Remembering Hal Finney: A Decade Since His Passing, His Legacy in Bitcoin Lives On

Today marks the tenth anniversary of the passing of Hal Finney, a renowned cryptographer and computer scientist who played a pivotal role in the early days of Bitcoin. Finney, who passed away in 2014 due to complications from ALS, is celebrated for his profound contributions to Bitcoin and his foresight into the future potential of the nascent technology.

Despite being diagnosed with ALS in 2009, Finney continued to contribute to Bitcoin, using eye-tracking software to code even as the disease progressed. His resilience and dedication have left an indelible mark on the world and those interested in Bitcoin. “Today, I am essentially paralyzed. I am fed through a tube, and my breathing is assisted through another tube,” Finney published on the Bitcoin Talk Forum on March 19, 2013. “It’s been an adjustment, but my life is not too bad… I still love programming and it gives me goals… I’m comfortable with my legacy.”

As the community reflects on his legacy, here is one of the only known recorded videos of Finney speaking at the Crypto 98 conference, discussing zero-knowledge proofs, shedding light on his pioneering work on cryptographic protocols.