NYT Claims to Unmask Bitcoin Creator, Ripple CTO Calls Debate Settled

The New York Times (NYT) has published an investigation claiming that Blockstream co-founder Adam Back is Satoshi Nakamoto. This has drawn reactions from stakeholders in the crypto community, including Back himself, who has denied being the Bitcoin founder.

NYT Claims Adam Back Is Satoshi Nakamoto

An NYT report, which involves an 18-month investigation, has claimed that the Blockstream co-founder is the Bitcoin founder. The investigation, led by John Carreyrou, highlighted Adam Back’s demeanor in the documentary ‘Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,’ which first prompted the investigation into Back as Satoshi Nakamoto.

Carreyrou found the Blockstream co-founder’s demeanor “fishy,” which is why he initially suspected Adam Back might be the Bitcoin founder. Interestingly, the Money Electric documentary was another investigation into who Satoshi was. The documentary identified Bitcoin Core developer Peter Todd as the likely creator of Bitcoin.

Meanwhile, the NYT investigation determined that Back was likely Satoshi Nakamoto because of factors such as the similar writing patterns and their early interest in cryptography. The investigation had involved stylometric analysis, interviews, and historical research, which led the investigators to draw this conclusion. 

The report notably highlighted how Adam Back had embraced “crypto anarchy,” drawing attention to Satoshi’s email, in which he explained why he created the Bitcoin network in the first place. Satoshi noted that the network is attractive to the “libertarian viewpoint,” which is basically an ideology that Back believes in.

“I Am Not Satoshi”

In an X post, Adam Back categorically stated that he is not Satoshi. However, he admitted that he was early in “laser focus on the positive societal implications of cryptography, online privacy, and electronic cash.” This was what prompted his active interest in applied research on escash, privacy tech on the cypherpunks list, which led to hashcash and other ideas.

i’m not satoshi, but I was early in laser focus on the positive societal implications of cryptography, online privacy and electronic cash, hence my ~1992 onwards active interest in applied research on ecash, privacy tech on cypherpunks list which led to hashcash and other ideas.

— Adam Back (@adam3us) April 8, 2026

The NYT piece also drew reactions from others in the crypto community, including Ripple’s former CTO David Schwartz. Schwartz, who recently sparked debate over XRP and stablecoins, wittingly said, “Finally, we have the definitive answer that will certainly end the debate forever.”

It is worth noting that members of the XRP community have at different times speculated that Schwartz may indeed be Satoshi Nakamoto. Meanwhile, Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor also commented on the NYT investigation that determined Adam Back is Satoshi.

Saylor noted that the stylometry is interesting but not proof that the Bitcoin creator and Blockstream co-founder are the same person. “The contemporaneous emails between Satoshi and Adam Back suggest they were distinct individuals,” he said. The Strategy co-founder added that every theory is just “narrative” until someone signs with Satoshi’s keys.