Man Left With Only Two Tries to Access $220 Million in Bitcoin Before It’s Sealed Forever
In 2013, a man named Stefan Thomas earns a sum of 7,002 Bitcoin, worth roughly $220 million as of January 2021, by a Bitcoin enthusiast. Thomas, a programmer based in San Francisco, took the funds and saved the Bitcoin onto an IronKey hard drive, which is like a USB drive but with a secure encryption feature. Back then, Bitcoin wasn’t worth as much as it is now, so Thomas didn’t think much of it and simply saved the IronKey in a secure location.
Fast forward to 2021, and Thomas finds himself in an unimaginable situation. He has lost the password to the IronKey hard drive, which means he cannot access his 7,002 Bitcoin, worth a fortune. He has made several unsuccessful attempts to recover his password, and he has only two attempts left before the IronKey will encrypt itself and permanently lock him out of his Bitcoin wallet. This would mean he would lose all access to his Bitcoin, worth over $220 million.
Many people would think that Thomas should have written down his password or saved it somewhere else. But the truth is, he did write down the password on a piece of paper, which he then misplaced. Now, he is left to contemplate his fate, with only two attempts left to access his fortune.
The story of Stefan Thomas is a cautionary tale for anyone investing in cryptocurrency. It highlights the risks involved in investing in such a volatile market, and the importance of keeping passwords safe and secure. But Thomas’ story is not the first of its kind. In fact, there have been several other instances where people have lost access to their cryptocurrency wallets due to lost passwords.
One such instance is that of James Howells, a British IT worker who accidentally threw away a hard drive containing 7,500 Bitcoin in 2013. At the time, Bitcoin was worth around $130 per coin, which means that Howells threw away $975,000 worth of Bitcoin. The hard drive was dumped in a landfill in Newport, Wales, and Howells has since been trying to convince the local council to let him search for it, but to no avail.
The stories of Thomas and Howells are just two of many that highlight the importance of taking care of one’s cryptocurrency investments. In the world of cryptocurrency, losing one’s password can be the equivalent of losing a fortune. With that in mind, it’s important to take the necessary precautions to ensure that passwords are secure and accessible.
In Thomas’ case, he has reached out to IronKey’s manufacturer, Ledger, to see if they can help him recover his password. However, as of now, there is no guarantee that they will be able to help him. He has also been offered help by several members of the cryptocurrency community, who have suggested different methods of password recovery.
But the question remains: what will happen to Thomas’ Bitcoin if he fails to recover his password in time? Unfortunately, the answer is that his Bitcoin will be lost forever. The IronKey hard drive will permanently encrypt itself, and there will be no way to recover the Bitcoin stored on it.
In conclusion, the story of Stefan Thomas highlights the risks involved in investing in cryptocurrency, and the importance of keeping passwords safe and secure. It’s a cautionary tale that should serve as a reminder to all investors in the world of cryptocurrency. Stefan says, thats he’s finally “made peace with the loss.” While the potential rewards of investing in cryptocurrency can be great, the risks are also very real. It’s important to take the necessary precautions to ensure that passwords are secure and accessible, and to avoid situations like the one faced by Stefan Thomas.
