Bitcoin creator reveals his true identity as Australian entrepreneur
An Australian entrepreneur has finally revealed what most of the tech world already suspected – he is the creator of the mysterious digital currency, Bitcoin.
Speculation has been rife since last year that Craig Wright was the man behind the pseudonymous crypto-currency creator Satoshi Nakamoto.
Reports broke late last year suggesting Mr Wright was the man behind the controversial currency but he has today revealed to the BBC, GQ and the Economist that he was behind the original ideas that created Bitcoin.
Mr Wright has reportedly revealed several ‘coins’, which are known to be owned by the currency’s creator.
BBC reports other members of the Bitcoin community have confirmed the technical details of Mr Wright’s proof.
The revelation comes after a series of denials from the entrepreneur after he was outed as Nakamoto in December.
"These are the blocks used to send 10 bitcoins to Hal Finney in January [2009] as the first bitcoin transaction," said Mr Wright during his demonstration to the BBC.
During his demonstration, the BBC said Mr Wright used demonstrated that he was in possession of ‘cryptographic keys’ which could only be linked to the very first Bitcoin transactions by Nakamoto.
Bitcoin is the first of several ‘cryptocurrencies’ which have taken the web by storm over recent years.
The currencies, unlike traditional currencies, are underpinned by a chain of unique programming code, known as the blockchain, which many believes gives them value.
The digital ‘coins’ have been used for a range of purposes ranging from the legitimate to the illegal and have become popular largely due to difficulties in tracing them.
Since its inception in 2009, Bitcoin has exploded in value, however, it has also become infamous for its volatility as prices fluctuate wildly and often unpredictably.
While difficulty in keeping track of the currency has made it popular with many, it has also raised eyebrows from regulators and tax offices worried about what it could mean for economies around the globe.
