Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, has quietly climbed into the ranks of the world's wealthiest individuals—without ever moving a coin. Following Bitcoin’s surge past $120,000 over the weekend, Nakamoto now ranks as the 11th richest person globally, with an estimated fortune of over $131 billion, according to blockchain analytics firm Arkham.
SATOSHI NAKAMOTO IS NOW THE 11TH RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD
— Arkham (@arkham) July 11, 2025
The value of Satoshi Nakamoto’s Bitcoin holdings increased by $7.4 Billion today, now worth $128.9B.
He has just overtaken Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies ($125.3B). pic.twitter.com/mzkcI2NIrr
Nakamoto is believed to hold approximately 1.096 million Bitcoins stored across thousands of early-era wallets. While those assets remain untouched, their rising value has propelled Nakamoto past tech giants like Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell, whose net worth sits at $125.1 billion.
Still, it's worth noting that Forbes does not currently include cryptocurrency holdings in its official billionaire rankings. The list is based on publicly verifiable assets like stock ownership and company valuations—making Nakamoto’s estimated ranking theoretical rather than official.
Bitcoin's Ascent and the Path to the Top
Bitcoin’s recent price surge—hitting a new all-time high just above $120,000—has intensified speculation about Nakamoto’s potential to become the richest person in the world. But there’s still a long road ahead. To claim the number one spot on Forbes' billionaire list, currently held by Elon Musk at $404 billion, Bitcoin would need to spike at least 208%, reaching approximately $370,000 per coin.
Other top contenders include Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, both with fortunes hovering around $274 billion.
Some market analysts believe Nakamoto’s climb isn’t over. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas speculated that, assuming Bitcoin grows at a historical average of 50% annually, Nakamoto could become the world’s second-richest person by sometime in 2026.
“It’s fascinating to ponder that the founder of something so successful never cashed in,” Balchunas said, drawing a comparison to Vanguard founder Jack Bogle, who also left a massive impact on finance without accumulating extreme wealth.
If bitcoin does its normal 50%/ann then Satoshi will pass Buffett this year and Zuck sometime next year-ish to be #2 richest in world (Elon has huge lead). It's fascinating to ponder that the founder of something so successful never cashed in. It echoes Jack Bogle in that regard https://t.co/tu9MRzUD5h
— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) June 2, 2025
Bitcoin Bulls Eye Bigger Numbers
Predictions for Bitcoin’s future continue to trend upward. 10x Research’s Markus Thielen sees a 60% chance of Bitcoin reaching $133,000 by September, while Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan suggested it could climb to $200,000 by the end of 2025, fueled by institutional adoption and a tightening supply. Arthur Hayes, co-founder of BitMEX, is even more bullish, projecting a $250,000 price tag by year-end.
Bitcoin’s Biggest Holders
While institutional players and companies collectively hold about 847,000 Bitcoins—or around 4% of the total supply—Nakamoto remains the largest individual holder by far.
Among other well-known Bitcoin whales: the Winklevoss twins are estimated to hold around 70,000 Bitcoins; venture capitalist Tim Draper owns approximately 30,000; and MicroStrategy co-founder Michael Saylor holds a personal stash of about 17,732, separate from his company’s substantial reserves.
