lost – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com Latest Crypto News Sun, 14 Sep 2025 00:06:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.7 https://i0.wp.com/earlybirdsinvest.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/cropped-New-Project-2024-12-17T235703.455.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 lost – Earlybirds Invest https://earlybirdsinvest.com 32 32 240146708 Julian Figueroa lost 14 BTC worth $1.6 million: he says millions of others will make the same mistakes https://earlybirdsinvest.com/julian-figueroa-lost-14-btc-worth-1-6-million-he-says-millions-of-others-will-make-the-same-mistakes/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/julian-figueroa-lost-14-btc-worth-1-6-million-he-says-millions-of-others-will-make-the-same-mistakes/#respond Sun, 14 Sep 2025 00:06:01 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/julian-figueroa-lost-14-btc-worth-1-6-million-he-says-millions-of-others-will-make-the-same-mistakes/

Host of The Exit Manual, Julian Figueroa, has lost 14 BTC over the last eight years, worth around $1.6 million today. As if that figure wasn’t bad enough, what’s worse is that “90% of people buying Bitcoin today” are going to make one of the three mistakes in Bitcoin security that cost Figueroa his precious BTC.

If you aren’t paying attention by now, you should be. Figueroa’s experience highlights a deeper, more sobering reality: the road to financial sovereignty is crowded with pitfalls, and nearly every user will repeat at least one of these hard-learned mistakes about Bitcoin security.

Bitcoin Security Mistake #1: Day Trading Dreams, Market Realities

Figueroa’s biggest regret? Trying to outsmart the cycles by actively trading:

“I lost 4 BTC just because I thought I’d buy low and sell high. Turns out, it’s nearly impossible—nobody beats the market over time, not pros, not hedge funds, nobody. If you just buy and hold, you almost always outperform the traders.”

The psychological pitfalls of FOMO, misreading tops and bottoms, and emotional fire sales catch even pros in the jaws of volatility. Many lose sight of Bitcoin security when risking coins on risky short-term moves.

Mistake #2: The Altcoin Trap

Figueroa lost another 2 BTC chasing altcoin hype:

“I bought coins I thought would outperform Bitcoin. They didn’t.”

Altcoins offer wild upside stories, but, as Figueroa calls it, “altcoin logic in a suit” often ends up as a distraction.

Study after study shows most altcoins underperform Bitcoin dramatically in the long run; a hard lesson seasoned by endless ‘make it, lose it’ stories among crypto’s earliest adopters. Choosing solid Bitcoin security means resisting distractions from speculative alternatives.

Mistake #3: Self-Custody or Bust

Yet, his biggest loss came from keeping coins on centralized exchanges. He says:

“8 BTC—nearly $1 million—vanished when an exchange failed.”

Trusting custodians instead of taking full personal control is the most common error, yet even veterans fall victim to comfort and convenience. The lesson here?

“Crypto exchanges are not banks, they’re casinos. Self-custody is the only real security.”

You’re Not Alone: Epic Bitcoin Losses from Around the World

Figueroa isn’t the first (or the biggest) Bitcoiner to learn these lessons the hard way:

James Howells accidentally threw away a hard drive holding 8,000 BTC, now worth more than $900 million. Stefan Thomas, a programmer, lost access to a wallet with 7,002 BTC (worth $777 million) after forgetting his IronKey password. He has only two guesses left before his fortune is gone forever.

During the infamous Mt. Gox exchange collapse in 2014, over 850,000 BTC were lost or stolen, leaving countless users permanently locked out and sparking industry-wide debates on Bitcoin security.

When QuadrigaCX’s founder died, he took the private keys to over $200 million with him, leaving thousands of users locked out of their funds. The list goes on and on—reminding investors that Bitcoin security starts and ends with personal accountability.

Figueroa’s story is a living lesson for both newbies and seasoned Bitcoiners alike. So how do you avoid joining the haunted ranks of the 2 million club?

Don’t try to trade “the bottom or the top.” Long-term holding historically outperforms almost every day-trader; just ask the 99% who’ve tried.

Ignore the siren song of altcoins promising outsized gains and stick to the fundamentals. And most importantly, hold your own private keys. Learn self-custody and take full responsibility for your digital assets. Because in Bitcoin, “not your keys, not your coins” is the cold, hard truth. Don’t let your story become another cautionary tale about Bitcoin security.

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/julian-figueroa-lost-14-btc-worth-1-6-million-he-says-millions-of-others-will-make-the-same-mistakes/feed/ 0 58302 The Bitcoin Bull Run Cracks If $98,000 Is Lost, Ostium Labs Warns https://earlybirdsinvest.com/the-bitcoin-bull-run-cracks-if-98000-is-lost-ostium-labs-warns/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/the-bitcoin-bull-run-cracks-if-98000-is-lost-ostium-labs-warns/#respond Tue, 02 Sep 2025 08:13:59 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/the-bitcoin-bull-run-cracks-if-98000-is-lost-ostium-labs-warns/

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Ostium Labs argues that Bitcoin’s uptrend remains intact after August’s reversal, but it draws a bright red line at $98,000. In its September 1 Market Outlook, the firm writes: “Closing below $98k on this timeframe would turn weekly structure bearish,” adding that “above $98k weekly structure is still bullish and therefore we should anticipate the formation of a higher-low.”

At publication time, Ostium referenced BTC around $108,017, with the August monthly candle settling “firmly red” after wicking through the record to roughly $124.5k and closing near prior resistance-turned-support around $108.2k.

Key Bitcoin Price Levels To Watch Now

On the monthly chart, Ostium sees no evidence of a 2021-style cyclical top. The note acknowledges some momentum divergence on RSI but stresses the absence of confirmation from the Awesome Oscillator: “AO has continued to point towards building momentum throughout the uptrend… I do not think this is even remotely similar to the 2021 top formation.”

Related Reading

The bear case strengthens only if September “closes below the 2025 open at $93.3k and therefore below local trendline support.” For the bullish path, the team wants September to find support “above the yearly open, but likely much higher around the July lows at $105k,” and “ideally” finish the month green “above the August open at $115k,” a configuration they say would “set us up for expansion beyond the highs in October.”

Bitcoin monthly chart analysis
Bitcoin monthly chart analysis | Source: X @OstiumLabs

Weekly structure, by Ostium’s read, “showed no exhaustion on the move higher” and has now reset toward 50 on RSI, a profile the firm says supports trend continuation. Should the market carve a higher low early in September and reclaim momentum, a weekly close “back above $112k leads to a retest of the August open and potentially $117.5k into FOMC with a retest of the highs before month-end.”

Bitcoin weekly chart analysis
Bitcoin weekly chart analysis | Source: X @OstiumLabs

The daily timeframe remains the near-term hurdle. Ostium characterizes the pullback as “orderly,” with supports flipped to resistance on the way down and “the key level… obviously the $112k prior all-time high,” which served as support in early August and then “reclaimed resistance” on last week’s leg lower.

“A breakout and close above the trendline and back above $112k would look like the bottom is in,” they write. A failed probe—“wick above the trendline into $112k and reject”—would bias price toward “the June open at $104.5k, with the 200dMA below that at $101.3k being key demand.” In derivatives, CoinGlass liquidation heatmaps for Binance’s BTC/USDT pair over one week and one month show dense liquidation bands layered above the $114k cap and clustered below around the $120k region, while no significant levels are visible to the downside.

Bitcoin liquidation heatmaps
Bitcoin liquidation heatmaps | Source: X @OstiumLabs

With a macro-heavy week ahead— ISM prints, JOLTS, the Fed’s Beige Book, jobless claims, ADP, ISM Services, and Friday’s Nonfarm Payrolls—Ostium lays out conditional tactical setups. For longs, they prefer evidence of exhaustion into support: trendline resistance respected, “today’s low” taken out via a liquidation wick into the June-open/200-day cluster, and bullish divergence forming there before bidding for a move back to the weekly open and the $112k retest. For shorts, they prefer a sharp early-week squeeze into $112k “with trend exhaustion… having not taken out today’s low around $107k,” fading the pop back into weekly lows with risk reduced if it unfolds ahead of NFP.

Related Reading

Ostium also surveys positioning, pointing to snapshots across Velo and CoinGlass, three-month annualized basis, and the mix between Bitcoin and altcoin open interest, as well as one-week and one-month liquidation maps. While it refrains from headline claims on those dashboards, the note’s technical levels line up with the most concentrated liquidation density visible in the attached heatmaps, where stacked interest remains perched near the $112k pivot overhead and layered through the $105k–$101k demand shelf.

DXY As Tailwind For The BTC Price

The report extends beyond Bitcoin. The dollar backdrop, in Ostium’s framework, remains a tailwind for BTC into year-end. With DXY around 97.2, the firm says the current sequence rhymes with past cyclical drawdowns and expects “DXY to break below 96 and push towards at least 94.6, but more likely 93,” where a bottoming formation could emerge above the 200-month moving average. The secular DXY bull case is not dismissed; rather, Ostium situates the present leg as the final cyclical downswing before a higher-low and multi-year recovery, contingent on policy outcomes. A decisive monthly reclaim of 100 would invalidate the near-term bearish DXY view.

Across assets, the through-line of Ostium’s September map is clarity on thresholds. For Bitcoin, a weekly loss of $98,000 would be the first structural break of the cycle; a daily reclaim of $112,000 would strongly argue the local low is in; and a monthly hold above $105,000 with a close back over $115,000 would tee up fresh highs into October.

At press time, BTC traded at $110,610.

Bitcoin price
BTC faces resistance at the EMA100, 1-day chart | Source: BTCUSDT on TradingView.com

Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/the-bitcoin-bull-run-cracks-if-98000-is-lost-ostium-labs-warns/feed/ 0 56348 Crypto Funds Just Lost $1.43B in the Biggest Drain Since March https://earlybirdsinvest.com/crypto-funds-just-lost-1-43b-in-the-biggest-drain-since-march/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/crypto-funds-just-lost-1-43b-in-the-biggest-drain-since-march/#respond Mon, 25 Aug 2025 18:52:50 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/crypto-funds-just-lost-1-43b-in-the-biggest-drain-since-march/

Digital asset investment products faced their largest weekly outflows since March as $1.43 billion exited the market. Despite this, trading volumes in exchange-traded products (ETPs) surged to $38 billion, around 50% above the yearly average, which reflected “increasingly polarised” investor sentiment over US monetary policy.

Early in the week, fears of a hawkish Federal Reserve outlook triggered $2 billion in outflows. Despite this, sentiment rebounded after Jerome Powell’s Jackson Hole speech, which investors viewed as more dovish than anticipated. This eventually led to $594 million in inflows.

Ethereum Outperforms Bitcoin

In the latest edition of “Digital Asset Fund Flows Weekly Report,” CoinShares revealed that investor behavior showed a clearer tilt toward Ethereum compared to Bitcoin during the recent market turbulence. Ethereum staged a strong recovery mid-week and restricted outflows to $440 million, far below Bitcoin’s $1 billion decline.

On a month-to-date basis, Ethereum recorded inflows of $2.5 billion, while Bitcoin remains in negative territory with $1 billion in net outflows. Year-to-date, Ethereum inflows represent 26% of total assets under management, compared with Bitcoin’s 11%.

Investor activity favored several altcoins this past week, with XRP leading at $25 million in inflows. Solana and Cronos also gained $12 million and $4.4 million in inflows, respectively. Next up was Cardano with $2.9 million, followed by Chainlink with $2.1 million. Litecoin also attracted a minor inflow of $0.3 million over the past week.

Sui and Ton, on the other hand, suffered the most with outflows of $12.9 million and $1.5 million, respectively. Multi-asset products also witnessed $0.6 million in outflows.

Regional Divergence

Regionally, the United States experienced the largest outflows, with $1.31 billion over the past week, while Sweden and Switzerland recorded $135 billion and $11.8 billion in withdrawals, respectively. Several other countries, however, saw modest inflows.

Germany, for one, led with $18.4 million in inflows, followed by Canada with $3.7 million and Australia with $3.5 million. Hong Kong contributed $2.6 million, while Brazil also attracted $1 million in inflows during the same period.

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]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/crypto-funds-just-lost-1-43b-in-the-biggest-drain-since-march/feed/ 0 55083 Ethereum shorts crushed: $259 million lost as prices approached ATH https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ethereum-shorts-crushed-259-million-lost-as-prices-approached-ath/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ethereum-shorts-crushed-259-million-lost-as-prices-approached-ath/#respond Sat, 23 Aug 2025 12:45:03 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ethereum-shorts-crushed-259-million-lost-as-prices-approached-ath/

Ethereum approached a record high this week, and Fallout was cruel for anyone betting on it. Approximately $259 million in short positions were liquidated, with an additional longer position of $80 million. This adds over $340 million in crypto liquidation in just 24 hours. Ethereum alone made up more than half of that total.

FRD Tips Lights the Crypto Market

Meeting It wasn’t random. Comment from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell suggests that interest rate cuts could be on the horizon. trader I didn’t do it Please wait. Ethereum surged almost 15% on the news, temporarily rising above $4,842. that’s right Within the 2021 peak of 4,878 contact distance. The market was moving rapidly, and so was the liquidation.

The frenzy of liquidation controls the actions of the crypto

This wave of liquidation I didn’t do it Just hit Ethereum. The broader crypto market has wiped out derivative contracts over $668 million. However, Ethereum was the main driver. the It’s rare to see ETH lead this aggressively, but this week It wasn’t Continued Bitcoin Movement. It was setting the pace.

Discover: 9+ Best High Risk, High Reward Crypto Buy in August 20125

Prices over 2021 are the highest ever. Then I’ll pull back

For a while, Ethereum looked ready to set up a new record. However, it slipped after temporarily pushing the 2021 high. At the time of reporting, the price was hovering around $4,773. that I didn’t do it It retains breakouts, but is close enough to remind traders of what momentum ETH can carry when the macro factors line up.

24 hours7d30D1Yeverytime

Why is this more important than just numbers?

this it’s not Only about price. the About how much of a central bank language affects risky assets such as Crypto. One vague comment about future policy has turned the market over and erased hundreds of millions of open positions. In cryptography, the response to headings often exceeds the basics. This week was a textbook case.

Discovery: Next 1000x Ciphers: 10+ Ciphers tokens that could hit 1000X in 2025

What to see next

Ethereum I didn’t do it It breaks through that ceiling quite a bit, the Now sitting under a level that could cause another level Selection subject Move. If it exceeds the old height, there is It could gain momentum in the next quarter. If not, expect a reset and more volatility as traders are relocated. The Fed uses the edge of play and market, no one I’m still relaxing.

Discover: 20+ Next Cryptocurrency to Explode in 2025

For the latest market updates, please join us in the discrepancy in 99bitcoins news here

Key takeout

  • Over $340 million crypto liquidation hit 24 hours, with Ethereum Shorts leading the wipeout.

  • Ethereum has temporarily risen above $4,842, following the Fed’s signal on possible rate reductions.

  • ETH’s rally was triggered across half of all crypto liquidation, outperforming the Bitcoin market’s impact.

  • Despite touching on the new high, Ethereum returned to about $4,773 as momentum cooled.

  • Market responses show how much of a macro signal affects crypto, especially Ethereum.

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]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/ethereum-shorts-crushed-259-million-lost-as-prices-approached-ath/feed/ 0 54716 Analyst Says Bitcoin To Hit New Lows if One Support Level Is Lost, Updates Outlook on Ethereum https://earlybirdsinvest.com/analyst-says-bitcoin-to-hit-new-lows-if-one-support-level-is-lost-updates-outlook-on-ethereum/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/analyst-says-bitcoin-to-hit-new-lows-if-one-support-level-is-lost-updates-outlook-on-ethereum/#respond Fri, 08 Aug 2025 21:34:50 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/analyst-says-bitcoin-to-hit-new-lows-if-one-support-level-is-lost-updates-outlook-on-ethereum/

A widely followed crypto analyst is warning that Bitcoin (BTC) could hit new lows if it fails to hold one crucial level of support while updating his outlook on Ethereum (ETH).

In a new strategy session, crypto trader Michaël van de Poppe tells his 800,200 followers on the social media platform X that if the top crypto asset by market cap were to plunge below $115,000, it could see a significant dip in price.

“Bitcoin didn’t break entirely through the resistance here. Small corrective day, however, on the lower timeframes, it’s clear that Bitcoin is trending upwards again. Crucial area to hold at $115,000. If that’s lost, likely new lows.”

Van de Poppe goes even further and says that if the crypto king can hold the support zone, it will lead to a new all-time high (ATH) price.

“Phenomenal break upwards on the altcoin and Bitcoin markets. It’s still facing the next resistance, but the trend seems to be kicking back upwards. What is crucial to hold? $114,800 Hold that and we’ll be seeing a new ATH. Right on edge with the rates falling downwards.”

GxwruFHWsAAW4CQ
Source: Michaël van de Poppe/X

Bitcoin is trading for $116,497 at time of writing.

Moving on to the largest smart contract platform by volume, Van de Poppe says that the top altcoin appears ready to make a move toward the $4,000 price tag in the coming days.

“ETH is back to $3,900 and is likely going to attack that $4,000 resistance in the coming days. The markets are strong, volume is picking up, more volatility is coming in and the joy will be back.”

The trader goes on to note that he believes there is an opportunity in altcoins as they are currently being overlooked and will see massive gains in the next 2-4 months.

“I think that the altcoin markets are extremely mispriced… Almost all altcoins haven’t gotten back to their previous levels, which means that there’s still a massive opportunity that people overlook as they are too busy screaming on social media how bad the markets are.

I remain all-in into altcoins as I think that there’s 200-500% to be made in the next 2-4 months. A lot of altcoins haven’t really gotten back to their levels from early ’25. Of course, some aren’t going to be showing momentum, but the recent move of ETH is the first step forwards to a more risk-on appetite.”

Ethereum is trading for $3,945 at time of writing.

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

Featured Image: Shutterstock/Ivan Popovych

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/analyst-says-bitcoin-to-hit-new-lows-if-one-support-level-is-lost-updates-outlook-on-ethereum/feed/ 0 52223 Man Who Lost Nearly $1,000,000,000 In Bitcoin in Landfill Launches Bid To Tokenize 8,000 BTC Stash https://earlybirdsinvest.com/man-who-lost-nearly-1000000000-in-bitcoin-in-landfill-launches-bid-to-tokenize-8000-btc-stash/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/man-who-lost-nearly-1000000000-in-bitcoin-in-landfill-launches-bid-to-tokenize-8000-btc-stash/#respond Thu, 07 Aug 2025 01:58:44 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/man-who-lost-nearly-1000000000-in-bitcoin-in-landfill-launches-bid-to-tokenize-8000-btc-stash/

A man from the United Kingdom who accidentally misplaced his crypto wallet containing a $1 billion stash of Bitcoin (BTC) is launching a new bid to tokenize his missing stash.

In a post on the social media platform X, James Howells – a man who mistakenly threw away his crypto wallet containing the BTC nearly a decade ago – says he’s not giving up despite being rejected numerous times by the Newport City Council to launch a search to find the coins.

“For over 12 years, I tried everything to engage with Newport City Council: public proposals, percentages, mediation, legal action, and a formal $25 million offer. $1 Billion and they ignored it all. No response. No logic. No leadership. They want me to give up, but I am done asking for permission.”

Howells says he’s going to tokenize the entire missing wallet, which contains 8,000 BTC, by launching a new blockchain called Ceiniog Coin (INI) that is set to launch in late 2025.

“I’m tokenizing the entire wallet – 8,000 BTC – into 800 billion Ceiniog Coin (INI) – 1:1 satoshi value match.

  • • Built on Bitcoin
  • • Powered by OP_RETURN
  • • Integrates with Stacks, Runes, Ordinals
  • • Launching Late-2025

To the established and distinguished gatekeepers who blocked me for over a decade: You can block the gates. You can pack the courts. But you cannot block the blockchain. Crypto already won. Ceiniog is coming – and your world is collapsing.”

According to previous reports, Howells offered the city council $70 million in 2021 for permission to search the landfill to recover his hard drive, but was rejected due to environmental concerns.

In February, the city council announced that the landfill was formally closing down sometime during the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

BTC is trading for $115,429 at time of writing, a 2% gain on the day.

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

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]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/man-who-lost-nearly-1000000000-in-bitcoin-in-landfill-launches-bid-to-tokenize-8000-btc-stash/feed/ 0 51884 New Data Shows 4 in 10 Brits Never Recover Money Lost After Falling Victim to Scams https://earlybirdsinvest.com/new-data-shows-4-in-10-brits-never-recover-money-lost-after-falling-victim-to-scams/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/new-data-shows-4-in-10-brits-never-recover-money-lost-after-falling-victim-to-scams/#respond Mon, 04 Aug 2025 07:49:53 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/new-data-shows-4-in-10-brits-never-recover-money-lost-after-falling-victim-to-scams/

40% of Brits who have been victims of frauds or scams in the last year haven’t been able to recover the money lost as a result, highlighting the urgent need for fraud-resistant payment methods, a new survey has revealed. 

As open banking emerges as a viable safeguard for merchants and financial institutions, research from Pay by Bank provider Yaspa shows consumers lose £765 on average to scams, with the average percentage of lost funds recovered sitting at 34%.

In the last 12 months, 16% of Brits who have experienced fraud or scams have lost between £250 and £500, while 1 in 10 have lost between £500 and £1000. Survey data revealed that the average financial loss for men was £943 – significantly higher than women, whose average came in at £476.

Younger people lost less on average, with 16-24 year olds losing an average of £284 in scams and fraudulent activity, while all other age groups lost between £750 and £900 on average. This could be in part due to younger people being more technologically savvy than their older counterparts, or that they would have less disposable income to part with. 

Financial losses were also higher in Northern Ireland, with the average amount of money lost due to fraud in the last 12 months being £2290, followed by the North East at £1337, Wales at £1285 and Greater London at £1151. 

 

The nationally representative survey found 35% of respondents were a victim of fraud in the last 12 months – an estimated equivalent of around 17.5 million people. Over half of Brits (54%) said they believe it is easier to scam people today than 5 years ago, compared to just 19% of respondents who disagreed and felt it is harder to do so, while 70% of respondents said they are concerned about them or a loved one becoming a victim of fraud in the next 12 months. 

According to the survey, it was online mediums that ranked the highest for the ‘most common’ occurrences of fraudulent activity, with online shopping scams, phishing emails, and Facebook Marketplace scams considered the most common according to respondents. 

Investment scams, AI or deep fake scams, and unlicensed gambling operators also ranked highly, with nearly a quarter of Brits (24%) stating they believe ticket buying for concerts and sporting events is the most common platform for fraudulent activity or scams.

When asked if the government and its agencies were doing enough to protect consumers from fraudulent activity, nearly 40% didn’t agree. Almost 1 in 2 (49%) shared that the primary responsibility for protecting consumers sits with the government, while 44% felt it should be the responsibility of banks and financial institutions. Just over a third (38%) believed responsibility should sit with the police, 37% said technology and social media companies, while 26% felt it lay with the individual. 

Nearly a third of those surveyed (33%) shared they felt the solution to tackle fraudulent activity was in improved technology for better detection. 

Highlighting Pay by Bank as an alternative technology to reduce the risk of financial loss as a result of fraud, Amie Kadhim from Yaspa shares: “Push payment fraud is one of the most damaging types of fraud today – and once the money’s gone, it’s rarely recovered. Scammers exploit the trust people place in bank transfers, highlighting the urgent need for better safeguards.

“With a background in card acquiring, I’ve seen how Pay by Bank offers a more secure alternative. Open banking, the technology behind it, moves money directly between accounts using strong customer authentication, without exposing sensitive card details or leaving gaps for fraudsters.

“With a third of respondents saying technology for fraud detection could be the best way to protect consumers against scams, other technological innovations in the payments sector could also be effective in fighting against these crimes.

As fraud tactics evolve, we must stay ahead with smarter and more secure technology – and help consumers understand which payment methods truly offer better protection. Pay by Bank does exactly that.”

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/new-data-shows-4-in-10-brits-never-recover-money-lost-after-falling-victim-to-scams/feed/ 0 51371 Over $3.4 billion in Ethereum lost forever due to user mistakes and contract bugs https://earlybirdsinvest.com/over-3-4-billion-in-ethereum-lost-forever-due-to-user-mistakes-and-contract-bugs/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/over-3-4-billion-in-ethereum-lost-forever-due-to-user-mistakes-and-contract-bugs/#respond Tue, 22 Jul 2025 01:14:54 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/over-3-4-billion-in-ethereum-lost-forever-due-to-user-mistakes-and-contract-bugs/

More than 913,111 ETH has been permanently lost due to user and contract-related errors, according to Conor Grogan, a director at Coinbase.

At current prices, that amounts to approximately $3.43 billion in inaccessible assets, which represent over 0.76% of Ethereum’s total circulating supply.

Grogan highlighted several major incidents that have contributed to this significant number of irreversible ETH losses.

Lost Ethereum
Lost Ethereum (Source: X/ Grogan)

Topping the list is the Web3 Foundation, which lost 306,000 ETH due to a vulnerability in the Parity multisig wallet. The defunct Canadian crypto exchange QuadrigaCX lost 60,000 ETH through a faulty smart contract. NFT project Akutars mistakenly burned 11,500 ETH during a botched minting process.

Additionally, users have inexplicably sent over 25,000 ETH directly to burn addresses, permanently removing them from circulation.

Losses could be higher

Meanwhile, Grogan emphasized that the $3.4 billion figure is a conservative estimate.

According to him, the figure only accounts for provably inaccessible ETH, such as coins trapped in flawed contracts or burn addresses. It does not include ETH tied to lost private keys or dormant wallets from Ethereum’s early days, like Genesis wallets that haven’t moved funds in years.

He also pointed out that the figure is significantly higher when factoring in Ethereum’s destruction via the EIP-1559 burn mechanism, with more than 5.3 million ETH permanently removed from circulation. This total exceeds 5% of all ETH ever minted and represents over $23.4 billion in value.

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/over-3-4-billion-in-ethereum-lost-forever-due-to-user-mistakes-and-contract-bugs/feed/ 0 48950 Bitcoin Trader Who Lost $100M After Opening $1 Billion BTC Longs Is Back Again — Here’s What He’s Trading Now https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitcoin-trader-who-lost-100m-after-opening-1-billion-btc-longs-is-back-again-heres-what-hes-trading-now/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitcoin-trader-who-lost-100m-after-opening-1-billion-btc-longs-is-back-again-heres-what-hes-trading-now/#respond Wed, 16 Jul 2025 23:41:12 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitcoin-trader-who-lost-100m-after-opening-1-billion-btc-longs-is-back-again-heres-what-hes-trading-now/

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James Wynn, the notorious high-leverage crypto trader who lost a staggering $100 million earlier this year after betting $1 billion on Bitcoin (BTC) longs, is back in the spotlight. After weeks of silence following his steep trading losses, on-chain data now shows Wynn has returned to trading again—this time placing risky bets on PEPE and BTC. 

Overleveraged Bitcoin Trader Hits Back With 10x PEPE Bet

After vanishing from social media earlier in 2025 and experiencing one of the most dramatic crypto trading collapses, Wynn is making a comeback, and this time, he’s betting big on a volatile meme coin, PEPE. The notorious Bitcoin trader has reportedly resumed trading the perpetual version of PEPE with fresh leveraged exposure on the decentralized derivatives platform Hyperliquid. 

According to blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain, Wynn returned to the market through the same crypto wallet address tied to his previous trades. On-chain data reveals that his latest position involves a 10x long on kPEPE, funded almost entirely by his recently claimed referral reward of 6,792.53 USDC—a striking contrast to the billion-dollar positions he previously commanded.

Updated information from HyperDash reveals that the trader opened a long position of approximately $89,000 on kPEPE. The position is running at 10x leverage, meaning the actual capital backing it is around $8,800, while the exposure exceeds $89,000. Notably, Wynn had bought over 6.8 million kPEPE, betting entirely on the token’s upside. At this leverage level, just a 10% drop in PEPE’s price could entirely wipe out the margin used to back this trade, making this an extremely high-risk move. 

Interestingly, Wynn’s comeback follows his public fallout in May 2025, when his massive $1 billion leveraged BTC longs were liquidated during a price dip below $105,000, resulting in a staggering $100 million (949 BTC) loss. This incident caught the attention of the crypto community, sparking controversy and widespread discussions. Now the Bitcoin trader is facing renewed scrutiny from various crypto community members, with some labeling him a degen trader and others questioning his risk management skills.

Wynn Makes Bold 40X Bet On Bitcoin

Despite accruing massive losses that forced him offline, Wynn is making another extremely high-risk Bitcoin trade, involving a $468,000 position and 40X leverage. In an earlier post, Lookonchain reported that the trader had deposited 468,000 USDC into Hyperliquid and opened a new leveraged long on Bitcoin, with a liquidation price of $115,570. 

Updated data from HyperDash revealed that Wynn has opened a $23.9 million long position on Bitcoin with 40x leverage on Hyperliquid. The position size includes over 202 BTC, and the trader is fully committed to the cryptocurrency’s potential upside movement. 

At 40x leverage, only 2.5% price movement against the trade would be enough to trigger a complete BTC liquidation, wiping out the entire margin backing Wynn’s position. This significantly high-risk strategy leaves no room for error, especially in a market as volatile as Bitcoin.

Bitcoin
BTC trading at $119,158 on the 1D chart | Source: BTCUSDT on Tradingview.com

Featured image from Pixabay, chart from Tradingview.com

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

]]> https://earlybirdsinvest.com/bitcoin-trader-who-lost-100m-after-opening-1-billion-btc-longs-is-back-again-heres-what-hes-trading-now/feed/ 0 48038 $181M Recovered From Hackers, But Crypto Still Lost $620M in Q2 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/181m-recovered-from-hackers-but-crypto-still-lost-620m-in-q2/ https://earlybirdsinvest.com/181m-recovered-from-hackers-but-crypto-still-lost-620m-in-q2/#respond Sat, 05 Jul 2025 08:49:45 +0000 https://earlybirdsinvest.com/181m-recovered-from-hackers-but-crypto-still-lost-620m-in-q2/

Crypto and Web3 security incidents led to over $801.3 million in losses across 144 incidents in Q2 2025. CertiK reported that this reflects a 52.1% decrease in value lost from the previous quarter.

The quarter also saw 59 fewer incidents during this period.

Ethereum Hit Hardest Again

Phishing was the most damaging attack vector, as it saw $395 million being stolen across 52 incidents. Code vulnerabilities followed suit and recorded $235.8 million in losses across 47 incidents.

In its latest report, CertiK said that Ethereum saw the highest number of incidents. The network recorded 70 hacks, scams, and exploits, resulting in $65.4 million in losses for the quarter.

Additionally, funds worth $181 million were recovered, which brought the adjusted losses for the second quarter to $620.4 million. The average loss per incident was $4.3 million, while the median was around $104,000.

Zooming out, the blockchain security firm also reported total losses of $2.47 billion across 344 incidents for the first half of 2025. Wallet compromises were the costliest during this period, as these breaches accounted for $1.71 billion in losses across 34 incidents. Next up was phishing, with $410.7 million stolen across 132 incidents, which made it the most frequent attack type so far this year.

So far this year, Ethereum recorded 175 incidents in H1, resulting in $1.63 billion in losses. A total of $187.3 million was recovered in the first half of the year, pushing the adjusted total losses to $2.29 billion. Meanwhile, the average loss per incident for H1 was $7.13 million, with a median loss of $89,026.

Two Major Hacks Skew Trend

CertiK noted that while headline figures suggest worsening crypto security, two incidents alone accounted for around $1.78 billion of 2025’s losses – the Bybit hack and the Cetus Protocol breach.

Hackers exploited Bybit’s cold wallet infrastructure in February 2025 by altering transaction logic and masking interfaces, which enabled them to steal over $1.5 billion in Ether. North Korea’s notorious state-sponsored hacking entity, the Lazarus Group, was responsible for it.

Besides, Sui-based Cetus, on the other hand, suffered an exploit in an overflow check within the project’s liquidity calculation function, which resulted in $225 million in losses in May.

Without these two incidents, total losses would be $690 million, which essentially indicates that the broader security trend may not be as severe as the raw figures imply.

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