Satoshi Nakamoto's Most Notable Quote for Bitcoin Skeptics Marks 16 Years
Key Takeaways
- •Satoshi Nakamoto made the quote on July 29, 2010, during a Bitcointalk discussion about Bitcoin’s scalability and transaction speed.
- •A forum user argued that Bitcoin was impractical because it could take about 10 minutes to settle a transfer, unlike a bank card payment.
- •Satoshi said fast payments could be handled within about 10 seconds or less through third-party processors before delivering the quoted remark.
- •At the time of the exchange, Bitcoin was worth around $0.07 and had only a few hundred supporters.
- •The article says Bitcoin has since become a legally recognized exchange-traded asset held by major firms such as BlackRock and Morgan Stanley.
Satoshi Nakamoto's Most Notable Quote for Bitcoin Skeptics Marks 16 Years
The cryptocurrency market is marking a milestone today: the 16th anniversary of one of the most famous and uncompromising quotes in the history of digital assets, aimed at Bitcoin doubters.
On July 29, 2010, Bitcoin's pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto, joined a discussion on the Bitcointalk forum in a thread titled "Scalability and transaction rate." In the exchange, one user said Bitcoin was too slow for practical use, arguing that a transfer required a 10-minute wait while a regular bank card worked instantly in a store.
Satoshi responded by explaining how the network could handle fast payments — literally within 10 seconds or less — through the use of third-party processors, a reminder that even in Bitcoin's earliest days, questions about speed and usability were already central to its adoption.
When it became clear that the other participant remained unconvinced and was still viewing the issue through the lens of traditional banking, Satoshi ended the debate with a line that later became widely quoted:
"If you don't believe me or don't get it, I don't have time to try to convince you, sorry."
How a 2010 forum debate became part of Bitcoin history
In 2010, when Satoshi wrote those words, Bitcoin was worth around $0.07, and the network was supported by only a few hundred enthusiasts. At the time, the creator of the first cryptocurrency was still personally defending the viability of the code in forum comments.
By 2026, that debate has been settled by events. Bitcoin no longer needs to be defended from critics; it has become a legal exchange-traded asset recognized by governments and major financial institutions, including BlackRock and Morgan Stanley.
The cryptocurrency market is now valued in the trillions of dollars. Bitcoin, after reaching an all-time high above $126,000 last year, is currently trading near $64,300.
Satoshi's quote captured the broader point: true innovations do not spend their time trying to convince skeptics — they change the world around them.