Stolen Statue of Bitcoin Founder Satoshi Nakamoto Retrieved from Lake Lugano Following Defacement Incident
In a regrettable turn of events, the Satoshi Nakamoto statue in Lugano, Switzerland, was vandalized and stolen over the weekend. The statue, a symbol of Bitcoin's decentralized philosophy, was crafted from 304 stainless steel and corten blocks and unveiled in October 2024 during the Plan B Forum, a blockchain conference co-hosted by Lugano and stablecoin issuer Tether.
The incident, believed to have been committed by a group of intoxicated individuals or partygoers celebrating Swiss National Day on August 1, 2025, saw the statue forcibly removed from its base using industrial tools and thrown into Lake Lugano (Lake Ceresio). Municipal workers retrieved the pieces of the statue from the lake on Monday.
Italian artist and Bitcoin advocate Valentina Picozzi, who operates under Satoshigallery, a copyrighted artistic project aimed at connecting people to Bitcoin culture through art and iconography, has expressed her willingness to recreate the statue at her own expense, pending logistical and security support from the City of Lugano.
A Change.org petition led by Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino is urging city officials to support the restoration and reinstallation of the statue in a more secure location. The petition has successfully gathered over 1,000 signatures, and city officials have pledged to assist in the restoration efforts. Organizers of the petition have also pledged to cover the costs for the statue's restoration.
The Satoshi Nakamoto statue is part of a growing global movement to create physical tributes to Bitcoin and its mysterious founder. Other notable monuments include a mirrored-face bust in Budapest's Graphisoft Park, a giant inflatable "Bitcoin rat" placed outside the Federal Reserve in New York City, and the world's first Bitcoin monument, erected in Slovenia. Satoshigallery has declared their commitment to install similar statues in 21 locations worldwide.
The statue's unveiling in Tokyo marked the installation of Satoshigallery's third statue. The artwork took 21 months to plan and construct. Despite the vandalism, the statue's symbolic value remains undiminished, representing the enduring influence of Bitcoin's decentralized philosophy.
Bitcoin's anonymous creator, with an estimated 1.096 million BTC holdings worth over $125 billion at current prices, ranks among the world's wealthiest individuals. The recovery and restoration of the Satoshi Nakamoto statue in Lugano serve as a reminder of the enduring power and allure of this revolutionary digital currency.
- Valentina Picozzi, an Italian artist and Bitcoin advocate, has expressed her willingness to recreate the vandalized and stolen Satoshi Nakamoto statue in Lugano, Switzerland, at her own expense, pending logistical and security support from the City of Lugano.
- A Change.org petition led by Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino is urging city officials to support the restoration and reinstallation of the Satoshi Nakamoto statue in a more secure location, and has already successfully gathered over 1,000 signatures.
- The Satoshi Nakamoto statue, a symbol of Bitcoin's decentralized philosophy, was crafted from 304 stainless steel and corten blocks and was part of a growing global movement to create physical tributes to Bitcoin and its mysterious founder.
- Other notable monuments to Bitcoin include a mirrored-face bust in Budapest's Graphisoft Park, a giant inflatable "Bitcoin rat" placed outside the Federal Reserve in New York City, and the world's first Bitcoin monument, erected in Slovenia, demonstrating the increasing appreciation and fascination for Bitcoin's technology and culture.
- Satoshigallery, the copyrighted artistic project behind the Satoshi Nakamoto statue, has declared their commitment to install similar statues in 21 locations worldwide, capitalizing on the appeal and enduring power of this crypto-currency.
