Missing Satoshi Nakamoto Statue Recovered from Lugano Lake

The Satoshi Nakamoto statue—an artistic illusion composed of disappearing stripes that morph into code when viewed directly—has been recovered after going missing over the weekend in Lugano, Switzerland. The statue, designed by Italian artist Valentina Picozzi, had stood on the site since late 2024 and was reported stolen on August 3.

Satoshigallery, the art project led by Picozzi, confirmed the statue’s recovery in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating that it had been found submerged in a nearby lake. The theft was initially reported by X user @Grittoshi, who speculated the statue may have been tossed into the water during Swiss National Day festivities on August 1.

“There are cameras everywhere in the city,” @Grittoshi wrote shortly before the recovery, “so I assume they just threw it inside the lake beside [the sculpture], before going home. No way they could have carried it unnoticed.”

The statue was originally unveiled on October 25, 2024, at Plan B’s Bitcoin forum as part of Lugano’s broader push—alongside Swiss-Tether—to position the city as a global hub for Bitcoin adoption. The unique sculpture quickly became a symbol of the city’s crypto identity.

Following the disappearance, Satoshigallery offered a 0.1 BTC reward for any information leading to the statue’s return. “You can steal our symbol, but you will never be able to steal our souls,” the gallery wrote on X. “We are all in this together and committed to place the statue in 21 places around the world.”

While the extent of the damage to the statue is still unknown, Picozzi shared photos of its recovery and hinted at a possible restoration using Kintsugi—a traditional Japanese technique that repairs broken objects using lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver, or platinum. A petition has since been launched requesting logistical and security support from the city to restore the artwork. According to the petition, Picozzi has volunteered to cover the restoration costs herself.

The incident occurred just over a week after the gallery unveiled its third Satoshi Nakamoto statue—this one installed in Tokyo, Japan—as part of an ongoing global art initiative.