Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, became the world’s 11th richest person on Sunday after Bitcoin’s price surged to $120,000.
Nakamoto is believed to control around 1.096 million BTC stored across thousands of wallets—valued at over $131 billion based on current prices, according to blockchain analytics firm Arkham.
That would theoretically place Nakamoto just ahead of Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell, whose net worth stands at $125.1 billion, on the Forbes richest billionaires list.
However, Forbes does not include crypto wallet balances in its official rankings. The list is based on publicly verifiable assets like stocks and ownership in companies, meaning Nakamoto’s fortune remains uncounted in their official tally.
What It Would Take for Satoshi Nakamoto to Become the World’s Richest
Bitcoin broke past $120,000 on Monday, setting a new all-time high, according to Nansen data. But that price still falls short of making Satoshi Nakamoto the richest person in the world.
Currently, Elon Musk holds the top spot on Forbes’ billionaire list, with an estimated net worth of over $404 billion. He’s followed by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who are both worth around $274 billion.
For Nakamoto to surpass Musk and claim the number one position, Bitcoin would need to surge another 208% to reach approximately $370,000 per coin—assuming the net worths of other billionaires remain unchanged.
Nakamoto’s Climb Up the Billionaire Ranks Could Continue
Satoshi Nakamoto may keep rising on the billionaire list, according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas. In a June 2 post on X, Balchunas predicted that if Bitcoin continues its typical 50% annual growth, Nakamoto could become the world’s second-richest person by sometime in 2026.
“It’s fascinating to ponder that the founder of something so successful never cashed in,” Balchunas wrote, comparing Nakamoto’s restraint to that of John “Jack” Bogle, the late founder of The Vanguard Group. Bogle, despite revolutionizing investing with index funds, passed away in 2019 with a modest net worth of $80 million—far less than many of his peers.
Short-term predictions are also bullish. On Thursday, 10x Research’s head said there’s a 60% chance Bitcoin could gain 20% and hit $133,000 by September.
Other analysts are even more optimistic. Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan believes Bitcoin could reach $200,000 by the end of 2025, fueled by growing institutional demand and a supply squeeze. BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes has gone further, forecasting a $250,000 price by year’s end.
How Other Bitcoin Whales Compare to Satoshi Nakamoto
Satoshi Nakamoto remains the largest known holder of Bitcoin by a wide margin. With an estimated 1.096 million BTC, Nakamoto’s holdings far surpass those of any individual or institution.
By comparison, corporations and custodians collectively hold about 847,000 BTC—roughly 4% of Bitcoin’s fixed supply—according to data from BiTBO.
A handful of individual investors also command sizable amounts of Bitcoin, though none come close to Nakamoto. The Winklevoss twins, founders of the Gemini crypto exchange, reportedly hold around 70,000 BTC. Venture capitalist Tim Draper owns approximately 30,000, acquired during a 2014 U.S. Marshals auction.
Meanwhile, MicroStrategy co-founder Michael Saylor, known for his company’s massive Bitcoin reserves, personally owns about 17,732 BTC outside of the firm’s holdings.
