GM Explorer,

It's a countdown to HBO's new documentary, which claims to reveal Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity.

But before then, speculations are swirling in the crypto space, and the bets are rolling in!

Here’s what we got for you today:

• 🧑‍💼 Top contenders for Bitcoin creator's identity!

• 😤 Mark Cuban’s bold critique of Gensler!

• 🧱 Around The Block: The SEC is now under massive scrutiny following XRP appeal.

🧑‍💼 Top Contenders for Bitcoin Creator's Identity!

Remember the HBO documentary that claims to uncover the mysterious identity of Bitcoin's creator, Satoshi Nakamoto?

It has not been released yet, but Polymarket, a prediction platform, is abuzz with bets.

One of the top contenders at a point was Adam Back (CEO of Blockstream) after being named by Samson Mow, a prominent Bitcoin advocate.

Mow’s cryptic tweet caused a surge in bets on Polymarket, with Adam Back briefly taking the top spot at 76%.

However, that percentage has since dropped, especially as Back quickly shut down the claim, saying Mow was just joking.

Despite his denial, Back’s early contributions to Bitcoin—like his invention of Hashcash, a key element of Bitcoin's design—keep him at the center of ongoing speculation.

Computer scientist Nick Szabo now leads with 27.9% odds, surpassing cryptographer Len Sassaman, who initially topped the charts.

Szabo is known for Bit Gold, which is seen as a precursor to Bitcoin because it contained a peer-to-peer network, proof-of-work mining, and cryptography concepts that were later built on Bitcoin.

This has led to long-standing rumors that he’s Nakamoto, although he denies it.

As for Sassaman, who died in 2011, his odds dropped after the documentary's producer, Cullen Hoback, claimed to have confronted his Nakamoto pick in person.

Hoback’s claim would also rule out Hal Finney, an American software developer who received the first Bitcoin transaction from Nakamoto before passing away in 2014.

The big question now is who the documentary will reveal as the real Satoshi Nakamoto. We’ll find out soon enough when the documentary airs on October 9.

And guess what else? The documentary is expected to land on a specific name!

Click here for more details!

 😤 Mark Cuban’s Bold Critique of Gensler!

Billionaire Mark Cuban is back in the headlines; this time, he's not holding back!

He openly criticized SEC Chair Gary Gensler for his heavy-handed approach to crypto regulation.

According to Cuban, Gensler is stuck in a regulatory time warp and clinging to the 1946 Howey Test like it's the only playbook available.

For those unfamiliar with it, the Howey Test determines if an asset is a security based on whether it’s part of a common enterprise with a reasonable expectation of profit from the efforts of others.

But Cuban isn't shy about calling this outdated.

He pointed out that while Gensler insists “everything applies to Howey,” he conveniently overlooks a later ruling called Reves v. Ernst & Young, which provides a more modern perspective on financial products.

Cuban cleverly compares stock lending to loaning out Bitcoin, asking, “If it’s not a security to loan out a share of stock, then why is it a security to loan out Bitcoin?”

It’s a thought-provoking question that raises eyebrows, right?

He further went on to describe Gensler’s style as “regulation through litigation.”

Cuban claims Gensler prefers to sue first and ask questions later, hoping the courtroom drama will magically result in a set of rules everyone can follow.

Instead of laying down clear regulatory frameworks, Cuban believes Gensler focuses on making life tougher for companies trying to register their tokens.

He even argues that if the U.S. had taken notes from Japan on crypto regulation—requiring 95% collateral and keeping 95% of assets in cold storage—failed exchanges like FTX and Three Arrows Capital might still be thriving today.

In Cuban’s eyes, Gensler’s regulatory style is like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole—there’s just no way to fit it all together without a clear, thoughtful framework.

To sum it up, Cuban advocates for a more sensible regulatory environment that allows innovation to flourish instead of a system that feels like a legal minefield.

But what’s your take? Do you really see this changing with Gensler still in charge?

You can watch the entire interview here!

🧱 Around The Block

• The SEC is now under massive scrutiny following XRP appeal.

• Japan's Metaplanet buys another $6.7M worth of Bitcoin.

• Vitalik Buterin donates 100 Ethereum (ETH) to Tornado Cash developer Roman Storm’s legal defense fund.

• El Salvador’s bonds spike despite Bitcoin criticism.

• Mayor of Rockdale says Bitcoin mining saved the town’s economy.

• Crypto hacker pleads guilty for stealing over $37 Million in cryptocurrency.

• New Ethereum upgrade could reduce block time by 33% and increase throughput by 50%.

That's all we've got for you today.

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Catch you soon.

DISCLAIMER: None of this is financial advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not investment advice or a solicitation to buy or sell assets or make financial decisions.