In Lugano, the statue of Satoshi Nakamoto, created by Italian artist Valentina Picozzi, has gone missing, attracting attention from both local citizens and the international crypto community.
Unusual Circumstances of Disappearance
The statue was installed at Piazza Indipendenza during the Plan B Bitcoin event on October 25, 2024. The disappearance was noted after a social media post by a user named Grittoshi. Despite having security systems in place, no footage captured the moment of its removal, and the steel brackets holding the sculpture were carefully disassembled, leaving only a slab of concrete.
Bounty Offers
Following the statue's disappearance, SatoshiGallery announced a reward of 0.1 BTC for any information that might lead to its recovery. This amount, equivalent to approximately $11,262, has drawn interest from local residents as well as international collectors.
Consequences for the City of Lugano
Despite the incident, the project's team remains committed to installing Satoshi Nakamoto statues in 21 countries, underscoring their steadfast dedication. The statue in Lugano previously served as a symbol of the city as a crypto hub. Its disappearance raises questions about internal security mechanisms and highlights the importance of maintaining Lugano's image in the cryptocurrency sector.
While local authorities have not released official comments, residents of Lugano and the international crypto community continue to monitor the developments surrounding the statue's disappearance, which remains a topic of active discussion.
