Bitcoin’s Mainstream Milestone: Satoshi Nakamoto Statue Unveiled at New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has become the sixth host of Valentina Picozzi’s “disappearing” Satoshi Nakamoto statue, marking a significant shift from the institution’s previous stance on cryptocurrency. Just a few years ago, crypto was still considered taboo on Wall Street, but the NYSE’s recent installation of the statue signals a growing acceptance of emerging technologies. The exchange described the installation as “shared ground between emerging systems and established institutions” in a recent X post.
The statue was installed by Bitcoin (BTC) firm Twenty One Capital, which began trading this week. The design itself is the work of Picozzi, who expressed her excitement on X under her Satoshigallery handle, stating that seeing her latest piece in such a high-profile setting is “mind-blowing.” Source: New York Stock Exchange
Picozzi noted that the installation is a major achievement, even exceeding her wildest dreams. “This is such an achievement, even in our wildest dream we wouldn’t think about placing the statue of Satoshi Nakamoto in this location! The 6th/21 statues of Satoshi Nakamoto found its home in the NYSE,” she added. The installation coincides with the anniversary of the Bitcoin mailing list, which Nakamoto launched on December 10, 2008.
Bitcoin’s Journey to Mainstream Acceptance
Satoshi Nakamoto mined the genesis block on January 3, 2009, minting the first 50 Bitcoin in history and laying the foundation for the crypto industry. Over a year later, on May 22, 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz made the first documented purchase of goods using Bitcoin, paying 10,000 Bitcoin for two Papa John’s pizzas. Despite facing numerous challenges and skepticism from institutions and governments, Bitcoin has since gained widespread acceptance.
In recent years, institutions and Wall Street have scrambled to invest in cryptocurrency through vehicles like exchange-traded funds and direct holdings. Public and private companies, countries, and ETFs now collectively hold more than 3.7 million Bitcoin, worth over $336 billion, according to Bitbo. This shift in sentiment is evident in the changing views of skeptics like BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, who has reversed his stance on the technology.
More Satoshi Statues to Come
Picozzi has five other Nakamoto statues around the world, located in Switzerland, El Salvador, Japan, Vietnam, and Miami, Florida. She is committed to placing 21 statues globally, a possible reference to the theoretical 21 million Bitcoin maximum supply. Speaking to Cointelegraph last year, Picozzi described Nakamoto as one of the most intriguing and fascinating figures of this era, and the statues as a tribute to the person behind Bitcoin.
The statue itself is designed to give the viewer a sense of disappearance, symbolizing Nakamoto’s elusive presence. “The statue itself wants to give to the viewer this feeling of disappearance, and the sense that the inventor stays between the lines — as of today, Satoshi exists in the lines of the Bitcoin code, allowing humanity to have the first decentralized payment system,” Picozzi explained. The statue represents a hacker in a stereotyped pose, sitting with a laptop on their legs, and is a tribute to the developers and programmers who helped build the Bitcoin ecosystem.
