This is a pretty good column, with kind of a dumb headline, as is too common nowadays. The column is not really suggesting that Neal invented bitcoin.

I am about halfway through Fall now, and where the column says "It may not be his best novel but it is his most Stephensonian", I am inclined to agree.

If they would tell me, I wouldn't be. They seem to like clickbaity headlines.

If Neal himself would tell me, I would be surprised, because I neither consider him a liar, nor (if he truly did invent Bitcoin) an idiot, since it would be stupid to tell.

I would be very surprised because he does not have a background as a software developer or in cryptography. Writing about technology subjects is a long way from being able to write cutting edge software.