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Dossier

Lead developer after SatoshiHandoff (2010–2012)✓ Verified

Gavin Andresen

Inherited Bitcoin's reference client from Satoshi.

Known as gavinandresen, Gavin AndresenActive May 2010

Why they matter

Gavin was the bridge between Satoshi's stewardship and a broader open-source community. The continuity of the reference implementation through the project's most fragile period ran through him.

Profile

Software developer who became Bitcoin's most active contributor in 2010–2011. He built the original Bitcoin Faucet (giving away free coins to grow the network), and Satoshi handed him control of the source repository and the alert key before departing. He later founded the Bitcoin Foundation.

Timeline

  1. Gavin Andresen launches the Bitcoin Faucet

  2. The Bitcoin Foundation is founded

Sources