It’s been over a decade since anyone heard from Satoshi Nakamoto. The last message from Bitcoin’s creator came in 2011—something about moving on to other things. And then, silence. But what if something big enough could bring Satoshi back?
A Quantum Threat on the Horizon
Joseph Chalom, co-CEO of SharpLink Gaming, has what he calls a “wild theory.” He thinks Nakamoto might reappear if Bitcoin faces a real crisis. Specifically, a threat from quantum computing.
Some experts warn that quantum computers could break Bitcoin’s encryption within the next ten years. That’s got people talking about how to defend the network. Ideas are floating around—like a hard fork to make Bitcoin quantum-resistant. There’s even talk about what to do with Satoshi’s own coins, which would be especially vulnerable.
Chalom, who helps lead a multi-billion dollar Ethereum treasury firm, thinks when that moment comes, Satoshi might just speak up. He told Decrypt last week that when standards and encryption methods are being debated, someone with a lot at stake might break their silence.
“That’s a lot of money to leave on the table,” Chalom added.
Old Accounts, Billions at Stake
Chalom admits his idea isn’t based on hard evidence. It’s just another theory in a long line of guesses about Satoshi. But if he’s right, the comeback might happen through old accounts—maybe a wallet or an email that hasn’t been active since the early days.
Wallets linked to Nakamoto through the “Patoshi Pattern” hold over a million Bitcoin. That’s worth more than $120 billion. It would make Satoshi one of the richest people in the world. Even a modest price jump could push that fortune into the top ten.
But it’s not just about the money. Waking up an old forum account or sending an email wouldn’t necessarily mean revealing a real name. Satoshi could still stay hidden.
Still a Mystery After All These Years
People have been trying to unmask Bitcoin’s creator since the beginning. Early adopters, government agencies, even Elon Musk have been suspected. Earlier this year, an HBO documentary pointed fingers at Bitcoin Core developer Peter Todd.
The film highlighted forum posts and writing styles, suggesting Todd might be Satoshi. But the crypto community wasn’t convinced. Todd himself denied it outright. So the mystery continues.
Maybe, just maybe, a quantum computing threat will change that. If Chalom’s hunch is right, we might finally hear from Satoshi when Bitcoin needs it most. Until then, it’s all speculation.
