Remembering Hal Finney: A decade after his passing, his Bitcoin legacy lives on

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the passing of Hal Finney, a renowned cryptographer and computer scientist who was instrumental in the early days of Bitcoin. Finney, who died in 2014 from complications from ALS, is celebrated for his profound contributions to Bitcoin and his foresight into the future potential of the nascent technology.

10 years ago today, Hal Finney died.

Finney was the recipient of the first Bitcoin transaction, receiving 10 #BTC from Satoshi Nakamoto.

Today, we all run #Bitcoin 🧡 pic.twitter.com/iRxgwQVNR7

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) August 28, 2024

Early in Finney’s career, he worked as a video game developer before joining PGP Corporation, where he worked on the first public key encryption programs. His interest in digital privacy led him to the cypherpunks mailing list, where he collaborated with other pioneers in the field. In 2004, Finney created the world’s first Reusable Proof of Work (RPOW), a precursor to the proof-of-work consensus mechanism behind Bitcoin.

However, Finney is probably best known for his early involvement with Bitcoin. As one of the first to recognize the revolutionary potential of Satoshi Nakamoto’s creation, Finney became an active participant in the project. He received the first Bitcoin transaction from Nakamoto himself and helped develop the protocol. His 2009 tweet, “Running bitcoin,” remains an iconic moment in Bitcoin history.

14 years ago today, cryptographer Hal Finney did the first #Bitcoin tweet ever 🧡

RIP Hal 🙏 pic.twitter.com/zsCsKEiGnO

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) January 10, 2023

Despite being diagnosed with ALS in 2009, Finney continued to contribute to Bitcoin, using eye-tracking software to code even as the disease progressed. His resilience and dedication left an indelible mark on the world and those interested in Bitcoin. “Today, I am practically paralyzed. I’m fed through a tube and my breathing is assisted through another tube,” Finney posted on the Bitcoin Talk Forum on March 19, 2013. “It’s been an adjustment, but my life isn’t too bad… I still love programming and that gives me goals…I feel comfortable with my heritage.”

As the community reflects on his legacy, here is one of the only recorded videos of Finney speaking at the Crypto 98 conference, discussing zero-knowledge proofs, shedding light on his pioneering work on cryptographic protocols.

✨New video with #Bitcoin pioneer Hal Finney unearths a 25-year-old discussion of zero-knowledge crypto

The first time I heard him speak 🧡 pic.twitter.com/SkGrnae81L

— Bitcoin History (@pete_rizzo_) September 20, 2023