role as a Bitcoin Core Developer at Coinkite, a platform focused on Bitcoin. He has also served as a board adviser at Verisart, a platform for digital collectibles, since 2015. Todd’s early career saw him working as a Linux system support and service developer at Starnix in 2001, followed by several short-term roles between 2007 and 2008. That same year, when the Bitcoin white paper was published, Todd started working as an Electronics Designer at Gedex Inc.

Beyond Bitcoin, Todd has held key positions in the broader crypto industry. In 2014, he became the Chief Scientist at Mastercoin, a digital currency and communications protocol built on the Bitcoin blockchain. That same year, he also took on the role of Chief Scientist at Dark Wallet, an open-source Bitcoin wallet. In 2016, Todd participated in Zcash’s trusted setup ceremony, helping establish cryptographic keys for blockchain protocols. However, he later criticized the setup, calling his involvement “pointless” and expressing doubts about its multiparty computation.

In 2019, Todd faced serious accusations when cryptographer Isis Lovecruft accused him of sexual assault, which he denied. Todd filed a defamation lawsuit, and the case was settled in 2020. The suit was dropped without monetary compensation after Lovecruft issued a statement clarifying that Todd had not sexually assaulted her.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this section is for informational purposes only, doesn't represent any investment advice or FameEX's official view.