In the Swiss city of Lugano, unknown individuals have stolen the famous “Disappearing Statue of Satoshi Nakamoto,” which was installed in the Chiani Park as a symbol of the anonymity of Bitcoin’s creator and the idea of collective identity among crypto enthusiasts. The project’s initiators have already confirmed the disappearance of the artwork.
This is reported by Business • Media
Details of the Incident and Reward Promise
The local authorities and organizers have announced a reward of 0.1 BTC (equivalent to approximately $14,000 at the time of writing) for any information that could help recover the sculpture. The statue is the work of Italian artist Valentina Piccozzi and is made of stainless steel and corten blocks. A distinctive feature of the art object is the “disappearing” effect — when viewed from the front or back, the figure becomes almost invisible, symbolizing the mystery of Nakamoto’s identity and the idea that “we are all Satoshi.”
“You can steal our symbol, but you will never be able to steal our souls,” the organizers wrote.
History and Significance of the Statue
The Satoshigallery project, which initiated the installation of the monument, is implementing a large-scale initiative to establish similar sculptures in 21 cities around the world. Despite the incident, representatives of the organization assure their determination to continue their activities.
The statue was presented in October 2024 in front of the Chiani Villa during the Plan B forum, which is organized annually by the city of Lugano in collaboration with the stablecoin issuer Tether. The concept development took a year and a half, while the sculpture’s production took three months. The city’s mayor, Michele Folletti, previously emphasized that this statue not only pays tribute to Satoshi Nakamoto but also highlights Lugano’s ambition to become a leader in digital innovation and blockchain economy.
It is worth noting that this is not the first monument honoring the creator of Bitcoin: in 2021, a bronze statue with a mirrored face was installed in Budapest, allowing everyone to see themselves in the role of Satoshi. Such initiatives, according to the authors, emphasize the universality and anonymity of Nakamoto’s idea.
Earlier, it was reported that crypto lawyer James Murphy filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to reveal the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto.