13 years ago, Bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator signed off

As far as notable dates in bitcoin’s history go, Dec. 13 is an auspicious one, albeit more lowkey than, say, the publication of the white paper (Oct. 31) or the official launch of the network (Jan. 3).

No, Dec. 13 is notable for the absence created in its wake: Satoshi Nakamoto, bitcoin’s pseudonymous creator, was last active at 4:45 pm ET on Dec. 13, 2010.

Their final public message, posted Dec. 12, focused on work on denial-of-service prevention. By that point, Nakamoto had already handed off their role as maintainer of bitcoin’s open-source to developer Gavin Andresen.

On Dec. 11, 2010, Satoshi Nakamoto expressed concerns on the Bitcointalk forum about the increasing mainstream attention Bitcoin was receiving. This surge in interest was prompted by WikiLeaks’ consideration of Bitcoin for donations, following its loss of service from major payment processors.

Nakamoto, somewhat infamously, remarked: “It would have been nice to get this attention in any other context. WikiLeaks has kicked the hornet’s nest, and the swarm is headed towards us.”

It’s worth noting that Nakamoto continued to correspond privately with bitcoin’s early developers, despite having signed off from their previously public (and fairly prolific) perch.

Nakamoto’s final private message came months later in an email to developer Michael Hern.

“I’ve moved on to other things,” they wrote.

Nakamoto’s identity has long been a source of intense speculation and controversy, particularly in the years since his exit from the public stage. Their true identity remains unknown.

Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

Blockworks Daily: The newsletter that helps thousands of investors understand crypto and the markets, by Byron Gilliam.
Empire: Start your morning with the top news and analysis to inform your day in crypto.
Forward Guidance: Reporting and analysis on the growing intersection of crypto and macroeconomics, policy and finance.
0xResearch: Alpha directly in your inbox. Market highlights, data, degen trade ideas, governance updates, token performance and more.
Lightspeed: Built for Solana investors, developers and community members. The latest from one of crypto’s hottest networks.
The Drop: For crypto collectors and traders, covering apps, games, memes and more.