PARIS, April 2026 — The identity of Bitcoin’s creator remains one of technology’s great mysteries. At the LONGITUDE conference this month, one of the most frequently named candidates addressed the speculation directly. Blockstream CEO Adam Back called it “flattering” that people think he is Satoshi Nakamoto. His comments came during a wide-ranging discussion on cryptocurrency’s regulatory path forward in Europe and beyond.
Adam Back on the Persistent Satoshi Speculation
For years, cryptographers and journalists have analyzed early correspondence for clues. Adam Back’s name consistently surfaces. The British cryptographer invented Hashcash, a proof-of-work system that directly influenced Bitcoin’s design. At the Paris event, hosted by crypto exchange OKX, Back addressed the latest round of rumors head-on.
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“It is flattering in some sense that they think you could have done it,” Back told Cointelegraph. He was responding to a widely discussed New York Times article from April 8, 2025, which revived claims about his potential involvement. Back has consistently denied being Bitcoin’s creator.
He offered a simple explanation for why his name is linked to Satoshi. “The problem for me is I was very talkative on the mailing list,” Back said. He referred to the cryptography mailing lists of the 1990s where digital cash concepts were debated. Satoshi Nakamoto first introduced the Bitcoin white paper on such a list in October 2008.
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“So anytime anyone was talking about electronic cash, I was right there,” Back explained. “I was the reply guy with something to say about it.” This high level of engagement, he suggested, made him a visible figure in the pre-Bitcoin dialogue. The mystery endures. Back called it an “interesting question” that he and other industry veterans have considered but never solved.
MiCA Regulation: A Double-Edged Sword for Europe
While Back discussed Bitcoin’s past, other speakers focused on crypto’s regulatory present. The European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework took center stage. OKX Europe CEO Erald Ghoos declared the regulation “extremely beneficial for the industry.” His exchange was deemed fully compliant with MiCA in January 2025.
“Now it is a fully regulated asset class, which is very important,” Ghoos stated. He argued that MiCA helps build trust by ensuring participants are “vetted and held up to the highest standards.” This clarity, he suggested, is vital for mainstream adoption.
But Ghoos issued a stark warning. The very rules providing clarity could also stifle the region’s competitive edge. “Right now, because there is such a big and heavy regulatory overhead for startups, I do fear even more that the innovation and the great entrepreneurship that we have in Europe will start to shift to other jurisdictions around the world,” he said.
This tension defines the current regulatory moment. Industry leaders want clear rules but fear that excessive compliance costs will drive talent and capital elsewhere. The data supports this concern. A 2025 report by venture firm Atomico found that European tech regulation was a top concern for founders, with many considering relocation.
The Global Patchwork Problem
CertiK CEO Ronghui Gu highlighted another major issue: fragmentation. “For developers, for crypto companies in different regions, they are still under different compliance frameworks,” Gu noted. This lack of a unified global standard creates complexity and cost for firms operating internationally.
Gu also commented on proposed U.S. legislation, the CLARITY Act. The bill has faced delays, partly due to debates over how stablecoin yields might affect traditional banking. “Many terms are not that clear to be honest, and a little bit vague,” Gu said of the draft legislation. “I think different firms have different interpretations.”
Despite the ambiguity, he saw positive signals. “I would say it definitely gives a much more friendly environment to crypto companies, to developers,” Gu added. Cardano Foundation CEO Frederik Gregaard expressed stronger optimism about the U.S. bill. “You feel the vibration from the policymakers saying we are going to adopt this,” Gregaard said. “They are super stoked about it.”
Gregaard predicted dramatic growth if the CLARITY Act passes. “When this passes, from the non-TradFi adoption, you are going to see 100X,” he argued. He believes “classical industries” are waiting for regulatory certainty before fully embracing blockchain technology. However, legislative progress remains uncertain. In April 2025, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis indicated the Senate Banking Committee would not mark up the CLARITY Act that month, suggesting a potential delay.
Stablecoins: The Bridge to Real-World Payments
A separate panel delved into the rapid growth of stablecoins—digital assets pegged to stable reserves like the U.S. dollar. Christian Rau, Mastercard’s senior vice president for blockchain and digital assets, called stablecoins “very well suited for payment purposes.”
“They don’t come with the volatility of other digital assets, given that they enjoy regulatory clarity in a lot of the world,” Rau explained. He contrasted this with the traditional payments infrastructure. “The traditional payments industry does a good job of almost faking real-time payments,” Rau said.
He described the familiar credit card experience. “When I tap my card, it says transaction approved or payment made…it’s authorization, clearing, and settlement.” These back-end processes, he noted, still involve “time delays, costs, and so forth.” Stablecoins, by settling transactions on a blockchain, could potentially streamline this system.
The numbers show significant growth. Stella Development Foundation chief business officer Raja Chakravorti pointed to roughly $317 billion in stablecoin circulation as of early 2026. That figure represents an increase of about 50% from the previous year. However, Chakravorti noted a recent shift. “Over the last two quarters, that’s started to slow down a little bit,” he said.
He interpreted this cooling as a positive sign. It suggests the underlying infrastructure is maturing beyond speculative frenzy. “I think this next transition is local stablecoins,” Chakravorti predicted. “People are now very focused on creating that opportunity in their economy as super important.”
The final challenge, he said, is the “last mile”—integrating digital assets into local financial systems. “I think it is the absolute key, ultimately, that is where all the friction lies within this system,” Chakravorti concluded.
Conclusion
The LONGITUDE event in Paris captured cryptocurrency at a crossroads. Adam Back’s reflections on Satoshi Nakamoto reminded attendees of the field’s rebellious, anonymous origins. Meanwhile, executives like Erald Ghoos and Ronghui Gu grappled with the practical realities of building regulated, global businesses. The consensus was clear. Regulatory frameworks like MiCA provide needed legitimacy. But they also bring burdens that could push innovation to more lenient jurisdictions. The stablecoin discussion highlighted a potential path forward: focusing on practical utility in payments rather than pure speculation. The industry’s future may depend on balancing its disruptive past with a compliant, functional present.
FAQs
Q1: Who is Adam Back and why is he linked to Satoshi Nakamoto?
Adam Back is a British cryptographer and the CEO of Blockstream. He invented Hashcash, a proof-of-work system that influenced Bitcoin’s design. His active participation in early cryptography mailing lists where digital cash was discussed has led to persistent speculation that he is Bitcoin’s creator, which he denies.
Q2: What is the MiCA regulation?
The Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) is a regulatory framework enacted by the European Union. It establishes comprehensive rules for cryptocurrency issuers and service providers operating in the EU, aiming to provide legal clarity, consumer protection, and financial stability.
Q3: What are the main concerns about crypto regulation expressed at LONGITUDE?
Industry leaders at the event expressed concern about regulatory fragmentation across different regions and the high compliance costs for startups. They worry that excessive regulatory burdens in places like Europe could stifle innovation and push entrepreneurs to jurisdictions with lighter rules.
Q4: What is the CLARITY Act?
The CLARITY Act is proposed U.S. legislation aimed at creating a regulatory framework for digital assets. It has faced delays in the Senate, with debates ongoing about its provisions, particularly regarding stablecoins and their interaction with the traditional banking system.
Q5: Why are stablecoins considered important for payments?
Stablecoins are digital assets pegged to stable reserves like fiat currencies. They are seen as suitable for payments because they lack the price volatility of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. Executives at the event argued they could enable faster, cheaper settlement compared to some traditional payment systems.
This article was produced with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy and quality.
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