Following the premiere of HBO’s documentary titled “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Enigma” on October 8th, economist Peter Schiff expressed his dismay at being left out of the film.
Quest for Satoshi
The documentary hinted at Bitcoin [BTC] developer Peter Todd as a potential Satoshi Nakamoto, which sparked controversy.
However, Todd firmly denied the speculation by stating,
“I am not Satoshi.”
This claim was also refuted by Dogecoin [DOGE] founder Billy Markus, who rejected the notion on X (previously Twitter). Markus mentioned,
“Peter Todd is a seasoned core developer, but not the originator.”
Asked about his thoughts on Nakamoto’s true identity, Markus suggested,
“Hal Finney and associates.”
Peter Schiff’s Critique of HBO Documentary
After viewing Cullen Hoback’s documentary and observing his absence as a prominent skeptic of digital assets, Schiff voiced his disappointment.
“Just finished watching @CullenHoback’s latest #Bitcoin documentary on HBO. Given my status as the most recognized Bitcoin detractor within the Bitcoin space, my omission was quite striking.”
In response to Schiff’s remarks, Hoback explained,
“We had a limited number of dissenters! @Nouriel was the primary critic. Multiple interviews were conducted, including with Dr. Doom who had interactions with figures like @rogerkver. His interview was particularly engaging.”
Subsequently, the discussion intensified as several participants chimed in, mocking Schiff for viewing himself as a crucial personality in the argument. Many questioned the rationale behind considering a skeptic like him for a documentary focused on Nakamoto.
Schiff swiftly countered such criticisms, reiterating his stance with increased vigor. He remarked,
Are Schiff’s Assertions Valid?
Undoubtedly, Schiff’s disparagement of Bitcoin is widely acknowledged within the crypto community. During a recent debate where Jack Mallers from Strike supported BTC, Schiff championed gold, asserting,
“I do not believe BTC meets the criteria as money.”
He also highlighted the absence of intrinsic value in Bitcoin, arguing that the enthusiasm around cryptocurrencies has diverted attention from gold’s remarkable performance reaching new highs.
It’s pertinent to note that in the context of the aforementioned documentary, data from Polymarket indicated that over 95% of respondents do not anticipate confirming Satoshi’s identity in Q4 of this year.