Craig Wright's Settlement Proposal to COPA: Another Attempt to Claim Bitcoin Legitimacy

In a move that has drawn widespread skepticism from the crypto community, Dr Craig Wright has unveiled a settlement proposal addressing the prolonged litigation with the Crypto Open Patent Alliance (COPA) and other opposing parties. The proposal, detailed in a letter published on Wright’s personal blog, reveals a pattern of legal maneuvering centered on his contested assertion that he is Satoshi Nakamoto.

The Core Terms: Database Rights and Questionable Authority

The settlement centers on Wright’s offer to relinquish database rights and copyrights related to Bitcoin (BTC), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), and ABC databases, coupled with an “irrevocal license in perpetuity” to his adversaries. However, this proposal rests on a fundamental contradiction that legal experts and security researchers have immediately flagged.

WizSec Bitcoin Research highlighted the critical flaw: “Obviously if he’s not Satoshi (which is COPA’s case) then the ‘database rights and copyrights’ are not his to grant licenses to. Calvin and Craig probably think they’re playing 5D chess by building this ‘offer’ on such an obvious false premise.” This observation underscores a central tension in Wright’s position—his authority to transfer any rights depends entirely on his unproven claim to be Bitcoin’s creator.

Beyond the database concessions, Wright’s terms demand that COPA cease claiming to represent Bitcoin and publicly acknowledge his interpretation of Bitcoin’s original purpose. Notably, this comes from an individual whose own cryptocurrency project, Bitcoin Satoshi Vision (BSV), is itself a fork of Bitcoin Cash, which forked from the original Bitcoin network.

The Fraudulent Evidence Problem

The litigation has exposed what J Nicholas Gross, a veteran attorney with 35+ years of IP litigation experience, called an unprecedented level of document manipulation. “In 35+ years of litigating I’ve never seen anything like the level of document falsification in a lawsuit by a party,” Gross stated, further questioning how Wright’s legal representation continues amid what appears to be systematic fraud.

COPA’s forensic analysis has uncovered a troubling pattern. The alliance recovered deleted files revealing that Wright fabricated evidence using ChatGPT—a particularly damaging discovery that demonstrates the nature of his supporting documentation. COPA has compiled a documented list of 20 distinct forgeries that the court permitted them to present as evidence.

COPA’s Response: Rejection and New Evidence

COPA dismissed Wright’s settlement overture with a definitive “hard pass,” explaining that accepting the terms would effectively require acknowledging Wright as Satoshi—a premise the alliance categorically rejects. Simultaneously, COPA introduced additional forensic evidence further undermining the authenticity of documents central to Wright’s case.

The rejection reflected COPA’s confidence in its position: accepting settlement would validate the false premise on which the entire proposal rests. Instead, COPA moved forward by presenting newly recovered evidence of ChatGPT-generated forgeries, substantially strengthening its argument that Wright has systematically fabricated supporting materials.

Community Perspective: Fraud and Self-Preservation

Industry observers have interpreted Wright’s settlement bid less as a genuine peace offering and more as a strategic maneuver. Community members suggest the proposal aims to “keep on scamming with the Satoshi moniker, and avoid jail time for his 500+ self-made forgeries,” reflecting deep skepticism about Wright’s intentions.

Timeline and What’s Next

The trial’s oral opening arguments are scheduled to commence on February 5, setting the stage for courtroom proceedings that will likely examine the extensive documentary evidence both parties have prepared. The case represents a critical moment for establishing what constitutes legitimate claims within the cryptocurrency space and the consequences of sustained document falsification in legal proceedings.

Dr Craig Wright’s settlement proposal appears designed to reshape the narrative around his identity claims rather than achieve genuine resolution, a dynamic that COPA’s evidence-based response has effectively countered.