Satoshi Nakamoto statue installed at the New York Stock Exchange

The statue was installed by Twenty One Capital, the first publicly traded bitcoin-native issuer, which began trading on the NYSE this week. The exchange said the installation underscores bitcoin’s cultural and technological influence and reflects a shift in how traditional financial institutions view digital assets.

Picozzi wrote that seeing her work displayed in such a setting feels almost unreal, calling it one of the most significant moments of her career. This is the sixth piece in her Satoshi series, with previous statues placed in Switzerland, El Salvador, Japan, Vietnam, and Miami. She plans to create 21 sculptures — likely a nod to bitcoin’s capped supply.

The installation coincides with a milestone in bitcoin’s early history: the anniversary of the launch of the Bitcoin mailing list on December 10, 2008. Soon after, Nakamoto mined the genesis block on January 3, 2009, setting in motion a system that would grow into a global financial phenomenon.

Bitcoin’s rise from an experimental idea to a recognized asset took more than a decade. Today, BTC reserves are held not only by private companies but also by government entities, and public and private funds collectively control more than 3.7 million bitcoins.

Institutional sentiment has shifted just as dramatically. Early skeptics — including BlackRock CEO Larry Fink — now openly support digital assets and launch major investment products. Wall Street’s interest has surged with the arrival of bitcoin ETFs and corporations adding BTC to their balance sheets.

Picozzi says her aim is to convey the disappearance of bitcoin’s creator: “The statue shows that the author remains between the lines — just as Satoshi now lives in the code.” She describes the work as a tribute to the developers who built the bitcoin ecosystem and continue to uphold its principles of transparency and decentralization.