How did Hal Finney and the phrase “Running Bitcoin” become a historical symbol?

On January 10, 2009, when Bitcoin was still an almost anonymous experiment, a brief status update quietly entered history. Hal Finney – a veteran cypherpunk and renowned cryptographer – simply wrote two words: “Running Bitcoin.” That moment marked the first Bitcoin node in the world operated by someone other than Satoshi Nakamoto, opening a new chapter in the decentralized journey of this network. The First Bitcoin Node Outside Satoshi and the Historic Transaction Hal Finney was not only the first to run Bitcoin after Satoshi; he was also the first to receive Bitcoin in history. Immediately after the Bitcoin software became stable, Satoshi Nakamoto sent Finney 10 BTC as a test of the peer-to-peer transaction system. Converted at current prices, that Bitcoin amount is worth over $900,000 USD. However, the historical and symbolic value of this transaction far exceeds monetary worth. It proves that Bitcoin is no longer just a paper idea or a personal project but has begun operating in the real world. Hal Finney’s Solid Academic Foundation Born on May 4, 1956, Hal Finney was one of the most technically skilled figures in the cryptography community. Before Bitcoin’s creation, he was famous for his contributions to PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) – a foundational encryption technology for email security and private communication. When Satoshi published the Bitcoin Whitepaper at the end of 2008, Finney was among the first to respond positively. He quickly participated in testing the software, provided technical feedback, and exchanged ideas directly with Satoshi during the earliest stages of the project. Why Did Hal Finney Become the Focus of Satoshi Nakamoto Identity Rumors? His early involvement, advanced technical skills, and close relationship with Satoshi led many to suspect that Hal Finney was the real Satoshi Nakamoto multiple times. These rumors intensified in 2024 when HBO released the documentary series “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,” claiming to reveal the true identity behind Bitcoin. Proponents of the “Finney is Satoshi” hypothesis often cite: Deep cryptographic knowledgeParticipation from the early daysBeing the first to receive BTCSimilar technical writing style in initial exchanges Counterarguments Against the Hypothesis That Hal Finney Is Satoshi However, the Bitcoin community has also presented strong evidence against this theory. Laszlo Hanyecz, a famous programmer known for buying pizza with 10,000 BTC, once said that Satoshi seemed unfamiliar with the Mac OS operating system. Meanwhile, Hal Finney was a regular Mac user – a small but notable detail. Additionally, Jameson Lopp, co-founder of the crypto custody company Casa, provided more convincing evidence: In an email chain between Satoshi and another developer, the last email was sent just minutes before Hal Finney completed a marathon he was participating in. This almost rules out the possibility of Finney running a marathon and playing the role of Satoshi at the same time. The Final Years and the Legacy Left Behind Hal Finney passed away in 2014 after a long battle with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) – a rare and devastating neurological disease. He died at age 58, when Bitcoin was still in its early development stage, not yet reaching the global influence it has today. Nevertheless, Finney’s contributions have become an irreplaceable foundation in Bitcoin’s history. He not only helped verify the system’s feasibility but also served as a living testament to the cypherpunk spirit: believing in personal freedom, privacy, and decentralized technology. “Running Bitcoin” – The Moment Bitcoin Emerged from the Shadow of Its Creator More than 15 years have passed, and the phrase “Running Bitcoin” is now regarded as a historical artifact, symbolizing the moment Bitcoin began to step out of Satoshi’s shadow and become a community asset. Hal Finney’s story reminds us that: Bitcoin was not born by a lone genius but by a small group of silent, dedicated individuals who absolutely believed in an unprecedented idea. And among them, Hal Finney will forever be associated with the moment Bitcoin truly came to life.