{"id":80604,"date":"2025-11-05T13:24:43","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T21:24:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mainstage.drivesavers.com\/?p=80604"},"modified":"2026-03-05T02:51:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T10:51:26","slug":"our-role-in-the-search-for-1-billion-in-lost-bitcoin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/en-au\/press-coverage\/our-role-in-the-search-for-1-billion-in-lost-bitcoin\/","title":{"rendered":"DriveSavers Featured in Popular Mechanics: Our Role in the Search for \u00a31 Billion in Lost Bitcoin"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_section blog-header-top-padding vc_custom_1742716771897 wpex-vc-full-width-section wpex-vc-full-width-section--centered wpex-relative wpex-vc_section-has-fill wpex-vc-reset-negative-margin\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_custom_1737675721786 wpex-relative no-bottom-margins\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_raw_code wpb_raw_html wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t   <style>\n        .single-post-title {\n            display: none;\n        }\n    ul.meta {\n       display:none;\n        }\n\n    <\/style>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vcex-spacing wpex-w-100 wpex-clear\" style=\"height:10px;\"><\/div><style>.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da31d30{color:#ffffff;font-size:45px;font-weight:600;}@media (max-width:959px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da31d30{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:767px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da31d30{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:479px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da31d30{font-size:25px;}}<\/style><div class=\"vcex-heading vcex-heading-plain vcex-module wpex-heading wpex-text-2xl wpex-div vc_custom_1762365036187 vcex_69de72da31d30\"><span class=\"vcex-heading-inner wpex-inline-block\">DriveSavers Featured in Popular Mechanics: Our Role in the Search for \u00a31 Billion in Lost Bitcoin<\/span><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid vc_row-o-content-middle vc_row-flex wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column presscoverage-radius vc_column_container vc_col-sm-6\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner vc_custom_1738287789313\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><style>.vcex-image.vcex_69de72da3270c .vcex-image-img{border-radius:var(--wpex-rounded);object-position:center center;}<\/style><figure class=\"vcex-image vcex-module wpex-text-center vcex_69de72da3270c\"><div class=\"vcex-image-inner wpex-relative wpex-inline-block\"><img width=\"1000\" height=\"612\" src=\"https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/popularmechanics-1.png\" class=\"vcex-image-img wpex-align-middle skip-lazy\" alt=\"Popular Mechanics\" data-no-lazy=\"1\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/popularmechanics-1.png 1000w, https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/popularmechanics-1-300x184.png 300w, https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/popularmechanics-1-768x470.png 768w, https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/popularmechanics-1-18x12.png 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/div><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-6\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div style=\"color:#ffffff;font-size:18px;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>In a recent <em>Popular Mechanics<\/em> article, the spotlight fell on a global treasure hunt that could unlock nearly \u00a31 billion in bitcoin buried in a Welsh landfill. The story follows James Howells, an early bitcoin miner who, in 2013, accidentally discarded the only hard drive containing the one key to his 8,000-bitcoin, a \u00a3100 value at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Now, over a decade later, the value has changed. Howells has assembled a world-class team to help him find\u2014and possibly recover\u2014the digital treasure. <strong>DriveSavers was chosen as the data recovery partner to take on this once-in-a-generation challenge.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_section vc_custom_1761159273585 wpex-vc-full-width-section wpex-vc-full-width-section--centered wpex-relative wpex-vc_section-has-fill wpex-vc-reset-negative-margin\" style=\"background-color:#ffffff!important;\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative no-bottom-margins\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 40px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><style>.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da33e7e{color:#3e3d3e;font-size:35px;font-weight:400;}@media (max-width:1024px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da33e7e{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:959px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da33e7e{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:767px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da33e7e{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:479px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da33e7e{font-size:25px;}}<\/style><div class=\"vcex-heading vcex-heading-plain vcex-module wpex-heading wpex-text-2xl wpex-div vcex_69de72da33e7e\"><span class=\"vcex-heading-inner wpex-inline-block\"><strong><span style=\"color: #e31f26\">The Billion-Dollar<\/span><\/strong> Blunder\n<\/span><\/div><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div style=\"color:#6f737e;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>Howells mistakenly threw out a hard drive containing the private key to his bitcoin wallet. That small 2.5-inch hard drive holds the key to unlocking a crypto cache now worth almost \u00a31 billion.<\/p>\n<p>Years of legal battles with the city of Newport, Wales, mounting public interest, and still no hard drive, Howells launched a recovery effort involving landfill excavation experts, AI-powered robotics, and DriveSavers, the industry leader in hard drive data recovery.<\/p>\n<p>James Howells is hardly alone in losing his bitcoin key. A 2023 report from Unchained Capital estimates that up to 3.8 million bitcoin \u2014 more than \u00a3400 billion worth \u2014 have been permanently lost. In the world of cryptocurrency, there\u2019s no 1-800 number or password reset link. Once the data is gone, it\u2019s gone \u2014 unless specialists like DriveSavers can recover it.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative no-bottom-margins\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 40px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><style>.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da34e4f{color:#3e3d3e;font-size:35px;font-weight:400;}@media (max-width:1024px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da34e4f{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:959px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da34e4f{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:767px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da34e4f{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:479px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da34e4f{font-size:25px;}}<\/style><div class=\"vcex-heading vcex-heading-plain vcex-module wpex-heading wpex-text-2xl wpex-div vcex_69de72da34e4f\"><span class=\"vcex-heading-inner wpex-inline-block\">Why <strong><span style=\"color: #e31f26\">DriveSavers?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div style=\"color:#6f737e;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>Recovering the hard drive is only step one. The real test is whether the data on that drive can be salvaged after over 12 years in a landfill\u2014potentially exposed to heat, moisture, corrosion, and physical damage.<\/p>\n<p>In the article, DriveSavers Director of Engineering Mike Cobb explains what it will take to retrieve the 51-character bitcoin key:<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div data-vc-full-width=\"true\" data-vc-full-width-init=\"false\" class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid vc_custom_1762367890788 vc_column-gap-15 vc_row-o-content-middle vc_row-flex wpex-relative wpex-vc_row-has-fill wpex-vc-row-stretched no-bottom-margins\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-8 wpex-vc_col-has-fill\"><div style=\"background-color:#ebebeb!important;border-color:#000000!important;\" class=\"vc_column-inner vc_custom_1760032665166\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div style=\"color:#6f737e;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element vc_custom_1762548475941\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p><em>\u201cWhat we\u2019re looking for is 51 characters\u2026 it\u2019s an incredibly focused recovery\u2026 On an 80-gigabyte drive, James\u2019s passkey takes up 53 bytes.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column cstm-width vc_column_container vc_col-sm-4\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_inner vc_row-fluid vc_custom_1762367930448 vc_row-o-content-middle vc_row-flex wpex-relative\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-4 vc_col-xs-4\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner vc_custom_1727284399200\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div  class=\"wpb_single_image wpb_content_element vc_align_center wpb_content_element\">\n\t\t\n\t\t<figure class=\"wpb_wrapper vc_figure\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"vc_single_image-wrapper   vc_box_border_grey\"><img width=\"553\" height=\"553\" src=\"https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Mike_Cobb.png\" class=\"vc_single_image-img attachment-full\" alt=\"\" title=\"Mike_Cobb\" srcset=\"https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Mike_Cobb.png 553w, https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Mike_Cobb-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Mike_Cobb-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 553px) 100vw, 553px\" \/><\/div>\n\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-8 vc_col-xs-8\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner vc_custom_1726698323478\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div style=\"color:#6f737e;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element vc_custom_1762548529894\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p><strong>Mike Cobb<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Director of Engineering at DriveSavers, via <em>Popular Mechanics<\/em><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row-full-width vc_clearfix\"><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative no-bottom-margins\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div style=\"color:#6f737e;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>This level of precision, combined with DriveSavers Data Recovery\u2019s decades of experience and specialised cleanroom technology, makes us uniquely qualified to attempt this high-stakes recovery.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve pulled data from devices crushed by snowblowers, damaged by natural disasters, and submerged in floodwaters. Now, we&#8217;re preparing for our most ambitious mission yet: recovering one of the most valuable strings of characters ever lost.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative no-bottom-margins\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 40px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><style>.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da3774f{color:#3e3d3e;font-size:35px;font-weight:400;}@media (max-width:1024px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da3774f{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:959px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da3774f{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:767px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da3774f{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:479px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da3774f{font-size:25px;}}<\/style><div class=\"vcex-heading vcex-heading-plain vcex-module wpex-heading wpex-text-2xl wpex-div vcex_69de72da3774f\"><span class=\"vcex-heading-inner wpex-inline-block\">The Road <strong><span style=\"color: #e31f26\">Ahead<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div style=\"color:#6f737e;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>The odds are long\u2014but not impossible. According to the article, modern data recovery miracles do happen. Once the drive has been found, DriveSavers will be the team working to bring that data back from the digital grave.<\/p>\n<p>As bitcoin continues to climb in value, this lost hard drive is becoming one of the most expensive tech mistakes ever made\u2014and one of the most watched recovery efforts in history.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative no-bottom-margins\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 40px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><style>.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da386e3{color:#3e3d3e;font-size:35px;font-weight:400;}@media (max-width:1024px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da386e3{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:959px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da386e3{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:767px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da386e3{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:479px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da386e3{font-size:25px;}}<\/style><div class=\"vcex-heading vcex-heading-plain vcex-module wpex-heading wpex-text-2xl wpex-div vcex_69de72da386e3\"><span class=\"vcex-heading-inner wpex-inline-block\"><strong><span style=\"color: #e31f26\">Read the Full Story<\/span><\/strong> in Popular Mechanics\n<\/span><\/div><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div style=\"color:#6f737e;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>Want the full story behind this high-tech treasure hunt? Read the original article from <em>Popular Mechanics<\/em>, featuring DriveSavers as the trusted experts tasked with recovering the bitcoin key that could be worth \u00a31 billion.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.popularmechanics.com\/technology\/a69045812\/bitcoin-billionaire-dump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the full Popular Mechanics article here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid wpex-relative no-bottom-margins\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 40px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><style>.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da39615{color:#3e3d3e;font-size:35px;font-weight:400;}@media (max-width:1024px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da39615{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:959px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da39615{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:767px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da39615{font-size:25px;}}@media (max-width:479px){.vcex-heading.vcex_69de72da39615{font-size:25px;}}<\/style><div class=\"vcex-heading vcex-heading-plain vcex-module wpex-heading wpex-text-2xl wpex-div vcex_69de72da39615\"><span class=\"vcex-heading-inner wpex-inline-block\">Need Help With a <strong><span style=\"color: #e31f26\">Lost Cryptocurrency?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/div><div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div>\n\t<div style=\"color:#6f737e;\" class=\"wpb_text_column has-custom-color wpex-child-inherit-color wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p>From system crashes and accidental deletions to severe physical damage, DriveSavers can recover your assets\u2014even in the most critical situations.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"vc_empty_space\"   style=\"height: 32px\"><span class=\"vc_empty_space_inner\"><\/span><\/div><style>.vcex-button.vcex_69de72da3a1d2{width:450px;}<\/style><div class=\"vc_custom_1762366222311 wpex-clr\"><div class=\"theme-button-wrap textcenter wpex-clr\"><a href=\"https:\/\/drivesaversdatarecovery.com\/en-au\/data-recovery-services\/crypto-data-recovery-services\/\" class=\"vcex-button theme-button align-center inline wpex-flex-shrink-0 vcex_69de72da3a1d2\"><span class=\"vcex-button-inner theme-button-inner wpex-flex wpex-flex-wrap wpex-items-center wpex-justify-center\">Learn More About Crypto Data Recovery<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div> <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Howells has assembled a world-class team to help him find\u2014and possibly recover\u2014the digital treasure. DriveSavers was chosen as the data recovery partner to take on this once-in-a-generation challenge.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":80608,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[11458,11461],"post_series":[],"class_list":["post-80604","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-press-coverage","tag-crypto","tag-press-coverage","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.9 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>DriveSavers Featured in Popular Mechanics: Our Role in the Search for $1 Billion in Lost Bitcoin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Howells has assembled a world-class team to help him find\u2014and possibly recover\u2014the digital treasure. 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