On Thursday, previously unseen emails between Adam Back and the enigmatic Bitcoin creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, were disclosed in the ongoing trial between the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) and Craig Wright. Wright, who has controversially claimed to be Nakamoto, is facing legal challenges over his attempt to copyright the BTC whitepaper and related materials.
The trial, taking place in the UK, has gripped the crypto world due to its potential implications for Bitcoin’s development and the broader digital currency ecosystem. Adam Back, a pivotal figure in the cryptocurrency realm and a cited influence on Nakamoto, submitted the correspondence as part of his testimony against Wright on February 22.
COPA Trial: Unseen Emails Of Bitcoin Inventor Submitted
The emails date back to August 2008, months before Bitcoin’s official launch, revealing a dialogue between Back and Nakamoto on the technical underpinnings of what would become the first and most significant digital currency.
The first email from Nakamoto seeks to confirm the citation of Back’s Hashcash paper, an antecedent to Bitcoin’s proof-of-work mechanism. Nakamoto’s message hints at the early conceptualization of Bitcoin, noting, “I’m getting ready to release a paper that references your Hashcash paper and I wanted to make sure I have the citation right… It finds a new use for hash-based proof-of-work as a way to make e-cash work.”
Email #2: Adam’s reply
Here Adam suggests that Satoshi investigate a paper called “B-money” by Wei Dei.
Dei was a well known cryptographer working on digital cash, and is a frequently cited candidate for Satoshi. pic.twitter.com/zG5PehiBpe
— Rizzo (@pete_rizzo_) February 22, 2024
Subsequent emails showcase a technical exchange between the two, with Back suggesting Nakamoto look into the B-money proposal by Wei Dai, a concept Nakamoto admits to being previously unaware of. This acknowledgment is critical, as Wright has claimed inspiration from B-money in the creation of Bitcoin.
However, the emails suggest Nakamoto only became aware of B-money through Back, casting doubt on Wright’s narrative. During his testimony, Back emphasized the brevity and technical focus of his exchanges with Nakamoto, stating, “It was not an elaborate conversation, and we didn’t get into a great deal of detail.”
Back also took the opportunity to counter Wright’s claims regarding BTC’s genesis, asserting, “I do not believe B-Money influenced Nakamoto based on his emails.” He further challenged Wright’s assertion that Bitcoin relies on an algorithm other than Hashcash, reinforcing the significance of his own contributions to the field.
COPA has positioned the trial as a pivotal fight for the future of Bitcoin, arguing that Wright’s claims threaten to stifle innovation and intimidate developers within the space. The alliance’s legal battle against Wright aims to keep BTC’s foundational documents in the public domain, ensuring the digital currency remains an open and collaborative project.
At press time, BTC traded at $51,204.