{"id":77417,"date":"2026-08-28T23:36:42","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T23:36:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/12-years-later-bitcoin-remembers-the-man-who-got-there-first\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T23:36:42","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T23:36:42","slug":"12-years-later-bitcoin-remembers-the-man-who-got-there-first","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/12-years-later-bitcoin-remembers-the-man-who-got-there-first\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Years Later, Bitcoin Remembers the Man Who Got There First"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>(Originally posted on : Bitcoin News )<\/b><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"@container mb-[25px] rounded-sm overflow-clip py-0.5 pr-0.5 pl-2.5 bg-success-100\">\n<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-m overflow-clip rounded-[6px] !bg-success-10 p-3 @[420px]:p-m\">\n<h2 class=\"m-0 flex items-center gap-s text-[19px] !text-[#1c1c1c] md:text-[20px]\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"10\" viewbox=\"0 0 16 10\" fill=\"none\" class=\"shrink-0 text-success-100\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M1 1.5h14\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><path d=\"M1 8.5h10\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2.5\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"\/><\/svg><span>Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n<ul class=\"m-0 flex list-none flex-col gap-m pl-0\">\n<li class=\"m-0 flex items-start gap-s !text-[#434248]\"><span class=\"mt-2 size-2 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-success-100\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><span class=\"text-body\">Cryptographer Hal Finney passed away on August 28, 2014, after a five-year battle with ALS.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 flex items-start gap-s !text-[#434248]\"><span class=\"mt-2 size-2 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-success-100\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><span class=\"text-body\">The 10 BTC Satoshi Nakamoto sent him in January 2009 would be worth over $800,000 today.<\/span><\/li>\n<li class=\"m-0 flex items-start gap-s !text-[#434248]\"><span class=\"mt-2 size-2 shrink-0 rounded-full bg-success-100\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\/><span class=\"text-body\">Theories tying Finney to Satoshi Nakamoto\u2019s true identity still circulate 12 years after his death.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>A Signature Before Bitcoin Had a Price<\/h2>\n<p>Before bitcoin had a massive price tag attached to it, it had its first true recipient. On January 12, 2009, Finney became the first person to receive a bitcoin transaction, when Satoshi Nakamoto sent him 10 BTC in what is now recognized as the moment digital cash left the whiteboard and became a working network.<\/p>\n<p>That said, Finney was not some bystander who got lucky but a tech veteran who had already spent decades building the tools Bitcoin would eventually lean on. In the early 1990s, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whatisbitcoin.com\/learn\/who-is-hal-finney\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">he was an active voice<\/a> on various cypherpunk mailing lists, the same community of coders and privacy advocates whose ideas fed into Bitcoin\u2019s design.<\/p>\n<p>He later became the second employee hired by Phil Zimmermann at PGP Corporation, the company behind Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encryption software, and worked there as a key contributor until his retirement in 2011.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, in 2004, years before Bitcoin existed, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/remembering-hal-finneys-vision-the-20th-anniversary-of-reusable-proofs-of-work\/\">Finney built Reusable Proofs of Work<\/a> (RPoW), an early prototype cryptocurrency built on Hashcash that proved out concepts Bitcoin would later formalize.<\/p>\n<h2>A Fight He Didn\u2019t Step Away From<\/h2>\n<p>Finney disclosed his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) <a href=\"https:\/\/alsnetwork.org\/als-network-receives-funds-from-finney-freedom-prize\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">diagnosis publicly in October 2009<\/a>, less than a year after receiving that first bitcoin transaction. The disease is progressive and attacks the nerve cells that control muscle movement.<\/p>\n<p>Finney <a href=\"https:\/\/bitcointalk.org\/index.php?topic=155054.0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wrote in March 2013<\/a> that he had become \u201cessentially paralyzed,\u201d yet he kept engaging with Bitcoin\u2019s early community through the disease\u2019s advancing stages. When he was declared legally dead on August 28, 2014, in Phoenix, Arizona, at age 58, his family carried out cryopreservation arrangements with the Alcor Life Extension Foundation that had been made years in advance.<\/p>\n<h2>The Satoshi Question That Won\u2019t Go Away<\/h2>\n<p>Finney\u2019s closeness to Bitcoin\u2019s creation, paired with his cryptography background and a Caltech engineering degree, has fueled years of speculation that he was Satoshi Nakamoto himself, or worked closely with whoever was.<\/p>\n<p>Bitcoin.com News has previously laid out the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/the-many-facts-pointing-to-hal-finney-being-satoshi\/\">many facts pointing to Hal Finney being Satoshi<\/a>, an internal look at the circumstantial case that still gets revisited every time the identity question resurfaces. Finney always denied being Bitcoin\u2019s creator, and no verified evidence has settled the question either way.<\/p>\n<h2>What Ten Bitcoin Became<\/h2>\n<p>The anniversary lands at a notable moment for the asset Finney helped bring to life. Bitcoin\u2019s price <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/market-updates\/bitcoin-price-breaches-81000-as-bull-market-momentum-builds\/\">crossed $80,000 for the first time since May<\/a> on August 25, gaining roughly 28% over eight days and briefly touching an intraday high above $81,000.<\/p>\n<p>At that price range, the 10 BTC Finney received from Satoshi Nakamoto in January 2009 would be worth roughly $805,000 today, a figure that would have sounded absurd to almost anyone in the room when that transaction first went through.<\/p>\n<p>Finney never got to see bitcoin\u2019s price reach even a small fraction of where it trades now. But the tools he built, the questions his life still raises about Bitcoin\u2019s origins, and the fact that his name remains the answer to \u201cwho received the first bitcoin\u201d mean his imprint on the network hasn\u2019t faded with time.<\/p>\n<p>Twelve years on, that\u2019s still what people are logging on to remember today.<\/p>\n<div class=\"not-prose my-3 lg:my-4\"><a aria-label=\"Read Now: Todd, Back, Sassaman, and Finney Named Satoshi in 3 Investigations That Found No Proof\" class=\"block overflow-hidden rounded-lg !bg-[#E8EDFA] p-[9px] no-underline focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-[#4169E1] focus-visible:ring-offset-2 flex flex-col md:hidden\" href=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/todd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof\/\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative aspect-video w-full overflow-hidden rounded-[15px]\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"absolute inset-x-0 bottom-0 m-0 p-3 text-xl font-bold capitalize leading-[1.17] tracking-[-0.4px] !text-white\">Todd, Back, Sassaman, and Finney Named Satoshi in 3 Investigations That Found No Proof<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex flex-col gap-2.5 px-1 pt-2.5 pb-1\">\n<p class=\"m-0 line-clamp-2 text-xs leading-[1.3] !text-[#67656E]\">Three investigations. Four suspects. Zero proof. Between October 2024 and April 2026, an HBO documentary, a New York Times investigation,\u2026<\/p>\n<p><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"flex items-center justify-center rounded-pill bg-[#4169E1] text-sm font-medium text-white h-[38px] w-full\">Read Now<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><a aria-label=\"Read Now: Todd, Back, Sassaman, and Finney Named Satoshi in 3 Investigations That Found No Proof\" class=\"block overflow-hidden rounded-lg !bg-[#E8EDFA] p-[9px] no-underline focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-[#4169E1] focus-visible:ring-offset-2 hidden md:flex md:flex-row md:gap-3 lg:hidden\" href=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/todd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof\/\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative size-[150px] min-w-[150px] shrink-0 overflow-hidden rounded-[15px]\"><img alt=\"Todd, Back, Sassaman, and Finney Named Satoshi in 3 Investigations That Found No Proof\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"object-cover\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" sizes=\"150px\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=32&amp;q=75 32w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=48&amp;q=75 48w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=64&amp;q=75 64w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=128&amp;q=75 128w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=256&amp;q=75 256w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=384&amp;q=75 384w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w\" src=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"absolute left-2 top-2\"><img alt=\"Bitcoin.com News\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"size-7\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image\/?url=%2Fimages%2Fuploads%2Fbitcoin_news_newlogo.svg&amp;w=32&amp;q=75 1x, \/_next\/image\/?url=%2Fimages%2Fuploads%2Fbitcoin_news_newlogo.svg&amp;w=64&amp;q=75 2x\" src=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/_next\/image\/?url=%2Fimages%2Fuploads%2Fbitcoin_news_newlogo.svg&amp;w=64&amp;q=75\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col justify-between gap-2\">\n<h3 class=\"m-0 line-clamp-3 text-xl font-bold capitalize leading-[1.17] tracking-[-0.4px] !text-[#1C1C1C]\">Todd, Back, Sassaman, and Finney Named Satoshi in 3 Investigations That Found No Proof<\/h3>\n<p class=\"m-0 line-clamp-2 text-sm leading-[1.3] !text-[#67656E]\">Three investigations. Four suspects. Zero proof. Between October 2024 and April 2026, an HBO documentary, a New York Times investigation,\u2026<\/p>\n<p><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"flex items-center justify-center rounded-pill bg-[#4169E1] text-sm font-medium text-white h-[38px] w-full\">Read Now<\/span><\/div>\n<p><\/a><a aria-label=\"Read Now: Todd, Back, Sassaman, and Finney Named Satoshi in 3 Investigations That Found No Proof\" class=\"block overflow-hidden rounded-lg !bg-[#E8EDFA] p-[9px] no-underline focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-[#4169E1] focus-visible:ring-offset-2 hidden lg:flex lg:flex-row lg:gap-4\" href=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/todd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof\/\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"relative size-[150px] min-w-[150px] shrink-0 overflow-hidden rounded-[15px]\"><img alt=\"Todd, Back, Sassaman, and Finney Named Satoshi in 3 Investigations That Found No Proof\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"fill\" class=\"object-cover\" style=\"position:absolute;height:100%;width:100%;left:0;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;color:transparent\" sizes=\"150px\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=32&amp;q=75 32w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=48&amp;q=75 48w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=64&amp;q=75 64w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=128&amp;q=75 128w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=256&amp;q=75 256w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=384&amp;q=75 384w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=640&amp;q=75 640w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=828&amp;q=75 828w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=1080&amp;q=75 1080w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=1200&amp;q=75 1200w, \/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75 1920w\" src=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/_next\/image\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.news.bitcoin.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F05%2Ftodd-back-sassaman-and-finney-named-satoshi-in-3-investigations-that-found-no-proof2-150x150.png&amp;w=1920&amp;q=75\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"absolute left-2 top-2\"><img alt=\"Bitcoin.com News\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"28\" height=\"28\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"size-7\" style=\"color:transparent\" srcset=\"\/_next\/image\/?url=%2Fimages%2Fuploads%2Fbitcoin_news_newlogo.svg&amp;w=32&amp;q=75 1x, \/_next\/image\/?url=%2Fimages%2Fuploads%2Fbitcoin_news_newlogo.svg&amp;w=64&amp;q=75 2x\" src=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/_next\/image\/?url=%2Fimages%2Fuploads%2Fbitcoin_news_newlogo.svg&amp;w=64&amp;q=75\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col justify-center gap-2\">\n<p><h3 class=\"m-0 min-w-0 flex-1 line-clamp-2 text-2xl font-bold capitalize leading-[1.17] tracking-[-0.48px] !text-[#1C1C1C]\">Todd, Back, Sassaman, and Finney Named Satoshi in 3 Investigations That Found No Proof<\/h3>\n<p><span aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"flex items-center justify-center rounded-pill bg-[#4169E1] text-sm font-medium text-white h-12 w-[180px] shrink-0\">Read Now<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"m-0 line-clamp-2 text-base leading-[1.3] !text-[#67656E]\">Three investigations. Four suspects. Zero proof. Between October 2024 and April 2026, an HBO documentary, a New York Times investigation,\u2026<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/news.bitcoin.com\/crypto-news\/hal-finney-12-years-bitcoin-first-transaction\/\">Source link <\/a><br \/>\n<br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>(Originally posted on : Bitcoin News ) Key Takeaways Cryptographer Hal Finney passed away on August 28, 2014, after a five-year battle with ALS. The 10 BTC Satoshi Nakamoto sent him in January 2009 would be worth over $800,000 today. Theories tying Finney to Satoshi Nakamoto\u2019s true identity still circulate 12 years after his death. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3947362404,"featured_media":77418,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77417"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3947362404"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77417"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77417\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crowdfundjunction.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}