On December 5th appearance On CNBC’s “The Exchange,” Mike Novogratz, CEO and founder of Galaxy, provided insight into Bitcoin’s meteoric rise while making a startling comment that reignited curiosity about the mysterious figure behind it all: Satoshi Nakamoto.
Historical landmark for Bitcoin
As Bitcoin reached the symbolic milestone of $100,000 — an extraordinary rise from a concept outlined in a white paper just 15 years ago — Novogratz took a moment to praise the community that has pushed the adoption of the digital asset. He emphasized the grassroots nature of Bitcoin’s growth, saying: “If Satoshi were alive, because I don’t think he is, I’m sure he would have a big smile on his face.”
This remark, delivered in a matter-of-fact tone, underscores the enduring conundrum facing the pseudonymous BTC creator. Although Satoshi’s identity has never been confirmed, the suggestion of his death is a topic rarely addressed directly by prominent figures in the industry.
“It’s an amazing technology, and it’s actually a social construct that people learn to understand each other. In many ways, this is the greatest example of a broad coalition of people coming together to do something amazing. Before we talk about the price,” the Galaxy CEO added: “I want to recognize the moment when assets reach $2 trillion in 15 years, where the idea of a man coming out is absolutely astonishing.”
Novogratz, one of Bitcoin’s early investors, discussed the enormous wealth generated by the digital asset. He described the past three months as “the largest individual wealth gains in history for 25- to 45-year-olds” due to the doubling of Bitcoin prices.
The CEO stressed the importance of this generational shift in wealth, emphasizing that it will have a real economic impact: “22.23% of wealth shocks are spent on consumption… People will buy houses and cars… It will be interesting to see if a bank has The Federal Reserve inputs to increase consumption of these massive wealth gains.
Novogratz also acknowledged the deep-rooted conviction of many cryptocurrency holders, noting that even those who have made significant gains are still hesitant to sell. He framed Bitcoin as closely tied to belief systems rather than just asset allocation: “It’s more of a belief system than that, even than it is a financial asset for a lot of people.”
While he praised Bitcoin’s global growth based on the alliance, he warned that volatility is inevitable. High leverage in markets guarantees tough moments ahead, he said: “I can guarantee to all of you listening, there will be at least one brutal pullback, if not two, that will test your spirit.”
Turning to the political scene, Novogratz spoke optimistically about the regulatory approach that the next US administration will follow. He portrayed the recent period as one of “four years of terrible regulation,” stressing that the Trump administration and regulatory appointments could support growth and innovation in the digital assets sector.
“We have a president now who, like it or not, is great for the cryptocurrency industry,” he concluded. He said early on that he would be a crypto president, a bitcoin president, and a Cabinet full of believers, full of people who are short on crypto.
At press time, Bitcoin was trading at $97,587.
Featured image created with DALL.E, a chart from TradingView.com
The post Bitcoin’s Creator Dead? Novogratz Questions Satoshi’s Fate first appeared on Investorempires.com.