Proof of Work

In the world of digital assets, claiming to be an expert is easy. Proving it is another matter entirely. The space is filled with self-proclaimed gurus and overnight specialists who materialised during the last bull run. So when a consultant says they’ve been navigating this ecosystem for more than a decade, how can you be sure? Talk is cheap, but on a blockchain, history is immutable.

We believe in the core principle of the technology we work with: “Don’t trust, verify.” Here’s how you can cryptographically confirm our long-standing presence in the digital-asset space and how you can demand similar proof from anyone you consider working with.

A Tale of Two Signatures

A cryptographic signature is a mathematical way to prove ownership and authenticity. It’s like a digital seal that’s impossible to forge. We can sign a specific message with the private key of one of our long-held addresses. Only the true holder of that key can produce a valid signature for that exact message and address. Below are two such examples, one for Bitcoin and one for Ethereum, tied to addresses we have used for development and testing since the early days.

Bitcoin: A Signature from 2015

One of our development Bitcoin addresses, 19uuWsFrrcme8mFncwi7h3ucAEH5J2TG9N, has been in use since April 14, 2015. You can view its transaction history on any block explorer. We have signed the message “Hello from Nanar.com Consulting!” with this address’s private key.

You can independently verify this using a simple command-line or online tool. The command below checks whether the signature is valid for our message and address—you’ll see it returns true.

➜ node -e "const message = require('bitcoinjs-message'); console.log(message.verify('Hello from Nanar.com Consulting!', '19uuWsFrrcme8mFncwi7h3ucAEH5J2TG9N', 'H1P50P3xbDfo4k79UC9pBfFtf9PYRZ+nCGonTDwZTKdxZKpI/iP2wSFOjxzLphANrM1fNSpuY66Hpek5No46GjA='))"
true

Now watch what happens if someone tries to claim our identity. When “FakeEntity.com” re-uses our signature with a different message, the verification fails—the maths doesn’t lie.

➜ node -e "const message = require('bitcoinjs-message'); console.log(message.verify('Hello from FakeEntity.com Consulting!', '19uuWsFrrcme8mFncwi7h3ucAEH5J2TG9N', 'H1P50P3xbDfo4k79UC9pBfFtf9PYRZ+nCGonTDwZTKdxZKpI/iP2wSFOjxzLphANrM1fNSpuY66Hpek5No46GjA='))"
false

Verify our BTC Address History

Ethereum: A Signature from 2016

Similarly, one of our development Ethereum addresses, 0xb6ad058a9f697339e71bb9e8532193aab651756a, recorded its first transaction on July 27, 2016. We used the same “Hello from Nanar.com Consulting!” message, and the verification script confirms the recovered address matches our long-held one.

Verify our ETH First Transaction

➜ node verify.js 'Hello from Nanar.com Consulting!' b6ad058a9f697339e71bb9e8532193aab651756a 0xb697f7e1d7b1dbd6e8438607443a2f44b92765d4b03645b56bf506102e13487b44a4008545a848efd909e9cdb52be3c490d19e8e4b6abb943934a76ab5f5bb571c
Message: Hello from Nanar.com Consulting!
Expected: 0xb6ad058a9f697339e71bb9e8532193aab651756a
Recovered: 0xb6Ad058a9F697339E71Bb9e8532193aab651756a
Valid: true

If an imposter swaps in their own text, the recovered address no longer matches—validation fails instantly.

➜ node verify.js 'Hello from FakeEntity.com Consulting!' b6ad058a9f697339e71bb9e8532193aab651756a 0xb697f7e1d7b1dbd6e8438607443a2f44b92765d4b03645b56bf506102e13487b44a4008545a848efd909e9cdb52be3c490d19e8e4b6abb943934a76ab5f5bb571c
Message: Hello from FakeEntity.com Consulting!
Expected: 0xb6ad058a9f697339e71bb9e8532193aab651756a
Recovered: 0xffb5E204B7554c9d71F26409d8CC6a2aBd421A51
Valid: false

Beyond the Signature: Seeking Deeper Proof

A cryptographic signature is a powerful starting point, but true expertise goes deeper. While longevity is a strong signal, innovation and rigorous research are what solve real-world problems. When vetting a potential partner, consider asking for more.

Check the source: As an additional verification step, perform a quick web search for the public address or signature being presented. If these details appear in numerous public tutorials, code repositories, or forum discussions unrelated to the consultant, it could be a red flag. This may indicate that the keys are from a widely-known example and not a unique, securely-held asset belonging to the party you are vetting.

Ask for Patents: Have the company or its key personnel been granted patents for novel technologies in the blockchain, digital-asset or AI/ML arena? This demonstrates a commitment to innovation and a deep understanding of the underlying and evolving tech.

Request Whitepapers: Have they published detailed whitepapers on complex topics? This shows they are not just participants trying to predict the future, but also thought leaders actively shaping the industry. A willingness to share knowledge is often a sign of genuine confidence and expertise.

Your engagement in the digital-asset space is significant. Make sure you partner with a team that has not only been here since the early days, but is still building for the future. The proof, as they say, is in the work.