A statue honoring the unknown creator of Bitcoin (BTC), Satoshi Nakamoto, has been stolen from Parco Ciani in Lugano, Switzerland. The artwork, meant to represent the anonymous spirit behind the top coin, disappeared less than a year after it was installed. The theft has shocked the local community and the global crypto world. Reward Offered for Information The group behind the statue, known as Satoshigallery, confirmed the theft on August 3. They are offering a reward of 0.1 Bitcoin, currently worth over $11,000, for any information that helps recover the missing statue. Despite the setback, the group says it will continue its plan to place Satoshi statues in 21 cities around the world. The number was chosen to reflect Bitcoin’s fixed supply of 21 million coins. The theft is a setback for this vision, but local leaders and the crypto community have promised to keep moving forward. A Work of Art With a Deeper Meaning The Satoshi Nakamoto statue was designed by Italian artist Valentina Picozzi. It was made from 304 stainless steel and corten blocks. The artwork showed a hooded, faceless figure sitting at a laptop. The statue was designed to disappear when viewed from the front or back, just like the real Satoshi, who has never revealed their identity. The design process took 18 months of research and three months to build. The statue was unveiled in October 2024 during the Plan B Forum. This was an annual blockchain event organized by the City of Lugano and the stablecoin company Tether. It was placed in front of Villa Ciani, a historical building near Lake Lugano. At the unveiling, Lugano’s mayor, Michele Foletti, called the statue a symbol of the city’s support for digital technology. The mayor said Lugano is rapidly becoming a leading hub for digital innovation. He added that the statue honors Satoshi Nakamoto, but also shows the forward-thinking spirit that drives our city. Not the First Tribute to Satoshi Nakamoto Meanwhile, this stolen artwork is not the only statue made in honor of Satoshi Nakamoto. In 2021, a bronze statue was placed in Graphisoft Park in Budapest, Hungary. That artwork had a mirrored face, so that anyone looking at it would see their own reflection. It was meant to show that “we are all Satoshi.” Also, a small Italian town of Fornelli is preparing to unveil a public monument dedicated to the mysterious creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. Satoshi remains one of the most mysterious figures in modern history. The person or group behind the name is believed to hold about 1.096 million Bitcoin. When the flagship crypto hit $120,000 last month, Satoshi’s fortune soared past $131 billion. That made the mysterious Bitcoin creator the 11th richest person in the world . However, Satoshi’s wallets have never been touched, which only adds to the mystery. The post Satoshi Nakamoto Statue Stolen in Lugano, Sparks Global Search appeared first on TheCoinrise.com .
