The “Skull of Satoshi” was gifted by Ripple to the Bitcoin community, while CEO Brad Garlinghouse remarked that Bitcoin and XRP share more common ground than often perceived.
Ripple’s “Skull of Satoshi” Gift Highlights Unexpected BTC-XRP Similarities
On Tuesday, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse advocated for increased solidarity across cryptocurrency communities in a message posted on social platform X. The announcement coincided with Ripple’s donation of the “Skull of Satoshi” to the Bitcoin community, where it is set to be permanently housed at the Bitcoin Museum in Nashville. Garlinghouse stated:
The Skull of Satoshi was originally built to call attention to blockchain energy usage, and today it’s a symbol and reminder of Bitcoin’s incredible staying power to many around the world (including me!).
Standing at 11 feet tall, the Skull of Satoshi was crafted by Canadian artist Benjamin Von Wong in partnership with Greenpeace USA. It was introduced in March 2023 as a centerpiece of the “Change the Code, Not the Climate” campaign, which sought to draw attention to bitcoin mining’s environmental footprint. Constructed using discarded electronics, the piece features smokestacks and glowing red laser eyes. Its purpose was to criticize the energy-heavy proof-of-work consensus system and advocate for greener alternatives.
Though originally intended as a critique, the artwork was widely embraced by the bitcoin community, which reinterpreted it as a representation of the cryptocurrency’s durability and power. Artist Von Wong later admitted that his perspective on bitcoin’s environmental concerns had been “overly simplistic,” recognizing the need for a more nuanced understanding.
In his message, Garlinghouse underscored the importance of unity among blockchain initiatives, stating, “As crypto and blockchain technologies gain broader adoption, recognition, and understanding, it’s high time we put aside our divisions and collectively advance the industry.” The Ripple CEO further remarked:
I hope this gesture continues to remind folks that we ( BTC, XRP, and other crypto communities) have more in common than we think.
The donation was acknowledged by the Bitcoin Conference through a post on X, which read: “The Skull of Satoshi, a special guest at Bitcoin 2025, has been donated by Ripple to the Bitcoin community. Its new permanent residence will be at the Bitcoin Museum in Nashville.”
