The statue of Bitcoin’s pseudonymous founder Satoshi Nakamoto was recently the victim of vandalism, stolen, shattered, and drowned for reasons unknown.
Satoshi disappears, again
On August 3, 2025, Satoshigallery—the creators behind the Satoshi Nakamoto statue—announced that the symbolic artwork had been stolen from its site in Lugano, Switzerland. Installed just a year ago, the life-sized black steel sculpture depicts a hooded figure seated cross-legged, its fragmented, fading design symbolizing the mystery surrounding Bitcoin’s (BTC) elusive founder.
The statue was entirely removed from its base, with only the bolted feet left behind. While specific details about the theft remain limited, the Satoshigallery team has offered a 0.1 BTC reward for any information leading to the statue’s recovery.
“We are offering 0.1 BTC to whoever helps us recover the Statue of Satoshi Nakamoto that was stolen yesterday in Lugano,” the team posted on X.
Just hours later on the same day, the Satoshigallery team confirmed that the statue had been found—discarded in a nearby lake. However, it was far from intact. The statue had been broken into pieces, indicating it was deliberately vandalized by those responsible for the theft.
Who stole the Satoshi statue?
In their update, Satoshigallery thanked the city of Lugano for assisting in the statue’s recovery but refrained from disclosing specific details about the incident.
However, an X user named Gritto shed some light on what might have occurred. According to him, a group of intoxicated young people were seen celebrating near the statue late on August 1st—Swiss National Day. He noted that the area was bustling with activity, particularly around an open-air café located next to the statue.
Gritto, who claims to have been at the park that night, recalled that the statue was still intact at the time. He suggested the group of intoxicated revelers—possibly looking to cause some trouble—may have targeted the statue during their drunken mischief. Since it was only welded at two points, it wouldn’t have taken much effort to dislodge it. He speculated that the group likely tossed it into the nearby lake when they realized they couldn’t carry it any farther without attracting attention, given the statue’s weight and the area’s security presence.
News of the incident spread quickly throughout the community, sparking outrage and concern among many who saw it as a serious act of vandalism.
Bitcoin community riled
One Bitcoiner, Morfeo, took to X to denounce the act as “an absolute disgrace,” echoing the widespread disappointment over the damage to the symbolic statue. Former VanEck executive Gabor Gurbacs also criticized the theft and vandalism, calling it “tasteless” and urging authorities to pursue legal action to identify and hold the culprits accountable.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino, who had earlier called for swift action following the statue’s disappearance, joined the conversation again—this time celebrating its recovery.
Despite the public outcry, Satoshigallery has not yet revealed who was behind the act or the motives behind it. Whether legal proceedings will follow remains uncertain. The Satoshi Nakamoto statue is one of only three in existence, with the others located in Tokyo and El Salvador. In response to the incident, a petition has been launched calling for the damaged statue in Lugano to be restored.
