A new documentary from HBO titled “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mistery” has once again reignited the public debate about the true identity of the anonymous online character who created Bitcoin – Satoshi Nakamoto.

The film, directed by the award-winning director Collen Hoback, has opened up a new chapter in the saga by claiming that Peter Todd, a Canadian developer, is the person behind the historic pseudonym.

Hoback cited as his main pieces of evidence a post published by Todd in 2010 where he accidentally used his personal profile in the Bitcoin message board, the developer’s early involvement in the project, and strong ties to well-known early adopters and promoters like Adam Back, along with other hints.

One particularly interesting and revealing claim is a chat transcript where Todd mentions the need for “sacrificing” some Bitcoin (BTC) – a view that coincides with Satoshi’s decision to leave behind his disappearance a huge stash of the digital asset that is worth over $65 billion as of today.

Finally, in a dramatic confrontation between Hoback and Todd, the latter admits: “Well, yeah, I’m Satoshi Nakamoto.”

The statement, which may seem at first glance as the film’s smoking gun, should not necessarily be taking seriously as Todd has repeatedly made similar statements. However, he has used the phrase “I’m Satoshi” to identify with what the anonymous character stood for and not to reveal himself as the person behind the pseudonym.

Although the film did not show indisputable evidence that Todd is Satoshi, the details it revealed and the findings showcased by Hoback during the 100-minute documentary aired last night have ignited a debate that could last for a while among crypto enthusiasts.

Peter Todd Denies Being Satoshi

Peter Todd is a 39-year-old Canadian software developer and graduate of Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto. He has been a prominent figure in the Bitcoin (BTC) community for years and is mostly known for his work as a Bitcoin core developer and his public communications with “Satoshi” before the mysterious founder disappeared from crypto forums in 2010.

Todd would have been 23 years old when the famous Bitcoin white paper was published. In the hours leading up to the documentary’s premiere, Todd vehemently denied being Satoshi Nakamoto.

In an email to CoinDesk, Todd stated, “Of course I’m not Satoshi.” He accused filmmaker Cullen Hoback of “grasping at straws” and resorting to “QAnon style coincidence-based conspiracy thinking.”

Todd further elaborated on his denial in a statement to CNN: “For the record, I’m not Satoshi.” He accused the film of being “irresponsible” and putting his life in danger as they did not approach him to offer a chance to say his piece or rebuke the claim.

“He is playing up a few coincidences into something much more. Ironic really: that’s a hallmark of conspiracy thinking,” Todd emphasized.

In regards to Todd’s denial, the director of the documentary highlighted his skills to fly under the radar despite his involvement with the project as additional evidence that he may be Satoshi.

“Peter’s got next-level game theory. His reaction doesn’t surprise me at all,” director Hoback emphasized.

Bitcoin Community is Not Convinced That Todd is Satoshi

The cryptocurrency community has responded to the documentary’s claims with a mix of skepticism and intrigue. Many prominent figures in the Bitcoin world have expressed doubt about the film’s conclusions.

Jameson Lopp, the co-founder of the Bitcoin security company Casa, suggested that Satoshi would be laughing at “this latest round of foolishness.”

Meanwhile, Nic Carter, who has known Todd personally for years, stated that he is certain that Todd is not Nakamoto, as he does not possess the kind of in-depth knowledge about digital cash systems and cryptography that Satoshi required to create blockchain technology and cryptos.

BitMEX Research dismissed the documentary’s key evidence as “clearly ridiculous.”

Despite the sensational nature of the documentary’s claims, the revelation has had little impact on the Bitcoin market. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at around $62,260, showing no significant movement in response to the news.

This lack of market reaction suggests that many investors and traders are skeptical of the documentary’s claims or do not believe that the potential unmasking of Satoshi would significantly affect Bitcoin’s value or utility.

Unmasking Satoshi is Becoming Increasingly Important as Bitcoin Becomes Widely Adopted

The quest to reveal who Nakamoto is has been going on for over a decade as the mystique surrounding the online anonymous figure keeps growing as Bitcoin becomes more popular.

Hoback explains the importance of finding out who Nakamoto is amid the increasing relevance that Bitcoin has on the global financial system and the massive number of BTC tokens that the character currently controls.

“If bitcoin had petered out, if it wasn’t being embraced by nation states, wasn’t being incorporated into 401(k)s, it would be a different story. But bitcoin is increasingly becoming a major backbone of the financial system. It’s not going anywhere,” Hoback told CNN in a recent interview.

He added: “Meanwhile, there is this anonymous figure who likely controls, or very possibly controls, a massive share of it — a million or so bitcoin.”

Certain reports have previously made erroneous claims about who Satoshi is in the past including a 2014 Newsweek report that named Dorian Nakamoto and the self-proclamation of Craig Wright, an Australian developer, as the creator of the Bitcoin network. Wright ended up admitting that he lied after a court of law in England forced him to make a public statement.

These failed attempts have only added to the intrigue surrounding Satoshi’s identity and have made the community more skeptical of any new claims.

Hoback is still convinced that he has the right man. “Peter was there that day (in which he was interviewed for the film). He knows what was discussed. He had every opportunity to explain himself,” the director further stressed.

Todd Claims His Life Could Be in Danger After the Documentary

The documentary’s decision to name Peter Todd as Satoshi Nakamoto raises important legal and ethical questions. While Hoback defended the film’s approach as it just presented factual evidence, Todd’s claim that the film has put his life in danger and highlighted the real-world consequences of such revelations, whether they are accurate or not.

The cryptocurrency community has long respected Satoshi’s desire for privacy and most attempts to unmask the creator of Bitcoin have been met with mixed reactions. As the debate continues, it’s clear that the mystery of Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity remains one of the most enduring and fascinating aspects of Bitcoin’s history.

Whether or not Peter Todd is truly Satoshi, the documentary has once again attracted the interest of crypto enthusiasts and the general public to find out who the person behind the pseudonym is.

For now, it seems that Satoshi Nakamoto’s true identity will remain shrouded in mystery. As Nic Carter poignantly stated, “There’s no bigger mystery in history. The fact that Satoshi successfully pulled this off — it really is magical. I personally hope we never find out who Satoshi is.”