Bitcoin Power Rankings

[Siegfried]

Sports websites often have "power rankings" of the top teams which change based on recent results. Magazines have ranking of most influential people. I think it would be fun to have a Bitcoin power ranking of notable people in the community (good or bad) which changes week to week based on news and other factors. I think we can all agree who is number one. Maybe someone who writes for one of the Bitcoin news sites can take up this idea as a weekly feature.


1. Satoshi Nakamoto


People who might belong on the list but I have no idea how to order:

Gavin Andreeson
Mark Andreeson
Jeremy Aliaire
Mike Hearn
Chamath Palihapitiya
Rick Falkvinge
Mark Karpeles
Andreas Antonopolous
Bobby Lee
Leon Li
Nejc Kodrič
Benjamin Lawsky
Tony Galippi
Barry Silbert
Cameron/Tyler Winklevoss
Roger Ver
Eric Vorhees
Adam Back

[1713520984]

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[drawingthesun]

I disagree about your number one.

A power-list is meant to show the most powerful figures in the landscape that is the subject of said list in regards to a relevant timeframe (present).

So a Bitcoin list will concern itself with the main core developers/scientists, competing peoples and technologies, and even people like Ross Ulbricht.

I would put Vitalik and Ethereum quite high on a current power-list.

[gagalady]

Satoshi Nakamoto is like a myth we all know that he really is but noone knows how he looks like and where he is.. It's like Unsolved Mystery. But yes the real BTC creator must be number #1.

[Siegfried]

I disagree about your number one.

A power-list is meant to show the most powerful figures in the landscape that is the subject of said list in regards to a relevant timeframe (present).

So a Bitcoin list will concern itself with the main core developers/scientists, competing peoples and technologies, and even people like Ross Ulbricht.

I would put Vitalik and Ethereum quite high on a current power-list.

Although Satoshi is not active presently, he is still out there and if he would choose to act he could have more of an impact than anyone else. He has the most power, he is just choosing not to use it.

[BitCoinDream]

You dont think Theymos is influential enough in BTC landscape ? Because of his post so many people became aware of the HeartBleed bug and downloaded the new Bitcoin-QT. I think it shows his influence for the good.

[🏰 TradeFortress 🏰]

You dont think Theymos is influential enough in BTC landscape ? Because of his post so many people became aware of the HeartBleed bug and downloaded the new Bitcoin-QT. I think it shows his influence for the good.

I lolled.

Add Pieter Wuille / sipa btw.

[casinocoin]

Forgetting about Hal Finney and andreas antonopoulos Edit: didnt see andreas

[DannyHamilton]

Although Satoshi is not active presently, he is still out there and if he would choose to act he could have more of an impact than anyone else. He has the most power, he is just choosing not to use it.

I disagree.  The only thing Satoshi has is celebrity status.  He came up with a great idea and got the ball rolling, but it has grown beyond his control.

He has already demonstrated some lack in foresight and made some rather questionable decisions in the initial development of bitcoin.

Any input that he would have now would need to be carefully considered on its own merits regardless of whether he is the one saying it.  While he is quite knowledgeable in the inner workings of the protocol, so are dozens of other developers.  He no longer has much power in the bitcoin infrastructure, and the only power he has in the bitcoin economy is in the minds of those who are enamored with the concept of celebrity.

[ChuckBuck]

Where's the head core programmer dude, Wladimir?

What about the crazy programmer dude, Amir Taaki?

What about Overstock CEO, Patrick Byrne?

Overall solid list, just some notable omissions here and there.

[franky1]

the winklevoss guys are not bitcoin advocats.

yes they bought bitcoin, but they are using and abusing bitcoin to make FIAT profits using a company share scheme.. where the company's vale is the only thing that is linked to bitcoin.

they might aswell buy $2m of gold, and do the same scheme. the only difference is that they are using the fame of bitcoin, to try and seem new and unique and get some free publicity.. its not a new game at all, and its not benefiting bitcoin as th winklevoss's clients will be paying FIAT to buy companies shares. no client will hold and own any bitcoins.

whats next they claim a new social media is their fresh new idea, and try to mis-represent facts to try getting rich.............. oops that already happened

[thefutureofmoney]

Possible List
1.   Satoshi Nakamoto
2.   Gavin Andreeson
3.   Wladimir van der Laan
4.   Adam Back
5.   Mike Hearn
6.   Hal Finney
7.   Gregory Maxwell
8.   Peter Vessenes
9.   Andreas Antonopolous
10.   Jeff Garzik
11.   Bobby Lee
12.   Mark Andreeson
13.   Eric Vorhees
14.   Jeremy Aliaire
15.   Charlie Shrem
16.   Roger Ver
17.   Jon Matonis
18.   Amir Taaki
19.   Rick Falkvinge
20.   Adam B. Levine
21.   Chamath Palihapitiya
22.   Tony Galippi

[Siegfried]

You dont think Theymos is influential enough in BTC landscape ? Because of his post so many people became aware of the HeartBleed bug and downloaded the new Bitcoin-QT. I think it shows his influence for the good.

I am definitely not a leading expert on the BTC landscape, just a casual observer. I have heard of Theymos, but I didn't know anything about him. It's good to know something about him now.

[Siegfried]

Although Satoshi is not active presently, he is still out there and if he would choose to act he could have more of an impact than anyone else. He has the most power, he is just choosing not to use it.

I disagree.  The only thing Satoshi has is celebrity status.  He came up with a great idea and got the ball rolling, but it has grown beyond his control.

He has already demonstrated some lack in foresight and made some rather questionable decisions in the initial development of bitcoin.

Any input that he would have now would need to be carefully considered on its own merits regardless of whether he is the one saying it.  While he is quite knowledgeable in the inner workings of the protocol, so are dozens of other developers.  He no longer has much power in the bitcoin infrastructure, and the only power he has in the bitcoin economy is in the minds of those who are enamored with the concept of celebrity.

Satoshi has 1 million BTC. My choice to put him at number 1 was not primarily because of celebrity.

[jonald_fyookball]

Although Satoshi is not active presently, he is still out there and if he would choose to act he could have more of an impact than anyone else. He has the most power, he is just choosing not to use it.

I disagree.  The only thing Satoshi has is celebrity status.  He came up with a great idea and got the ball rolling, but it has grown beyond his control.

He has already demonstrated some lack in foresight and made some rather questionable decisions in the initial development of bitcoin.

Any input that he would have now would need to be carefully considered on its own merits regardless of whether he is the one saying it.  While he is quite knowledgeable in the inner workings of the protocol, so are dozens of other developers.  He no longer has much power in the bitcoin infrastructure, and the only power he has in the bitcoin economy is in the minds of those who are enamored with the concept of celebrity.

Satoshi has 1 million BTC. My choice to put him at number 1 was not primarily because of celebrity.

By that reasoning, Mark Karpeles should be quite high! maybe second place.

[Siegfried]

Although Satoshi is not active presently, he is still out there and if he would choose to act he could have more of an impact than anyone else. He has the most power, he is just choosing not to use it.

I disagree.  The only thing Satoshi has is celebrity status.  He came up with a great idea and got the ball rolling, but it has grown beyond his control.

He has already demonstrated some lack in foresight and made some rather questionable decisions in the initial development of bitcoin.

Any input that he would have now would need to be carefully considered on its own merits regardless of whether he is the one saying it.  While he is quite knowledgeable in the inner workings of the protocol, so are dozens of other developers.  He no longer has much power in the bitcoin infrastructure, and the only power he has in the bitcoin economy is in the minds of those who are enamored with the concept of celebrity.

Satoshi has 1 million BTC. My choice to put him at number 1 was not primarily because of celebrity.

By that reasoning, Mark Karpeles should be quite high! maybe second place.

He should be on the list, but probably not so high. The difference is that Karpeles will probably not be able to spend "his" BTC. Those BTC have been identified on the blockchain, and as the proceeds of a massive theft, Karpeles will not be allowed to get away with selling or spending them for his own profit. Either the government or his victims will stop him. He could still cause a lot of havoc, though, and that's why I would say he has power. Power may be good or evil.

[TrailingComet]

Balaji Srinivasan and Chris Dixon of A16z belong on that list
As does Fred Wilson of USV

[mintodev]

Balaji Srinivasan and Chris Dixon of A16z belong on that list
As does Fred Wilson of USV

Why should this guys belong the list?

[DannyHamilton]

Satoshi has 1 million BTC. My choice to put him at number 1 was not primarily because of celebrity.

In that case, shouldn't James Comey be on the list?

[bryant.coleman]

Where are the owners of the BTC-E (Alexei and Alexander) in this list? They should be among the top ten. Running a successful Bitcoin exchange for almost two years now. And right now BTC-E is the biggest exchange in terms of volume.

[BitCoinDream]

Where are the owners of the BTC-E (Alexei and Alexander) in this list? They should be among the top ten. Running a successful Bitcoin exchange for almost two years now. And right now BTC-E is the biggest exchange in terms of volume.

From this thread (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=144281.0) I learnt that btc-e founders are anonymous. So how do u know Alexei and Alexander are btc-e founder ?