Key Takeaways:
- The Satoshi Nakamoto statue in Lugano was recovered from Lake Lugano after being vandalized and removed from its base.
- The art collective Satoshigallery had offered a 0.1 BTC reward for its return; the statue was found in pieces but not stolen for profit.
- The statue, created by Valentina Picozzi, symbolizes Bitcoin’s legacy and has sparked strong reactions across the crypto community.
The iconic statue honoring Bitcoin’s mysterious creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, has been recovered after being reported stolen in Lugano, Switzerland.
The art collective Satoshigallery, which installed the statue in Parco Ciani, revealed that municipal workers found it in Lake Lugano, broken into pieces.
We want to thank the Municipality of Lugano @luganomycity for helping us to recover the statue that was thrown into the lake.
— Satoshigallery (@satoshigallery) August 3, 2025
🙏🏻 https://t.co/UyKhyBvt1m pic.twitter.com/qaHFWXIHRs
The damage suggests vandalism rather than theft for profit, as the sculpture had only been lightly welded at its feet.
Satoshigallery had offered a 0.1 BTC reward – worth over $11,000 – for its return.
Created by Italian artist and Bitcoin advocate Valentina Picozzi, the statue was unveiled in October 2024 after 21 months of planning and has since become a global symbol of the Bitcoin movement.
The crypto community reacted strongly to the incident, with Gabor Gurbacs of Pointsville condemning the act as “tasteless and stupid,” while others speculated it may have been the work of intoxicated revelers celebrating Swiss National Day.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino acknowledged the recovery with a heart emoji, while Satoshigallery reaffirmed its mission to install 21 statues globally, declaring, “You can steal our symbol, but you will never be able to steal our souls.”
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