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Irish police unlock Bitcoin wallet years after keys vanished

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Crypto Breaking News

Irish authorities have recovered a portion of a long-dormant Bitcoin stash tied to a convicted drug dealer, signaling a rare success in unlocking a decades-old cryptographic puzzle. The Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) announced on Tuesday that it had gained access to and seized a cryptocurrency wallet containing 500 BTC, valued at more than $35 million, with crucial assistance from Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre.

Cabinet-level cooperation appears to have been pivotal. Europol reportedly hosted operational briefings at its headquarters in The Hague and supplied specialized technical expertise and decryption resources that supported CAB investigators and analysts in bringing the operation to fruition.

The wallet is part of a cluster of 12 addresses holding a total of about 6,000 BTC once linked to Clifton Collins, a drug dealer who received a five-year prison sentence for cannabis cultivation and distribution. The keys to these wallets were believed to be irretrievable after the paper containing them vanished from a fishing-rod case at Collins’ rental home.

“CAB gained access to and seized a cryptocurrency wallet” containing 500 BTC, the agency said, with support from Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre.

The disclosure underscores the evolving landscape of crypto asset recovery, where authorities increasingly combine off-chain investigations with on-chain tracing to locate and recover illicit funds long after their acquisition.

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Key takeaways

  • A 500 BTC wallet, one of 12 tied to Clifton Collins, has been seized by Irish authorities with Europol’s help, valued at over $35 million.
  • The broader stash comprises about 6,000 BTC spread across 12 wallets, deposited by Collins in 2011–2012 and guarded by a paper key hidden in a fishing-rod case.
  • Blockchain analytics firm Arkham has linked a wallet labeled “Clifton Collins: Lost Keys” to recent movement in the wallet cluster, including a transfer to Coinbase Prime.
  • Arkham’s data indicate Collins controls 14 addresses with a total of roughly 5,500 BTC, valued at more than $391 million, highlighting the persistence and scale of his holdings despite prior legal actions.
  • The case illustrates how cross-border law enforcement collaboration and decryptive capabilities can unlock “lost” crypto memories that were once deemed inaccessible.

Tracing a decade-old stash and its implications

The seizure traces back to a long-running narrative of how crime proceeds were converted into Bitcoin more than a decade ago. The 6,000 BTC in question reportedly flowed to multiple wallets in late 2011 and early 2012. Police describe the storage as an audacious yet ultimately fragile arrangement: private keys scattered across 12 wallets, and crucially, paper-based credentials hidden inside an aluminum cap within a fishing-rod case. When Collins was arrested in 2017, authorities say the landlord cleared out the rental home and discarded many belongings, complicating any effort to recover the keys.

While this story has a long tail in public reporting, the latest development shows that some of those “lost keys” can still unlock real value under the right circumstances. The Guardian’s coverage of Collins’ case provides the background on the criminal operation and the 2017 arrest, underscoring how a single possession—an apparently ordinary fishing-rod case—could become a cryptographic Achilles’ heel decades later.

Fresh on-chain activity and what it signals

Beyond the 500 BTC seizure, on-chain observers have noted movements linked to the Clifton Collins wallet cluster. Arkham, a blockchain analytics platform, traces a transfer of 500 BTC to Coinbase Prime from a wallet labeled “Clifton Collins: Lost Keys” on a recent Tuesday. Arkham’s explorer shows Collins as the controller of 14 addresses holding a combined 5,500 BTC, currently valued at more than $391 million.

The development has several practical implications. For investors and fund managers, it highlights that even “cold” assets tied to past criminal activity can re-enter the market or be moved to regulated custodians, potentially affecting liquidity and spot availability in sensitive coins. For traders and risk managers, it underscores the ongoing risk of asset provenance concerns—an issue that can influence compliance checks, KYC/AML workflows, and the perception of who ultimately controls large, long-dormant holdings.

Context and what to watch next

The case sits at the intersection of criminal finance, digital asset forensics, and international enforcement. It underscores the growing role of institutional-grade assistance in crypto asset recovery, including decryption resources and cross-border coordination. While only a portion of Collins’ original stash has been recovered to date, authorities have signaled that the collaboration with Europol will continue to pursue the remaining wallets where possible.

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Readers should monitor further updates from the CAB and Europol as the investigation unfolds. The Arkham disclosures also warrant attention, as additional wallets in the cluster could surface new movements that shed light on the ultimate disposition of the roughly 6,000 BTC tied to Collins’ operations. The broader takeaway is clear: the line between traditional crime and digital assets is continually being redrawn as investigators apply both on-chain analytics and cooperative legal channels to recover illicit proceeds.

In the coming weeks, observers should watch for any additional wallet recoveries, updates on the status of the 12-wallet cluster, and whether more of Collins’ holdings surface in public or institutional custody. The episode serves as a reminder that even long-standing crypto hoards can be traced, unlocked, and, in some cases, repurposed for asset recovery and restitution.

Risk & affiliate notice: Crypto assets are volatile and capital is at risk. This article may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure

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Gold Price Analysis: Time’s Up for Metals?

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Gold price staged a recovery on Wednesday, climbing 1.6% to settle at $4,550 even as geopolitical narratives shifted the analysis rapidly.

Gold price staged a defiant recovery on Wednesday, climbing 1.6% to settle at $4,550 even as geopolitical narratives shifted the analysis rapidly. The rebound was fueled by declining oil prices and reports of a potential Washington-brokered proposal to end the conflict in the Middle East.

While President Trump suggested negotiations with Tehran are active, Iranian officials have issued a stern denial, creating a volatile backdrop for safe-haven assets.

Spot markets reacted swiftly. Gold futures delivery surged over 3%, last seen at $4,545.50 per ounce. However, the broader trend remains concerning for bulls. Since March 4, the metal has suffered a 10% drop, significantly underperforming digital assets like Bitcoin, which has retraced only 4.5% in the same period. This divergence suggests that while headlines move prices momentarily, the underlying capital rotation favors digital scarcity.

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Gold Price Analysis: Can XAU Sustain Gains Above $4,550?

Tether Gold (XAUT), the crypto-native proxy for the metal, mirrors the spot recovery, trading at $4,553. This bounce, while welcome, does not erase the technical damage inflicted earlier in the month. The asset is currently trading in a noise vacuum, lacking the clearly defined support levels visible in the crypto market.

Analysts are watching the correlation between gold’s recovery and the digital asset market’s resilience. Bitcoin currently holds a critical floor above $70,000, with resistance stacking up near $74,500. If the safe-haven narrative flips decisively back to digital assets, driven by the “remarkable relative strength” noted by institutional researchers, gold’s current rally could prove to be a localized bull trap.

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Gold price staged a recovery on Wednesday, climbing 1.6% to settle at $4,550 even as geopolitical narratives shifted the analysis rapidly.
XAUT USDT, TradingView

Recent data indicate a similar volatility pattern in silver markets, suggesting this is a sector-wide liquidity test rather than a gold-specific breakout. Unless gold can reclaim the structural highs lost in early March, the path of least resistance remains sideways to down.

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LiquidChain Targets Cross-Chain Upside as Commodities Stall

Gold’s volatility, driven by contradictory war reports rather than fundamental demand, has pushed growth-focused traders toward high-beta infrastructure protocols. Metals may preserve wealth (sometimes), but they rarely multiply it overnight. As the macro landscape remains murky, smart money is rotating into Layer 3 solutions that solve liquidity fragmentation.

Enter LiquidChain ($LIQUID). This emerging Layer 3 protocol is building a unified execution environment that fuses Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana ecosystems into a single liquidity layer. The project has demonstrated significant early traction, raising $600K right now, from early backers.

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The token is currently priced at $0.0143, with more than 1700% APY in staking rewards.

While early-stage tokens carry valid vesting risks, the LiquidChain presale presents a rare opportunity to enter a critical infrastructure play before mainnet valuation.

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Crypto assets are highly volatile. Do your own research.

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Bitcoin Price Prediction: BTC A Safe Haven Assets Bloomberg Analyst Says

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While gold spot ETFs bled, Bitcoin price has demonstrated resilience, holding the $70,000 level amid prediction of market whipsaws.

Investors fled major gold funds as geopolitical tensions escalated, marking a distinct shift in capital allocation strategies. While gold spot ETFs bled, Bitcoin price has demonstrated resilience, holding the $70,000 level amid prediction of market whipsaws. This divergence suggests a potential changing of the guard, according to Bloomberg analyst.

The latest data paints a stark picture of this rotation. In the last week alone, top gold ETFs like GLD and IAU saw approximately $3.8 billion in exits. Conversely, Bitcoin investment products absorbed roughly $2 billion over the past few weeks, signaling that institutional appetite is shifting toward digital scarcity.

“Since the Iran strike, Bitcoin, surprisingly, has looked like a good safe haven and gold hasn’t,” noted Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence.

While gold spot ETFs bled, Bitcoin price has demonstrated resilience, holding the $70,000 level amid prediction of market whipsaws.
BTC XAUT, TradingView

Currently, Bitcoin trades above $71,000, noting a fractional bounce by 0.3% in the last 24 hours.

This decoupling challenges the traditional narrative that crypto assets are purely risk-on vehicles. With Bitcoin behaving as a store of value while gold falters, we are closely watching the $70,000 support zone for the next directional cue.

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Bitcoin Price Prediction: Can BTC Hold $70,500 Support Amid Volatility?

Bitcoin’s price action over the last 48 hours has been defined by tight consolidation, oscillating between a high of $72,000 and a low of $69,000. While the asset remains down 18% year-to-date, the immediate short-term structure shows buyers stepping in aggressively near the $68,000 mark.

Volume data indicates a standoff and cautious optimism. However, overhead resistance at $71,800 remains a formidable barrier. If bulls fail to reclaim this level, a retest of the monthly low at $65,000 becomes a viable bearish scenario. Conversely, a breakout above $72,500 could open the path toward this year’s high.

While gold spot ETFs bled, Bitcoin price has demonstrated resilience, holding the $70,000 level amid prediction of market whipsaws.
BTC USD, TradingView

The technical setup suggests a market in waiting. Geopolitical catalysts are currently priced in, but the lack of a clear breakout keeps margin traders largely sidelined. For those seeking aggressive multiples, Bitcoin’s maturity into a “safe haven” may limit short-term explosive upside compared to emerging ecosystem plays.

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Bitcoin Hyper Targets Early Mover Upside as L2 Narrative Heats Up

While Bitcoin stabilizes as a macro asset, the race to scale its network is accelerating. Capital is rotating into infrastructure layer-2 solutions that promise to unlock programmability for the world’s largest digital asset. Leading this charge is Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), the first-ever Bitcoin Layer 2 to integrate the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM).

The project is capitalizing on the demand for high-speed, low-cost execution on Bitcoin. By utilizing the SVM, Bitcoin Hyper delivers transaction finality faster than Solana itself, addressing Bitcoin’s core limitations—slow transactions and high fees—while maintaining a decentralized canonical bridge to the main chain. The market response has been quantifiable: the presale has already raised more than $32 Million.

Early participants can enter at a price of $0.0136 per token with 36% APY on staking rewards. Beyond the technology, the protocol offers high APY staking incentives to secure the network early. As Bitcoin continues to trade sideways in the $70k range, the risk-reward ratio for pre-market infrastructure plays like $HYPER is drawing attention from traders looking to front-run the L2 ecosystem boom.

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Investors can research the Bitcoin Hyper presale here.

Disclaimer: Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice.

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Ethereum Price Prediction: ETH Scaling Security and AI Crossroads

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Ethereum price entered a pivotal stretch this week as the network confronts deep existential questions regarding its roadmap prediction.

Ethereum price entered a pivotal stretch this week, trading at $2,170, a subtle +0.73% in the last 24 hours, as the network confronts deep existential questions regarding its roadmap prediction.

Following critical remarks from co-founder Vitalik Buterin regarding the ecosystem’s fragmented scaling approach, markets are reacting with caution. Data from prediction markets currently imply downside risks.

The technical landscape has shifted violently in early 2026. While developers previously assumed applications would absorb complexity, Buterin argues that current Layer-2 (L2) proliferation may not fully deliver on Ethereum’s original design goals. This introspection arrives as the network attempts to secure itself against quantum threats and integrate AI capabilities.

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This uncertainty regarding scaling architecture often leads capital to rotate. As established networks grapple with legacy cohesion, the market is pricing in the next generation of infrastructure plays.

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Ethereum Price Prediction: Can ETH Hold Support This Week?

Ethereum’s price action suggests a battle for directional control. Currently changing hands at $2,170, ETH remains pinned between a critical support floor at $2,100 and overhead resistance at $2,350. Recent data reveals seller-skewed order books (47/43), indicating that bears are attempting to force a retest of the psychological $2,050 zone.

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Technical indicators flash warning signs. While the MACD remains positive at 6, the histogram has turned red (-1.93), signaling that the bullish momentum seen during recent L2 testnet expansions is fading. A break below the 9-day DEMA at $2,300 has already occurred, forcing bulls to defend the lower range.

Ethereum price entered a pivotal stretch this week as the network confronts deep existential questions regarding its roadmap prediction.
ETH USD, TradingView

The 24-hour trading range ($2,150-$2,180) reflects tight consolidation. If ETH can reclaim $2,300 and close above $2,400, analyst targets suggest a breakout toward the 200-EMA at $3,260 is possible.

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LiquidChain Targets Unified Liquidity as Ethereum Segments

While Ethereum struggles with the fragmentation caused by disconnected Layer-2s—a concern highlighted explicitly by Buterin—investors are looking toward protocols that solve the liquidity fracture. This narrative shift has directed significant volume toward LiquidChain ($LIQUID), a Layer-3 infrastructure project designed to unify execution across chains.

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Unlike current scaling solutions that isolate liquidity, LiquidChain fuses Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana into a single execution environment. The project’s presale has already raised more than $600K, with more than 1700% APY rewards.

Priced at $0.0143 during the current tranche, the project offers a verifiable settlement layer that appeals to traders fatigued by bridging risks. While high-cap assets like ETH face resistance in established price channels, early-stage infrastructure plays like LiquidChain are capturing the “solution utility” premium.

Research the LiquidChain Presale

Disclaimer: Crypto is a high-risk asset class. This article is provided for informational purposes and does not constitute investment advice.

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Silver Price Analysis: Almost 50% Drop From The Top

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📉

Investors holding silver positions opened in early this year are staring at significant unrealized losses today. Silver price finished yesterday’s session down to $68 per ounce, a sharp retraction from the $120 highs seen in late January following a turbulent market analysis.

Following a volatile trading window where prices collapsed as low as $61 during the Asian session, market participants are scrambling to reassess the geopolitical premiums previously baked into the commodity. This 40% drawback highlights the dangers of chasing assets that climb “like fireworks.”

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Silver Price Analysis: Can The Metal Stabilize After Double-Digit Drop?

$69 is the number currently defining traders’ screens. The session low of $61, printed at 3 a.m. ET, now serves as the critical support floor. The volatility stems directly from macro-geopolitical developments involving the United States and Iran, specifically regarding the Strait of Hormuz. While the threat of immediate escalation has been postponed by five days to allow for talks, the market reaction suggests the risk premium is eroding faster than bulls anticipated.

Technical indicators scream caution. The swift drop from $120 suggests the parabolic phase has fractured. Volume on the downdraft was significant, indicating institutional liquidation rather than mere retail panic.

Silver price finished yesterday's session down to $68 per ounce, from highs seen in late January following a turbulent market analysis.
XAG USD, TradingView

If the $61 level fails to hold during the next testing of liquidity, analysts suggest further downside is probable. Conversely, a stabilization here requires a distinct shift in sentiment, perhaps fueled by safe-haven narratives reversing back to precious metals. Capital seems to be rotating, and fast.

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Bitcoin Hyper Targets Early Mover Upside as Commodities Stumble

While silver investors lick their wounds from an 18.5% correction, smart capital is actively hunting for infrastructure plays that offer yield rather than just a volatile store of value. The heavy volatility in traditional commodities is driving a rotation into programmable assets—specifically Bitcoin Layer 2s.

Enter Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), the first-ever Bitcoin Layer 2 solution integrating the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM).

This project is not relying on geopolitical fear; it is building structural utility. Bitcoin Hyper has already raised an exact $32 million in its presale, signaling massive demand for high-speed Bitcoin infrastructure.

By bridging Bitcoin’s trust with Solana’s speed, $HYPER offers low-latency transaction execution and high APY staking with 36% rewards. The token is currently priced at $0.0136.

Investors tired of commodity whiplash are increasingly looking to research Bitcoin Hyper as the next growth frontier.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Cryptocurrency and commodity investments are highly volatile. Please do your own research.

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Indian Court Says ‘No Case’ Against CoinDCX Founders

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Phishing, India, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Scams, Social Engineering

A magistrate court in Thane, India, has granted bail to CoinDCX co-founders Sumit Surendra Gupta and Niraj Ashok Khandelwal, ruling that no prima facie case was made out against them in a 71 lakh Indian rupees ($75,000) cheating complaint linked to a fake trading platform posing as the Indian crypto exchange. 

The court’s common order on March 23 on their bail applications concluded that they were entitled to bail because no case was made out against them, even on an initial look at the available evidence. The founders were taken in for questioning on Saturday and remanded over the weekend after a complaint alleged they had duped an investor.

In the order, the magistrate recorded that the investigation officer had “no objection” to their release and that the applicants were not present in Mumbra when the alleged offence took place, adding that “some other person by representing as accused cheated the informant,” a fact the informant has admitted in court. 

CoinDCX says bail order backs “third‑party impersonation”

In a March 24 statement on X, CoinDCX said the court proceedings supported a “third-party impersonation” scenario and that the fraud occurred on a lookalike site, coindcx.pro, which it said had no connection to the company. 

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Phishing, India, Cryptocurrency Exchange, Scams, Social Engineering
CoinDCX court common order. Source: CoinDCX

The judge noted that the informant filed an affidavit stating that another accused, Rana, had repaid him the cheated amount and that the applicants are not the persons he met at a café in Kausa Mumbra where the fraudulent deal was struck. 

With the matter “amicably settled” between the informant and the main accused, the court said there was no question of the founders tampering with evidence or witnesses.

Each was ordered released on bail upon executing a 50,000 Indian rupee bond (roughly $530) on condition that they cooperate with the investigation and trial.

Related: Hong Kong retiree loses $840K in triple ‘crypto expert’ scam

CoinDCX framed the episode as part of a broader rise in impersonation and phishing scams targeting well-known brands in India’s financial and crypto sectors, urging users to verify domains and only interact with the exchange’s official platform and social media profiles.

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Prior scrutiny surrounding CoinDCX

Established in 2018 and headquartered in Mumbai, CoinDCX ranks among India’s most prominent cryptocurrency exchanges. The company reached an estimated valuation of around $2.45 billion following a funding round led by Coinbase Ventures in October 2025.

The platform has previously come under scrutiny for security concerns after a July 2025 incident in which hackers drained approximately $44 million from one of its internal operational accounts, although CoinDCX emphasized that no customer funds were compromised.

Magazine: Bitcoin may take 7 years to upgrade to post-quantum — BIP-360 co-author