Cointime

Download App
iOS & Android

British man James Howells denies giving up on finding lost 8,000 BTC

 earlier this week, there were multiple posts on social media claiming that IT engineer James Howells from Newport, UK has officially ended the search for his lost 8000 BTC. James Howells privately messaged The Block on social platform X saying, "No, I have not 'given up'. Some parts of the story circulating are true, but not as they describe it." Howells explained that on July 1st, he made a formal offer to the leadership of Newport City Council, legal team, and a councilor to purchase and excavate the Newport landfill site, valued between $33 million and $40 million. To raise funds for the purchase, Howells had announced plans to launch a token based on Ordinals in October, representing 21% of the value of the lost wallet. According to Howells, despite the substantial offer amount, there has been no response or confirmation of receipt from Newport. So the situation is, if they don't sell, there's no need to buy the landfill through token sales, I'm no longer seeking to purchase the landfill, no longer progressing with excavation or restoration work, and no longer engaging with the council or its representatives. Howells stated that he has only "shifted" strategy, but has not given up on recovering the lost bitcoins, as he is still the rightful owner of these 8,000 BTC, citing a High Court ruling from January as the basis. The council may have the hard drive, but they do not have the digital content on it - these 8,000 bitcoins legally belong to me, and anyone in the world can verify their balance at any time. Howells mentioned that he now plans to tokenize his legal ownership of the lost 8,000 BTC, issuing a Bitcoin Layer 2 smart token called Ceiniog Coin (INI), using the upcoming network upgrade to remove the 80-byte limit on OP_RETURN opcode in Bitcoin transactions, thus releasing more functional space. The token is expected to launch after October, with an ICO planned later this year.

Comments

All Comments

Recommended for you

  • Iranian Military Spokesman: Control Over Strait of Hormuz Restored Due to U.S. 'Breach of Promises'

    On April 18, Iranian media reported that an Iranian military spokesman stated that control over the Strait of Hormuz has been restored to its previous state due to the U.S. 'repeatedly breaching promises.' The strait is currently under strict management and control by the Iranian armed forces. (Xinhua News Agency)
  • BTC Falls Below $77,000

    Market data shows that BTC has fallen below $77,000, currently priced at $76,997.37, with a 24-hour increase of 2.68%. The market is experiencing significant fluctuations, so please ensure proper risk management.
  • Iranian Civil Aviation Organization Announces Partial Reopening of Airspace

    According to Iranian media reports on the 18th, the Iranian Civil Aviation Organization announced the reopening of part of Iran's airspace and several airports. (Xinhua)
  • Bitcoin ETF Sees $663.9 Million Net Inflow, Ethereum ETF Sees $127.4 Million Net Inflow

    On April 18, according to Farside Investors, the U.S. Bitcoin spot ETF saw a net inflow of $663.9 million yesterday, with IBIT net inflow at $284 million, FBTC net inflow at $163.4 million, and ARKB net inflow at $117.9 million. The Ethereum ETF recorded a net inflow of $127.4 million yesterday, marking the seventh consecutive day of net inflows, with ETHA net inflow at $30.8 million and FETH net inflow at $84.1 million.
  • Trump Hints at 'Good News' on Iran Issue

    On April 18, U.S. President Donald Trump stated that there is some 'pretty good news' regarding the Iran issue, but he declined to provide further details. 'We heard some pretty good news about 20 minutes ago, and it seems that progress related to Iran in the Middle East is going very smoothly,' Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. When asked what the so-called good news was, Trump replied, 'You will hear it. I think it is something that should happen. It is a matter of course. And I believe it will happen. We will see, but I think it will happen.' (Jinshi)
  • Trump Suggests War Will Resume if No Agreement with Iran is Reached

    On April 18, President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that if an agreement with Iran is not reached by Wednesday, war will resume. When asked if he was prepared to extend the ceasefire agreement if no deal is made by the time the ceasefire expires on Wednesday, Trump replied, "Maybe I won't extend the ceasefire. But the blockade will continue. So, the blockade remains in place, and unfortunately, we will have to start dropping bombs again," Trump warned.
  • Chinese Ship Trapped in Strait of Hormuz Informs Crew to Prepare for Departure

    On April 18, according to Yicai, around 4 PM local time on the 17th, the Chinese ship trapped in the Strait of Hormuz has informed its crew to 'prepare for departure.' According to CCTV, on the afternoon of the 17th, Iranian Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian stated on social media that, based on the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, all commercial vessels are allowed to pass through the Strait of Hormuz completely open during the remaining time of the ceasefire, following the coordinated routes announced by Iranian ports and maritime organizations.
  • DeepSeek Seeks Over $300 Million in First Round of External Funding

    According to The Information, DeepSeek is seeking over $300 million in its first round of external funding, with a valuation exceeding $10 billion.
  • BTC Surpasses $78,000

    Market data shows that BTC has surpassed $78,000, currently priced at $78,024.64, with a 24-hour increase of 5.63%. The market is highly volatile, so please ensure proper risk management.
  • BTC Surpasses $77,000

    Market data shows that BTC has surpassed $77,000, currently priced at $77,022.24, with a 24-hour increase of 3.42%. Due to significant market fluctuations, please ensure proper risk management.