Satoshi Nakamoto Is World's 11th Richest Person, Surpassing Bill Gates and Threatening Warren Buffett's Spot
Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious founder of Bitcoin, is now worth more than $130 billion, putting him (or a group of him) ahead of tech titans like Bill Gates and Michael Dell to become the world's 11th richest person, according to data from Arkham Intelligence.
Bitcoin's price has increased by 14% over the past month, reaching a new all-time high of nearly $119,000. With an estimated 1.1 million BTC believed to belong to Satoshi based on the "Patoshi" mining model, his net worth has increased rapidly and could soon surpass Warren Buffett, who currently has a net worth of $141 billion. If the price of BTC increases by about 8%, to about $128,650, Nakamoto will officially surpass Buffett, one of Bitcoin's most prominent critics.
Although he has never sold any BTC, the presence of this wallet containing a large amount of Bitcoin has always been a hot topic in discussions about market risks. One of the major concerns is the development of quantum computers that could crack the current security of Bitcoin wallets in the near future. If that happens, not only Satoshi's wallet but also about 25% of the total BTC supply could be attacked, leading to a large-scale liquidation event.
Recently, a Bitcoin Improvement Proposal (BIP) was submitted to update the blockchain software to protect wallets from being cracked by quantum computing. The goal is to move users to more secure forms of storage before quantum computers gain the capability to pose a serious risk.
While Satoshi’s true identity remains a mystery, with theories ranging from Hal Finney, Adam Back, to Elon Musk and even a government agency, none have been conclusively proven. The only thing that is certain is that his wallet has never moved any Bitcoin, a sign that the founder may have died, or chosen to withdraw from the cryptocurrency world permanently.
However, Satoshi’s influence lies not only in his net worth, but also in the structure and vision behind Bitcoin. He is credited with pioneering a global decentralized monetary system that transcends the constraints of the traditional financial system.
As the cryptocurrency market continues to expand and elements such as ETFs, staking and practical applications become more apparent, the shadow of Satoshi Nakamoto still hovers in the background, not only as a technical icon but also as a powerful, albeit invisible, financial entity. And if Bitcoin continues to grow, the race to the top 10 richest people on the planet may be just a matter of time.