Cryptocurrency Companies Urge AI Labs to 'Arm' Bitcoin Defenders with the Most Powerful Models
Over thirty Bitcoin and cryptocurrency companies have called on leading AI labs to provide open-source developers with early access to the most powerful cybersecurity models. In an open letter organized by the Bitcoin Policy Institute, signatories including Coinbase, Block, BitGo, Blockstream, ARK Invest, and Foundry argue that developers of critical financial infrastructure like Bitcoin Core are at a disadvantage, using less capable AI tools than potential attackers. They contend that the safety restrictions of public AI models can hinder legitimate vulnerability research.
The letter requests that AI labs establish trusted access programs offering early model access, sufficient computing resources for audits, secure environments for private code analysis, and inclusion for small teams and independent developers. The signatories warn that the Bitcoin network secures over $1 trillion in assets, and infrastructure vulnerabilities pose significant risks. They cite recent incidents like the exploitation of a critical vulnerability in BTCPay Server and a major attack on Coldcard wallets, where a configuration error led to the theft of approximately 1,719 BTC ($111 million).
The call comes amid a series of high-value crypto infrastructure attacks in 2026, including multimillion-dollar losses from protocols like Ostium, AFX, Summer.fi, and Bonzo Lend due to logic flaws and oracle manipulation. The companies believe advanced AI could strengthen defenses by analyzing large codebases, detecting atypical exploit scenarios, and helping developers identify issues before malicious actors can exploit them.
cryptonews.ru22m ago
