Yigit Taha OZTURK 
The anonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, may now be wealthier than Bill Gates, according to new on-chain research. Conor Grogan, director at Coinbase, revealed that wallets believed to belong to Nakamoto hold a total of 1.096 million Bitcoin, with a total value exceeding $108 billion.
New Research Uncovers Satoshi’s Bitcoin Holdings
Crypto analytics firm Arkham Intelligence has identified additional Bitcoin addresses potentially linked to Nakamoto. On February 5, Grogan stated in an X post that these discoveries could make Satoshi wealthier than Gates:
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“This research points to Satoshi owning 1.096M BTC, worth $108B, making them wealthier on paper than Bill Gates.”
According to Forbes rankings, former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates’ net worth is approximately $106 billion. If these findings about Nakamoto’s holdings are accurate, Satoshi would become the 16th richest person in the world, surpassing Gates.
Can Kraken Reveal Satoshi Nakamoto’s Identity?
The research suggests that the centralized crypto exchange (CEX) Kraken may possess data related to Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity. Nakamoto’s last known CEX transactions reportedly occurred in 2014 through Cavirtex, a Canadian exchange acquired by Kraken in 2016.
Conor Grogan pointed out that Kraken might have historical records that could provide clues about Nakamoto’s true identity:
“Cavirtex was purchased by Kraken in 2016. If this exchange retained any KYC (Know Your Customer) data, Kraken CEO Jesse Powell may have information on Satoshi’s true identity.”
Grogan also advised Kraken to delete any such data to maintain user privacy.
Did Cavirtex Lack KYC Requirements?
Despite speculation that Kraken could uncover Nakamoto’s identity, Cavirtex’s KYC policies may not have been stringent enough to hold such information.
- Until 2014, many crypto exchanges did not require users to verify their identities.
- Kraken introduced KYC verification in 2014, but it only became mandatory for all users in 2017-2018.
- There are no records confirming that Cavirtex enforced KYC procedures before its acquisition by Kraken in 2016.
Kraken has yet to make an official statement regarding whether any records related to Nakamoto’s identity exist.
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