Craig Wright Attempts to Copyright the Satoshi White Paper and Bitcoin Code

Craig Wright, the self-proclaimed creator of bitcoin, has filed registrations with the U.S. Copyright Office supporting his claims of authorship over the original bitcoin code and the Satoshi white paper.

The registrations, which are visible here and here, pertain specifically to "Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System" and "Bitcoin," meaning the original 2009 code.

A press release sent to CoinDesk states:

Founding President Jimmy Nguyen commented in the release:

To be clear, registration does not imply ownership nor is this an official patent. The copyright process allows anyone to register anything in an effort to prepare, say, for lawsuits associated to ownership.

Computer code and white papers can be copyrighted insofar as they are considered literary works and, as the copyright office writes: "In general, registration is voluntary. Copyright exists from the moment the work is created. You will have to register, however, if you wish to bring a lawsuit for infringement of a U.S. work.”

In other words you, the reader, could register this post and I would have to fight you in court to contest it.

Jerry Brito, executive director at advocacy group Coin Center, tweeted:

"People register things for a reason. They want to exploit it and they want the credit for it," said David H. Faux, Esq., an intellectual property attorney in New York City. “Someone dishonest would register the Bitcoin white paper to put it on his website and get speaking engagements. But at some point it would catch up with him.”

"The market takes care of itself," said Faux.

When asked for comment noted Wright critic Jameson Lopp said "LOL."

CoinDesk has contacted Wright's representatives and the Copyright Office for further comment.

UPDATE - Wright wrote:

Craig Wright image via CoinDesk archives