A symbolic statue dedicated to the elusive creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, has gone missing from Lugano’s Parco Ciani.
The artwork, unveiled in late 2023, mysteriously disappeared over the weekend, prompting its organizers to offer a 0.1 BTC bounty for information that could help track it down.
The piece was part of the Satoshigallery initiative, which aims to place Nakamoto statues in 21 cities globally. Their response to the theft was defiant: “You can steal our symbol, but not our souls,” the group posted on X.
Crafted from stainless steel and corten by Italian artist Valentina Picozzi, the statue was designed to appear faceless—and even vanish—when viewed from certain angles. The illusion represented Bitcoin’s anonymous origins and Nakamoto’s universal identity.
Originally installed during Lugano’s Plan B Forum, a blockchain event backed by the city and Tether, the statue stood in front of Villa Ciani as a marker of Lugano’s digital ambitions. Mayor Michele Foletti had praised it as a symbol of the city’s innovation-driven future.
This isn’t the first public homage to Nakamoto. In Budapest, a mirrored bronze statue stands with a reflective face, inviting onlookers to see themselves in Bitcoin’s pseudonymous founder.
The theft comes as interest in Nakamoto surges again. With Bitcoin recently crossing $120,000, the figure is now believed to be worth over $131 billion, making Nakamoto the 11th richest person on Earth—at least on paper.
Kosta Gushterov
Reporter at Coindoo
Kosta joined the team in 2021 and quickly established himself with his thirst for knowledge, incredible dedication, and analytical thinking. He not only covers a wide range of current topics, but also writes excellent reviews, PR articles, and educational materials. His articles are also quoted by other news agencies.
Source: https://coindoo.com/who-stole-satoshi-bitcoin-statue-vanishes-in-switzerland/