We are very proud to announce the addition of Nick Szabo to the JAN3 team as we ramp up efforts to accelerate the global adoption of Bitcoin. I’ve known Nick for nearly 10 years now and have always been a big fan of his work – collaborating on advancing Bitcoin adoption just seems like a natural next step.
Szabo's Role at JAN3
As Chief Scientist, Nick Szabo will spearhead our research initiatives to advance JAN3's mission of Accelerating Hyperbitcoinization. Nick will explore Bitcoin's implications on topics ranging from monetary policy to international trade, and financial sovereignty. His forthcoming publications will provide in-depth analyses comparable to his seminal work, "Shelling Out: The Origins of Money," which explores the historical evolution of money and its relevance to digital currencies.
Leveraging his expertise, we hope to develop innovative strategies as we engage nation-states to integrate Bitcoin into their financial systems. We believe that Nick’s insights will be instrumental in positioning Bitcoin as the new reserve asset in a modern financial system.
From Bit Gold to Smart Contracts
Nick is a renowned computer scientist, legal scholar, and cryptographer, celebrated for his pioneering work in digital contracts and currencies.
In 1998, Nick conceptualized "Bit Gold," a precursor to Bitcoin, aiming to create a decentralized digital currency that eliminated the need for trusted third parties. Although Bit Gold was never implemented, it has been called "a direct precursor to the Bitcoin architecture."
Nick is also credited with developing the concept of "smart contracts" in 1994. These are self-executing agreements embedded in code, a foundational element of various blockchain technologies today.
Nick has consistently denied being Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, but his extensive contributions to digital currency and cryptography have undeniably influenced the development of Bitcoin and other decentralized technologies.
A New Era in Global Finance
At the 2024 Plan ₿ Forum in Lugano, Nick delivered a compelling presentation on the historical evolution of international trade, payments, and the role of trust-minimized money like Bitcoin in reshaping modern finance. He emphasized how ancient trade relied on non-sovereign, globally recognized forms of money like gold and silver, which provided stability and trust across jurisdictions. Bitcoin, he argues, is a modern equivalent of these ancient technologies, offering the same trust minimization while adding global transferability and speed.
Nick noted that while Bitcoin adoption in trade is still in its early stages, companies are already developing the accounting, treasury, and operational expertise to integrate it into their workflows. This shift, he suggested, signals a return to a historically normal state of global commerce – one rooted in resilient, apolitical forms of money.
"All of the businesses that have developed treasury and accounting expertise with Bitcoin in international trade are crypto-centric companies now, but they’re paving the way for how Bitcoin can be integrated into larger, more traditional trade frameworks."
- Nick Szabo, JAN3 Chief Scientist
A next step for JAN3 will be to foster and build the tooling required to help nation-states integrate Bitcoin in the same way.
Watch Nick’s masterclass here:
A New Era for JAN3
Nick's addition to the JAN3 team marks a significant milestone in our journey towards global Bitcoin adoption. His unparalleled expertise and visionary thinking help us drive Bitcoin's integration into national economies, facilitating international trade, and enhancing global freedom.
As we continue to gather leading minds in the field, JAN3 remains steadfast in its commitment to bringing the sound money revolution mainstream, returning the power of money to individuals, rather than trusted third parties that are security holes.