A statue honoring Bitcoin’s pseudonymous founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, has gone missing from its display location in Lugano, Switzerland.
The statue, one of three created in tribute to Nakamoto, was last seen in Villa Ciani park before being stolen.
Where is the Satoshi Nakamoto Statue?
On August 2, reports emerged confirming the theft of the Satoshi Nakamoto statue.
The first indication of the statue’s disappearance came from a social media user, Gritto, who shared their concerns online.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino reacted to the news by stating that an unknown individual was responsible for the statue’s removal.
In the aftermath, Gritto shared his own theory about the statue’s disappearance.
He claimed to have seen the statue intact on the night of August 1, Swiss National Day, just before a group of intoxicated individuals passed by it.
Gritto claimed the group could have easily moved the statue, which was secured by only two points. He suggested they could have thrown it into the nearby lake without being noticed.
“There are cameras everywhere in the city so i assume, they just threw it inside the lake beside, before going home. No way, they could have carried it unnoticed in the city. So my opinion: it is in the lake, just beside its previous location,” Gritto stated.
0.1 Bitcoin Bounty Offered to Recover the Stolen Artwork
Meanwhile, the Bitcoin-centered organization, Satoshi Gallery, has launched a bounty to recover the stolen artwork.
The organization is offering 0.1 BTC, valued at approximately $11,359, to anyone who provides information leading to the statue’s return.
Plan B, a Tether-backed initiative, and the City of Lugano originally unveiled the statue in October 2024.
The statue stood in front of Villa Ciani, symbolizing Satoshi Nakamoto’s vision for Bitcoin. It also represented his retreat from the public eye after creating the cryptocurrency.
Notably, its unique design allows it to disappear from view as the observer changes perspective gradually. This represents Satoshi’s elusive nature and the ongoing legacy of his creation.
The Lugano statue is part of a global effort to commemorate Nakamoto’s legacy through 21 identical installations worldwide.
Since its debut in Lugano, organizers have unveiled two more statues—one in El Zonte, El Salvador (known as Bitcoin Beach), and another in Tokyo, Japan, in April 2025.
Despite the setback in Switzerland, the Satoshi Gallery has reaffirmed its commitment to the initiative.
The group already revealed plans to install 18 more statues in key locations worldwide. This effort will continue its mission to celebrate Bitcoin’s origins and decentralized ethos.
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