The hunt for Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin's enigmatic founder, has taken a new turn. Fresh revelations from the FBI have sparked renewed interest in the cryptocurrency mystery.
Investigative journalist Dave Troy filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. He wanted any FBI records on Satoshi Nakamoto. The request covered all FBI offices and facilities.
Troy's FOIA appeal was broad. He asked for "any and all records pertaining to Satoshi Nakamoto". This included documents that might label Nakamoto as an individual, group, or even a government entity.
The FBI's response was cryptic. They referred to Nakamoto as a "third party individual". This term is often used for foreign nationals by US intelligence agencies. It hints at possible knowledge while maintaining ambiguity.
Troy shared his thoughts on social media platform X. "FBI doubles down on its assertion that 'Satoshi Nakomoto' ... is a 'third party individual,'" he noted. This response, he said, is typical when asking about foreign nationals.
The journalist expressed concern about the FBI's interpretation. He suggested two possibilities: either the FBI knows Nakamoto's identity and won't confirm, or the FOIA office misunderstood his request.
The FBI used a "Glomar response". This legal tactic neither confirms nor denies the existence of records. It's often used when national security or privacy is at stake.
This isn't the first attempt to unmask Nakamoto through official channels. In 2018, Motherboard writer Daniel Oberhaus faced similar roadblocks. He requested emails containing Nakamoto's name from both the FBI and CIA.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin ETFs are gaining ground. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas pointed out that US spot Bitcoin ETFs now hold about 921,540 BTC. That's close to Nakamoto's estimated 1.1 million BTC stash.
"US spot bitcoin ETFs now have 84% of the Bitcoin that Satoshi has," Balchunas said. At this rate, they could surpass Nakamoto's holdings by Halloween.
The saga continues. The FBI's tight-lipped response has only added fuel to the fire. As Bitcoin's influence grows, so does the intrigue surrounding its creator. Will Satoshi Nakamoto ever step out of the shadows? For now, it's anyone's guess.