A plethora of insights into the early days of cryptocurrency were recently unveiled when Martti Malmi, the earliest collaborator of Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto, published 120 pages of email exchanges between the two on GitHub on February 23.
The true identity of Nakamoto remains a subject of speculation within the cryptocurrency and blockchain community. Nevertheless, the emails, which were initially presented as evidence in a London court case filed by the Crypto Open Patent Alliance against Craig Wright, who claims to be Nakamoto, were made public by Malmi on GitHub.
Email from Satoshi Nakamoto to Malmi. Source: Satoshi – Sirius emails 2009-2011
After conducting a brief analysis of the emails, Cointelegraph found no definitive evidence or revelations that would immediately uncover Satoshi’s true identity. However, for historians and enthusiasts of Bitcoin folklore, the emails contain numerous remarkable quotes and an overall sense of Satoshi’s essence – that same style of being direct, simple yet comprehensive, and no-nonsense that characterizes the Bitcoin white paper.
Satoshi on “cryptocurrency”
Although it has long been believed that Satoshi himself coined the term “cryptocurrency,” one email sent to Malmi on June 11, 2009, seems to contradict this theory.
According to Satoshi:
To his credit, Malmi responded by saying that “it sounds good” and added that it seemed more intriguing than “digital P2P cash.”
Satoshi on anonymity
Malmi’s email exchange also showcases Satoshi’s deep understanding of anonymity, its significance, and the potential consequences of misinformation for Bitcoin.
In one email, Satoshi wrote:
The email goes on to essentially predict the emergence of blockchain forensics:
Recently disclosed emails from Satoshi unveil a wealth of fascinating early Bitcoin history.