Étienne Girard
Bitcoin’s meteoric rise has not only rewritten crypto history but also shaken the global billionaire rankings — and its mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, now stands ahead of Bill Gates in personal wealth.
According to Arkham Intelligence, Satoshi’s wallet — holding approximately 1.096 million BTC — is now worth $130.7 billion, making him the 12th richest person in the world. This leap pushes him ahead of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, whose net worth sits at $122 billion, ranking 15th on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Other notable names close to Satoshi’s position include Jim Walton with $125 billion and Rob Walton with $122 billion.
From Pennies to Billions
Bitcoin’s latest price rally saw it briefly trade above $124,000, giving Satoshi’s holdings a temporary peak value of $136 billion. At press time, BTC hovers just above $119,100 — still enough to keep Nakamoto comfortably in billionaire territory.
Since Bitcoin’s debut at under $1, the cryptocurrency has climbed more than 192 million percent. In 2025 alone, it’s up 105% year-to-date.
A Fortune That Remains Untouched
Despite his massive wealth, Satoshi’s wallet has remained inactive for years, with only two incoming transactions recorded in 2025:
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February 2025 – $200,000 worth of BTC from a Binance user.
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June 30, 2025 – 0.185 BTC (about $20,000) sent from an unknown address.
Analysts believe these transfers were either accidental or symbolic gifts from admirers of Bitcoin’s creator.
Other Wallet Movements
In January 2024, just after Bitcoin’s 15th anniversary, an unidentified sender deposited 26.9 BTC (then worth $1.19 million) into another genesis wallet linked to Satoshi. That address now holds 104.3 BTC, valued at about $12.4 million today.
What’s Next for Satoshi’s Ranking?
If Bitcoin’s rally continues, Satoshi Nakamoto could climb even higher on the global wealth leaderboard, potentially overtaking more of the world’s most famous billionaires — all without moving a single coin.
