Craig Wright claims he is the enigmatic Bitcoin inventor

Craig Wright, the man already suspected of being the inventor of Bitcoin, has today come out and publicly claimed that he is indeed responsible for the cryptocurrency. The BBC reports that Wright "has provided technical proof to back up his claim using coins known to be owned by Bitcoin's creator" and that prominent Bitcoin community members have also corroborated his claim. Beside the mystery of how Bitcoin actually works, the biggest puzzle around the digital currency was its origination, long attributed to the name of "Satoshi Nakamoto." Wright has now confessed that was his pseudonym, revealing his true identity in what he says is an effort to restore the privacy of the people around him.

While the BBC sounds convinced by Wright's assertions, The Economist is another publication that had been briefed ahead of time and its perspective is more cagey. The magazine retains a measure of skepticism, noting that "it may never be possible to establish beyond reasonable doubt who really created bitcoin." For his part, Wright has gone to great lengths to deny he is courting publicity and fame, claiming that he would "never, ever accept a cent" (though he could still theoretically accept Bitcoin). A brief video interview with the BBC is, according to Wright, the one and only time he'll be in front of the media's cameras.

• SourceLondon Review of Books BBC The Economist Craig Wright