On December 12, 2010, Satoshi Nakamoto made his final forum post, signaling a pivotal transition for Bitcoin from creator-led to community-driven stewardship. In his 575th message, Satoshi introduced the 0.3.19 build, which included early protections against denial-of-service attacks. He expressed concerns about potential government interest and emphasized the importance of Bitcoin evolving without a central figure. This departure is now regarded as a crucial step in reinforcing Bitcoin's decentralized nature, with many viewing the project as secure and self-sustaining.