The filmmakers claim Satoshi Nakamoto was a pseudonym for two cryptographers, both now deceased.
The documentary “Finding Satoshi,” released on April 22, 2026, presents a new version of the first cryptocurrency’s creator identity. The authors of the documentary claim that Satoshi Nakamoto was a pseudonym used by cryptographers Hal Finney and Len Sassaman.
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Both alleged co-creators are deceased. Sassaman died in 2011, Finney in 2014.
The filmmakers emphasize they do not claim to have definitively solved the mystery. The presented version is one of the most thoroughly argued, but nothing more.
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Cryptographers Duo: One Wrote Code, One Wrote White Paper
According to the investigation’s version, Finney was responsible for bitcoin’s (BTC) technical implementation and code. He participated in creating RPOW, one of the key precursors to the first cryptocurrency. Finney was also known for his ability to work with different programming languages.
Meanwhile Sassaman handled the textual and academic portions, including the white paper. In favor of this idea are his academic writing style, cypherpunk connections, anonymity expertise, and use of British linguistic forms.
The film also documents a confirmed connection between these two. They knew each other, worked in the PGP environment, and maintained contact in 2008—precisely during bitcoin’s creation period.
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The film features widows of both alleged co-creators. Fran Finney acknowledged that her husband could have participated in the cryptocurrency’s development.
Sassaman’s widow, Meredith Patterson, found the version plausible and confirmed that the cryptographers maintained connections around the time of the coin’s launch.
Industry Reaction: From Praise to Skepticism
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong called the film the “most thoughtful” examination of the topic and suggested the authors may have arrived at the correct answer.
However, a significant portion of the crypto community received the version skeptically. A user under the pseudonym Cam noted that Sassaman did not know the C++ programming language and never worked on a Windows computer.
“He also was a vocal critic of Bitcoin,” he added.
Renowned cryptographer and cypherpunk Adam Back, previously named as bitcoin’s creator, agreed.
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