Man uses Claude AI to recover his $400K Bitcoin wallet after 11 years and 3,500,000,000,000 password attempts
Published on May 18, 2026 at 5:58 AM (UTC-4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on May 22, 2026 at 4:39 AM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
For most people, forgetting a password means clicking ‘reset password’ and moving on with life.
But for one crypto owner, forgetting a password meant losing access to almost $400,000 worth of Bitcoin for more than a decade.
Now, after 11 years locked out of his digital wallet, Michael finally managed to recover the funds with the help of Anthropic’s Claude AI.
And the whole story sounds kind of crazy.
How he used Claude AI to recover his crypto wallet
An X user who goes by @cprkrn explained that he originally bought five Bitcoin back in 2015 when the cryptocurrency was worth around $250 per coin.
At the time, the coins were worth just over $1,200 altogether, but now fast forward to 2026, and those same five Bitcoin had exploded in value to almost $400,000, it was an insane decade of growth.
There was just one tiny problem – he had absolutely no idea what the password was.
According to the now-viral story, the X user changed the password to his wallet while high during college and then completely forgot it afterwards.
My wallet with my locked btc from 9 years ago lol 😭😭😭 https://t.co/lkFg05UuHz
— 🍜 (@cprkrn) August 8, 2023
For years, he tried everything to get back into the account, even reportedly using recovery software called btcrecover and attempting an eye-watering 3.5 trillion password combinations to unlock the wallet.
Despite all of those attempts, nothing worked.
That was until he decided to upload files from his old college computer into Claude AI, and the AI assistant reportedly discovered an older wallet backup file hidden away in the computer’s archives that predated the forgotten password change.
Once that older file was matched with a mnemonic phrase Michael had recently rediscovered, the wallet finally opened, and just like that, the long-lost Bitcoin fortune was back.
HOLY FUCKING SHIT OMG CLAUDE JUST CRACKED THIS SHIT, THANK YOU @AnthropicAI THANK YOU @DarioAmodei NAMING MY KID AFTER YOU 😍https://t.co/gObNirRDpS https://t.co/ByTdIM4d20 pic.twitter.com/xB5LUJb6Pe
— 🍜 (@cprkrn) May 13, 2026
The internet couldn’t believe the bizarre Bitcoin story
The story immediately exploded online, with people stunned that AI had managed to solve a problem that had remained unsolved for over a decade.
Some commenters pointed out that Claude AI did not actually ‘hack’ Bitcoin itself.
Instead, it acted more like a computer detective by sorting through years of forgotten files and spotting clues humans had missed.
Michael was understandably thrilled after finally regaining access to the wallet and even joked online that he might name his future child after Dario Amodei, the CEO of Anthropic.
And honestly, after gaining $400,000 in forgotten crypto, you probably could not blame him.
Daisy is a technology and automotive journalist covering artificial intelligence, consumer tech, Apple news, cryptocurrency, emerging technologies, and transportation innovation. Since joining the team in 2025, she has reported on everything from AI-powered startups and major iOS updates to viral car stories and the latest developments shaping transportation and the digital economy. Drawing on her background in automotive journalism and a degree in History and Journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, Daisy specializes in breaking down complex topics into clear, engaging reporting for a global audience. Her work spans cutting-edge technology, innovative vehicles, and the people driving change across both industries. Daisy has gained first-hand access to some of the world's most talked-about technologies and innovators, including meeting Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot during its first European appearance in London. She has also discussed the future of space exploration with an astronaut, bringing unique insights and real-world perspectives to her coverage of emerging technology.
