This is Nick Szabo.
He’s a cryptocurrency legend who some people believe is Satoshi Nakamoto.
But I'd never heard of him until he broke a 5 year Twitter silence last month. So I spent hours digging into his incredible story.
Here's 7 reasons he’s a bitcoin legend:
He’s a cryptocurrency legend who some people believe is Satoshi Nakamoto.
But I'd never heard of him until he broke a 5 year Twitter silence last month. So I spent hours digging into his incredible story.
Here's 7 reasons he’s a bitcoin legend:
1. He invented Bit Gold in 1998 (One of bitcoin's direct predecessors)
It used proof-of-work puzzles, timestamping, Byzantine fault tolerance, and a growing chain of cryptographic challenges.
Many of the things bitcoin uses today originated in his design 10 years earlier.
It used proof-of-work puzzles, timestamping, Byzantine fault tolerance, and a growing chain of cryptographic challenges.
Many of the things bitcoin uses today originated in his design 10 years earlier.
2. He coined "smart contracts" in 1994
His vision: computerized protocols that execute contract terms automatically, eliminating trusted intermediaries.
He is the father of all truly decentralized finance.
His vision: computerized protocols that execute contract terms automatically, eliminating trusted intermediaries.
He is the father of all truly decentralized finance.
3. His core philosophy: "Trusted third parties are security holes"
They limit innovation, hide agendas, and create prohibitive transaction costs.
This principle became bitcoin's foundation for trustless design.
They limit innovation, hide agendas, and create prohibitive transaction costs.
This principle became bitcoin's foundation for trustless design.
4. He was an original Cypherpunk in the 1990s
He took part in the early Bay Area meetings with Timothy May and Eric Hughes and played a huge part in fighting the NSA's Clipper chip surveillance.
He took part in the early Bay Area meetings with Timothy May and Eric Hughes and played a huge part in fighting the NSA's Clipper chip surveillance.
5. The Satoshi mystery
Linguistic analysis by Aston University pointed to Szabo as the whitepaper author. Wei Dai said only "Nick Szabo and me" had the ability to build bitcoin.
Nick denies it. But even if he's not Satoshi, he's clearly one of its intellectual architects.
Linguistic analysis by Aston University pointed to Szabo as the whitepaper author. Wei Dai said only "Nick Szabo and me" had the ability to build bitcoin.
Nick denies it. But even if he's not Satoshi, he's clearly one of its intellectual architects.
6. He was an early supporter of Ethereum.
They even named an Ethereum denomination after him (the "szabo"). But he's since turned critical.
His take: "Ethereum's primary use cases are largely external to ETH's market value"
They even named an Ethereum denomination after him (the "szabo"). But he's since turned critical.
His take: "Ethereum's primary use cases are largely external to ETH's market value"
7. His blog "Unenumerated" is a treasure trove
His essay "Shelling Out" traces money's origins from shells to precious metals, showing why money needs to have unforgeable costliness.
He only posts when he has something profound to say. Every post is essential reading.
His essay "Shelling Out" traces money's origins from shells to precious metals, showing why money needs to have unforgeable costliness.
He only posts when he has something profound to say. Every post is essential reading.
It’s safe to say that Nick has played a massive role in the work that led to bitcoin’s invention.
To me, his return after 5 years signals bitcoin has reached a critical point where original cypherpunk principles need defending.
It’s good to have another cypherpunk around to offset the suitcoiners.
To me, his return after 5 years signals bitcoin has reached a critical point where original cypherpunk principles need defending.
It’s good to have another cypherpunk around to offset the suitcoiners.
If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me @TomasGreif - I'm the Chief of Product and Strategy at @BraiinsMining, for more tweets about bitcoin and mining.
2. Retweet this thread so others can learn about Nick Szabo.
1. Follow me @TomasGreif - I'm the Chief of Product and Strategy at @BraiinsMining, for more tweets about bitcoin and mining.
2. Retweet this thread so others can learn about Nick Szabo.
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