The New York Stock Exchange has recently welcomed Valentina Picozzi’s “disappearing” Satoshi Nakamoto statue as its sixth installation. This is a significant shift from just a few years ago when cryptocurrency was largely regarded as taboo on Wall Street.
As a pillar of traditional financial institutions, the NYSE’s adoption of a Nakamoto statue signifies a “shared ground between emerging systems and established institutions,” as the stock exchange stated in a recent X post.
The statue was installed by Bitcoin company Twenty One Capital, which kicked off trading this week; however, the design originates from artist Valentina Picozzi, who commented on X, via her Satoshigallery handle, that having her latest creation in such a prestigious location is “Mind-blowing.”
“This is an incredible achievement; in our wildest dreams, we would never have imagined placing Satoshi Nakamoto’s statue in this location! The 6th of 21 statues found its home at the NYSE,” she remarked.
This occasion also aligns with the anniversary of the Bitcoin mailing list, which Nakamoto initiated on Dec. 10, 2008.
Bitcoin’s evolution from concept to mainstream asset
Satoshi Nakamoto mined the genesis block on Jan. 3, 2009, creating the first 50 Bitcoin and laying the foundation for the crypto industry we know today.
Over a year later, on May 22, 2010, programmer Laszlo Hanyecz completed the first documented transaction using Bitcoin, purchasing two pizzas from Papa John’s for 10,000 Bitcoin.
Since then, Bitcoin and cryptocurrency have encountered numerous hurdles, as institutions and banks often rejected them, and governments seemingly sought to suppress their growth through initiatives like Operation Chokepoint 2.0.
However, the tide has shifted as skeptics, including BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, have reassessed their views on this technology. Institutional players and Wall Street have jumped at the chance to invest via vehicles like exchange-traded funds and by holding Bitcoin directly in their treasuries.
Public and private entities, nations, and ETFs now together hold over 3.7 million Bitcoin, according to Bitbo, which is valued at over $336 billion.
More Satoshi statues on the way
Picozzi has five other Nakamoto statues situated globally, located in Switzerland, El Salvador, Japan, Vietnam, and Miami, Florida.
Related: Disappearing Satoshi statue in Lugano took 21 months to create, says artist
Picozzi, through her Satoshigallery account, mentioned her goal of placing 21 statues around the world, likely referencing the theoretical maximum supply of 21 million Bitcoin.
In a conversation with Cointelegraph last year, she emphasized that Nakamoto is one of the most captivating figures of this era, and the statues stand as a homage to the individual behind Bitcoin.
“The statue aims to evoke a sense of disappearance, embodying the idea that the inventor exists within the lines — as of today, Satoshi resides in the code of Bitcoin, enabling humanity to utilize the first decentralized payment system,” she articulated.
“It portrays a hacker in a conventional stance, seated with a laptop on his lap, serving as a tribute to all developers and programmers worldwide who contributed to building the Bitcoin ecosystem while advocating for transparency and freedom.”
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