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James Howells: 8,000 Lost Bitcoins Now Tokenized
James Howells, the British IT engineer who became famous after accidentally discarding a hard drive containing approximately 8,000 BTC in 2013, is taking a new approach to reclaim his lost fortune. Instead of continuing his years-long legal battle to search the Newport landfill, Howells is now tokenizing the ownership of his 8,000 BTC using the Bitcoin Layer-2 token Ceiniog Coin (INI). This move is supported by a High Court ruling regarding his legal position. The token launch is planned for after a specific Bitcoin upgrade that will ease storage requirements, with a globally verifiable proof of ownership. Initially, an Ordinals-based token was considered, representing up to 21% of the wallet's value, but the current market situation has shifted the ICO timeline to no earlier than October 2025.
Howells' lost coins are now worth over 900 million US dollars, making his story a legendary one in the crypto community. Over the years, he offered the Newport council between 33 and 40 million US dollars to purchase and excavate the landfill, but received no response. Meanwhile, more than 200 production companies have shown interest in his story, and LEBUL from Los Angeles is producing a documentary series titled "The Buried Bitcoin," portraying Howells' saga as a digital treasure hunt.
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| Lost Bitcoins | Current Value | Tokenization Plan | ICO Earliest Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8,000 BTC | Over $900 million | Ceiniog Coin (INI) | October 2025 |
Source: BTC-ECHO
- James Howells is shifting from legal battles to blockchain tokenization.
- The lost BTC are now being represented as tokens, with a documentary in production.
James Howells' Saga: From Landfill to TV Documentary
For 12 years, James Howells searched a landfill in Newport for his hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoins, now valued at approximately 789 million euros. This sum would place him among the 5,000 richest people globally. The saga began in 2009, when Bitcoin mining was still accessible to individuals. By 2013, Howells had accumulated 8,000 BTC, but his former business partner accidentally threw away the hard drive with the private key. Despite numerous attempts, including the use of robotic dogs, all efforts to recover the drive failed.
Recently, authorities prohibited further searches on the public landfill, marking a significant setback. However, two new developments offer hope: Newport plans to close the landfill and build a solar park, prompting Howells to consider buying the site himself. Additionally, a multi-part BBC documentary series titled "The Buried Bitcoin: The Real-Life Treasure Hunt Of James Howells" is set to air in October and November 2025, potentially bringing renewed attention and opportunities.
"More than 200 requests from production companies have been received, but only now does Howells see the right time to agree to a documentary." (Filmstarts)
Source: Filmstarts
- James Howells' story will be featured in a BBC documentary in late 2025.
- He is considering purchasing the landfill to continue his search.
Bitcoin Market Update: Focus on Bottom Formation
The current technical situation of major cryptocurrencies is under review, with a particular focus on Bitcoin's bottom formation. Ethereum is noted to be in a bullish range, while XRP and Solana are also being closely watched. The analysis highlights the importance of technical indicators and market sentiment in determining the next moves for these leading digital assets.
Source: Wallstreet Online
- Bitcoin is under technical analysis for potential bottom formation.
- Ethereum, XRP, and Solana are also in focus for traders and investors.
Trump Targets US Banks: Implications for Crypto
US President Donald Trump is reportedly on the verge of signing an executive order targeting financial institutions that exclude clients such as crypto companies from their services. According to the Wall Street Journal, the order could be signed within the week and would impose penalties on banks that deny access to financial services for political reasons. This move is seen as a direct response to the "debanking" practices that intensified under the previous administration, where banks were pressured to cut ties with crypto firms and other "risky" sectors.
The order would instruct regulators to investigate whether banks have violated equal credit opportunity, antitrust, or consumer protection laws. The Small Business Administration would also review its lending practices. Notably, prominent figures in the crypto industry, including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong and the Winklevoss twins, have spoken out about their experiences with debanking. Eric Trump, the president's son, revealed that his own experiences with bank account closures led him to the world of cryptocurrencies.
"I never thought I would get into the world of cryptocurrencies until every bank started canceling us for no other reason than my father being in politics," said Eric Trump.
Source: Der Aktionär
- Trump's executive order aims to end discriminatory banking practices against crypto firms.
- The move could remove a significant barrier for the crypto industry in the US.
Bitcoin Price Forecast: ETF Outflows and Market Pressure
Bitcoin is trading below $114,000 after failing to reclaim resistance at $116,000, as institutional demand continues to wane. US-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs saw outflows of $196 million on Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of withdrawals since the end of July. The Japanese investment firm SBI Holdings has applied for a dual crypto ETF for BTC and XRP, which, if approved, could be bullish for both assets in the long term.
Weak US economic data is also weighing on Bitcoin. The ISM Services PMI fell from 50.8 in June to 50.1 in July, with the employment index dropping from 47.2 to 46.4 and new orders from 51.3 to 50.3. These figures, combined with uncertainty over President Trump's trade policies, are contributing to market volatility. The SEC clarified that crypto liquid staking activities do not constitute a securities offering, signaling a move toward clearer regulation. The Bitcoin price found support at its 50-day EMA at $113,068 but remains under pressure, with the RSI at 45 and a bearish MACD crossover persisting since July 23.
| Date | BTC Price | ETF Outflows | Key Support | Key Resistance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | < $114,000 | $196 million (Tuesday) | $113,068 (50-day EMA) | $116,000 |
Source: FXStreet DE.COM
- Bitcoin remains under $114,000 amid continued ETF outflows and weak US data.
- SBI Holdings has applied for a BTC/XRP ETF in Japan.
- The SEC's clarification on liquid staking is seen as a positive regulatory step.
Sources:
- Bitcoin im Müll, jetzt als Token: James Howells bringt verlorene 8.000 BTC auf Blockchain
- Bitcoin Kurs fällt um fast 10 %, prallt er jetzt bullisch ab?
- 12 Jahre lang suchte er auf einer Mülldeponie nach seiner Festplatte mit 789 Millionen Euro in Bitcoin – aber womöglich nimmt die unglaubliche Saga doch noch ein gutes Ende!
- Bitcoin: Fokus auf Bodenbildung – ETH bullische Range, XRP & Solana im Blick
- Bitcoin: Trump holt zum Schlag gegen US-Banken aus
- Bitcoin-Preisprognose: BTC bleibt unter 114.000 USD, da die Abflüsse aus ETFs sich auf vier Tage ausweiten
