An anonymous donor within the Bitcoin community contributed 8 BTC, worth approximately $500,000, to help cover WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s travel expenses. reported by Bitcoinist yesterday. This financial support facilitated Assange’s return trip by charter flight, an option made necessary by his ban on commercial airline travel.
According to Stella Assange, his wife, the Australian government coordinated the logistics of the expensive trip, which amounted to $520,000, a debt now owed by Assange. The source of this substantial BTC donation has sparked a wave of speculation among crypto enthusiasts and observers.
Who is the mysterious Bitcoin donor?
Andrew Tate, a former kickboxer and polarizing figure in social media circles, became a potential donor. Tate’s involvement was hinted at through her cryptic response – a gift box emoji – to a post about donating on social media platform X.
He had previously expressed his joy at the news of Assange’s release, saying: “Assange’s release adds a touch of color to the gray and hellish landscape of injustice currently plaguing the world. A burst of sunlight in the blue sky. Maybe everything will change. » However, the community expressed skepticism that Tate was actually involved, with many urging him to authenticate his statement by signing a message with the private key associated with the donation address.
Adding another layer to the unfolding mystery, crypto researcher Iwan Rabbinstein posited that Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter and CEO of Block, Inc., could be the real philanthropist behind the scenes. Rabbinstein’s claim is supported by detailed analysis of social media posts and timestamps of blockchain transactions.
He note that Dorsey’s message regarding Assange’s “safe passage” was posted on Rabbinstein added: “Additionally, Jack posted “safe passage” on NOSTR at 4:46 p.m. He then waited for the transaction to be confirmed on the Bitcoin time chain, then posted “safe passage” on Twitter at 5:03 p.m. »
Dorsey is well known for his advocacy of human rights and has a history of supporting political causes through technological means, making him a plausible candidate for this donation.
The generous donation to Assange not only sparked discussions about the identity of the donor, but also highlighted the deep-rooted support Assange has garnered within the Bitcoin community. From WikiLeaks began accepting Bitcoin donations in 2011, Assange is a staunch advocate of the cryptocurrency, which he believes could revolutionize more than just payment systems.
In a 2014 interview, Assange described Bitcoin as “the most interesting thing on the Internet,” presciently predicting its myriad potential applications. This incident reflects the broader narrative of BTC as a tool for political and social empowerment.
WikiLeaks’ early adoption of Bitcoin was crucial at a time when traditional financial institutions refused to process donations to the organization, due to its controversial activities. The Bitcoin community coming together to support Assange highlights a shared ideological alignment on the principles of freedom of information and resistance to censorship.
At press time, BTC was trading at $60,820.
Featured image of X, chart from TradingView.com
