Comedy option (not seriously proposing this): Some gov't agency or group of non state actors looking to have an untracable source of income invents the bitcoin.

Comedy option (not seriously proposing this): Some gov't agency or group of non state actors looking to have an untracable source of income invents the bitcoin. This is why Satoshi never cashed in their coins - the idea was you invent the protocol, then make your money by being one of the early miners.