I just found out that HBO is preparing a new documentary film set to be released on October 8th, allegedly revealing the true Satoshi Nakamoto. Maybe it's just a marketing stunt, but it has reignited debates in the community about who really created Bitcoin.

One name that constantly comes up in these discussions is Nick Szabo. A cryptographer, lawyer, and computer scientist who began contributing to the blockchain sector back in the early 90s. Think about it—Nick Szabo was working in this field long before Bitcoin appeared.

Szabo graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in computer science in 1989, then earned a PhD in law from George Washington University. In 1994, he introduced the concept of smart contracts—the idea of embedding legal guarantees directly into code. This became the foundation for the entire blockchain industry we see today.

But here’s what’s really interesting. In 1998, ten years before Satoshi published the white paper, Nick Szabo proposed bit gold—a digital currency that didn’t require intermediaries and solved the double-spending problem through proof-of-work. Sound familiar? Many consider bit gold to be a direct precursor to Bitcoin.

Szabo himself described his idea like this: “I’ve long been familiar with the concept of bit gold. The core issue is that our money depends on trust in third parties. The history of the 20th century is full of inflation and hyperinflation—it's not the best way to store value.”

Technically, Nick Szabo clearly has the skills to create Bitcoin. He has a cryptographic background, experience in blockchain, and understood the problem that needed solving. Market predictions now even include bets on who Satoshi is, with Szabo leading with double-digit odds.

There are other observations as well. Szabo’s writing style and Satoshi’s are remarkably similar—both reference economist Karl Menger. Both are obsessed with privacy. And here’s an interesting point—Nick Szabo constantly denies being Satoshi, unlike other contenders who actively claim it. History shows that those who loudly proclaim they are Satoshi are most likely not.

The HBO documentary may remain a marketing ploy, but one thing is clear—the interest in Satoshi’s identity and Nick Szabo’s role in the history of cryptocurrencies remains strong. The question of who is behind Bitcoin remains one of the most intriguing mysteries in the crypto industry.