Last week, over 100 emails written by the creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, were made public for the first time. This is the largest addition of information about Nakamoto in recent years, and many new discoveries have been made. However, the most interesting aspect is the “mysterious donor” behind Nakamoto, as Nakamoto explicitly stated for the first time in these emails that the donor provided financial support to those who were working hard to develop the Bitcoin economy and supported early attempts to price Bitcoin in US dollars. Prior to the release of these emails, there was no evidence to prove these two points. Here is what we know so far:
Legendary Donation
These emails show that a donor known to Nakamoto provided $3,600 in funding for the project in 2010. If calculated at the price of $0.06 per Bitcoin at the time, this money could have purchased over 58,000 Bitcoins at market price. The donor made a significant sacrifice for the long-term development of Bitcoin.
The conversation about the “donor” took place between Martti Malmi, an early Bitcoin developer, and Nakamoto, but it only lasted for a year.
July 2009:
Nakamoto stated at the beginning of the conversation:
August 2009:
Martti consulted Nakamoto about raising funds for his newly established Bitcoin exchange platform, Bitcoin Market. Although Nakamoto mentioned that he wanted this to be “independent” of his involvement, he mentioned finding a “sponsor” for the idea.
June 2010:
Nakamoto mentioned again that he received a $2,000 donation. He pointed out that this money needed to be transferred to Martti so that his identity would not be revealed.
July 2010:
The donor had still not sent any funds to Martti.
July 2010:
Nakamoto responded that he would contact the donor again to prioritize the payment.
July 2010:
Martti received the $3,600 donation and agreed to use it for project expenses, such as web hosting services.
July 2010:
Nakamoto agreed to allocate $1,000 to Martti’s new exchange platform. It is worth noting that Nakamoto also believed that this money could be lent to other businesses that might accept Bitcoin.
This is all the information known so far about this donor. Their identity remains a mystery. However, it is evident that this donor’s sacrifice played a crucial role in the early success of Bitcoin. Regardless of who this person is, Bitcoin owes them a debt of gratitude.
