As the trial concludes to determine if Craig Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto, the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) and Wright will present their closing statements. Justice James Mellor has not indicated when his decision will be announced, but the outcome could have far-reaching implications for other ongoing cases.
Attorneys representing Bitcoin developers and COPA will argue that Wright is not Satoshi Nakamoto, contrary to Wright’s claims since 2016. COPA initiated the month-long trial to disprove Wright’s identity as Nakamoto and prevent him from claiming copyrights or suing under that name. Success for Wright could bolster his position in cases against exchanges like Coinbase and Kraken.
COPA, backed by industry leaders including Jack Dorsey and Coinbase, initiated legal action against Wright in 2021. During the trial, COPA’s lawyers aimed to demonstrate that Wright forged evidence supporting his identity claim and lacked the expertise to create Bitcoin.
If COPA prevails, it will seek injunctive relief to prevent Wright from claiming to be Nakamoto or asserting authorship of the Bitcoin whitepaper. Wright’s team will present its closing argument, and COPA will have a chance to rebut.
Should Wright lose, COPA asserts he would not have rights to the Bitcoin blockchain or file format nor standing to sue for intellectual property.
Justice Mellor has suspended other cases filed by Wright against crypto firms pending the outcome of this trial, recognizing the efficiency of addressing the identity issue first.
If Wright wins, the trial enters its second phase to determine the status of the Bitcoin whitepaper under the MIT open-source license.
Justice Mellor’s decision on Wright’s identity will precede rulings on costs and remedies. Wright and his attorney declined to comment on the trial’s implications.