The Human Rights Foundation has awarded the esteemed Finney Freedom Award to Pieter Wuille and Gregory Maxwell for their groundbreaking contributions to the usability, scalability, and privacy of Bitcoin 
$94,289, in collaboration with the Finney family.
Finney Freedom Award
The Finney Freedom Award honors individuals who advance the use of computers as tools for protecting individual liberties.
An independent committee included Pieter Wuille and Gregory Maxwell alongside well-known Bitcoin figures such as Andreas Antonopoulos, Roya Mahboob, and Ross Ulbricht, ultimately selecting these two as award recipients.
Contributions to Bitcoin
Bitcoin, as open-source software, relies on voluntary developers for the sustainability, review, and advancement of its codebase. Unlike traditional companies, Bitcoin lacks a central authority, making the work of developers like Wuille and Maxwell critical to ensuring its ongoing success.
“The efforts of Wuille and Maxwell have made Bitcoin a practical human rights tool, especially for those operating under authoritarian regimes and financial pressures.” – Finney Freedom Award Announcement
These contributions have established Bitcoin as a powerful financial resource, particularly for individuals in repressive environments.
The award recipients will share a monetary prize valued at 100,000,000 satoshi (1 bitcoin) and will each receive a Finney Freedom Award statue designed by Cryptograffiti.
The next Finney Freedom Award recipient will be announced on January 10, 2026, with block heights between 420,000 and 630,000. This award is seen as a significant step in recognizing individuals who have made important contributions to the development of Bitcoin. The work of Wuille and Maxwell demonstrates ongoing efforts to empower digital financial freedom, with future award recipients’ selection process and contributions to be closely monitored.
