A programmer has only two remaining password attempts, meaning 7,002 BTC worth nearly $8 billion could be permanently locked.

Programmer Stefan Thomas currently has only two remaining password attempts left to unlock an IronKey encrypted USB drive holding the private keys to 7,002 Bitcoin. The device will permanently lock and erase its data after 10 consecutive incorrect password entries, and Thomas has already used up 8 of his allotted attempts. The Bitcoin dates back to 2011, when Thomas created an educational video titled "What is Bitcoin?" and was compensated with 7,002 BTC. At the current Bitcoin price of roughly $111,000, the asset is valued at approximately $777 million. Thomas previously stored his wallet’s private keys on the encrypted USB drive and wrote down the password on paper, but later lost the password. While the Bitcoin remains in its on-chain address, the funds are currently inaccessible and cannot be transferred due to the inability to access the private key. The IronKey USB drive is built with high-strength encryption, triggering a permanent lock after 10 consecutive wrong password entries. Its manufacturer, Kingston, confirms there are no backup passwords or alternative recovery methods beyond the original password set by the user. As Bitcoin’s price has surged, the value of this locked asset has continued to rise. Thomas has sought assistance from multiple parties, including digital forensics firm Naxo and security researcher Chris Tarnovsky, but no successful recovery has been announced to date.