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A public debate has emerged after Jiang Xueqin, deputy principal at Tsinghua University High School in Beijing, suggested that Bitcoin may have been created by U.S. intelligence agencies. In an interview and podcast appearance, Jiang questioned the origins of the cryptocurrency, arguing that its free release, anonymous creator, and underlying infrastructure suggest possible involvement by entities such as the CIA or DARPA.
Jiang framed his argument around three central questions: who could build Bitcoin, who benefits from it, and why its creator remained anonymous. He stated that a prolonged development effort followed by a free global release did not align with typical incentives for individual developers. Based on this reasoning, he suggested that state-backed institutions could be behind the project.
He further argued that blockchain technology may have evolved from the same research environments that produced systems such as the internet and GPS. According to Jiang, such institutions could benefit from blockchain’s structure, describing it as a system that could support both large-scale surveillance and covert financial activity.
Jiang also raised concerns about infrastructure, focusing on the physical location of servers. He stated that control over hardware could imply control over software, questioning claims about decentralization and open-source transparency. In addition, he referenced early Bitcoin investors, including the Winklevoss twins, as part of his broader inquiry into who may have had early knowledge of the system.
Bitcoin Network Structure Cited in Response
Responses to Jiang’s claims focused on the technical design of the Bitcoin network. Analysts noted that Bitcoin operates on approximately 97,000 independently run nodes distributed across 164 countries. These nodes collectively maintain the system without reliance on centralized servers, reducing the likelihood of single-point control.
The network’s security was also highlighted, with mining activity exceeding 1,000 exahashes per second. Critics stated that this level of distributed computational power supports the system’s resilience and strengthens its decentralized structure.
Some commentators directly addressed Jiang’s concerns about servers, explaining that Bitcoin does not rely on a central database or singular hardware location. Instead, data is replicated across thousands of nodes, each independently verifying transactions.
Related: The Mystery of Bitcoin’s Creator Satoshi Nakamoto Continues