Bitcoin creator honored with statue at New York Stock Exchange

There are days when fiction seems to be overtaken by reality. A statue of Satoshi Nakamoto, the legendary creator of bitcoin, now sits on Wall Street. Yes, where once the very idea of ​​cryptocurrency scared away suits and ties. This gesture, both artistic and symbolic, marks a turning point in the history of finance. And asks this simple question: how far will bitcoin infiltrate the bastions of economic power?

The NYSE welcomes Nakamoto: a strong symbol for the future of crypto

For a long time, the New York Stock Exchange was the sanctuary of institutions, not revolutions. And yet, it is at the foot of the temple of capitalism that the sixth statue of Satoshi Nakamoto was erected. The work is signed Valentina Picozzi. It represents an anonymous hacker, sitting cross-legged, laptop on his knees. A meditative, almost mystical posture. Installed by the company Twenty One Capital, the sculpture embodies a bridge between two worlds: that of emerging systems and that of historical institutions.

In a message published on X, the NYSE underlines the scope of this initiative by mentioning “ common ground between emerging systems and established institutions “. This choice of location owes nothing to chance. It coincides with the anniversary date of the Bitcoin mailing list, launched on December 10, 2008. A clear nod to the origins of the project, as if bitcoin, after having been marginal, finally found its place in the nerve center of world finance.

There reaction from Valentina Picozzirelayed by his account @satoshigallery, says a lot about the emotion of the moment:

This is an incredible accomplishment. Even in our wildest dreams, we never imagined we could install the statue of Satoshi Nakamoto in this location. The 6th statue of Satoshi Nakamoto (out of 21) has now found its place at the NYSE.

21 statues, one legend: the world tour of the creator of bitcoin

This installation is just one step in a much larger artistic series. Valentina Picozzi’s goal? Place 21 statues of Nakamoto around the world, as a direct echo of the 21 million bitcoins that will one day be in circulation. Each work thus becomes a symbolic beacon, a ghostly presence of Nakamoto on five continents.

Previous statues have been installed in Switzerland, El Salvador, Japan, Vietnam and Miami. They all have a message in common: remembering that Nakamoto is not a name, but an idea. A vision driven by code, decentralization, and a deep desire for transparency. In an interview, the artist explains that the aim is to “give the viewer the feeling of disappearance”, as if Nakamoto continued to live “within the lines of the code”.

The work of the NYSE is making all the more noise as it occurs in a context where cryptocurrencies are increasingly establishing themselves in institutional circles. If bitcoin remains a step ahead in terms of symbolism and capitalization, projects like Ethereum or Solana are also attracting the attention of investors. But no other crypto yet matches the narrative force embodied by Nakamoto.

Another tweet from the artist already announced the next step: a new statue soon to be unveiled in a place described as “wild and significant”, a way of maintaining the “guerrilla” spirit of this initiative. A discreet, but powerful world tour.

Some benchmarks that matter

• The price of bitcoin today is close to $90,142, a dizzying high;
• The first BTC transaction? Two pizzas paid 10,000 bitcoins in 2010;
• BlackRock, a former skeptic, is now one of the converts;
• More than 3.7 million bitcoins are held by institutions or states (source: Bitbo);
• 21 statues planned, like the 21 million BTC created in total.

And as if that were not enough, daring projects are today trying to “resuscitate” Satoshi Nakamoto using AI. Yes, you read correctly: it would now be possible to communicate with him thanks to a chatbot trained on his writings. A new way to forge a link between the invisible founder and the enthusiasts who still dream of unraveling his mystery.