TL;DR
- More than 40 crypto and Bitcoin firms are urging leading AI labs to give vetted security researchers controlled access to frontier models before public release.
- The Bitcoin Policy Institute-backed letter argues that defenders face an access gap while attackers increasingly use AI for cybercrime.
- The request comes alongside a separate $15 million Bitcoin Security Consortium effort focused on long-term network security and post-quantum research.
More than 40 crypto firms are asking major AI labs to give qualified security researchers controlled access to their most capable models, arguing that stronger AI tools can help protect the infrastructure securing billions of dollars in digital assets. The request puts crypto security at the center of the debate over how frontier AI should be deployed.
The open letter, published August 10 and organized by the Bitcoin Policy Institute, includes companies and investors such as Coinbase, Block, BitGo, Blockstream and ARK Invest. Its central argument is that researchers responsible for identifying vulnerabilities in wallets, node software, custody systems and other open-source infrastructure often cannot access the same advanced capabilities that increasingly sophisticated attackers can exploit.
The proposal does not call for unrestricted access. Instead, the signatories want AI labs to establish or expand trusted-access programs for qualified defenders, allowing researchers to test systems under controlled conditions and with appropriate safeguards.
Crypto Security Faces An AI Access Gap
The timing reflects a broader change in cybersecurity. Anthropic reported in 2025 that criminals were using AI coding tools to support complex extortion operations, including attacks against at least 17 organizations. The company described how AI could lower the technical barriers for cybercrime and help automate parts of an attack.
For crypto, the risk is particularly relevant because much of the underlying technology is open source and directly connected to financial assets. A vulnerability in wallet software, signing infrastructure or a widely used library can create consequences far beyond a single application.
The firms therefore argue that giving trusted defenders access to stronger models could help identify bugs earlier, improve code reviews and accelerate remediation before vulnerabilities become exploitable.
Industry Funding Adds Another Security Layer
The request arrives shortly after nine major institutional Bitcoin participants launched the Bitcoin Security Consortium. BlackRock, Coinbase, Strategy, Fidelity Digital Assets, Galaxy, Block, Blockstream, Anchorage Digital and ARK Invest pledged a combined $15 million over three years to support Bitcoin security research and open-source development, including work related to post-quantum cryptography.
That initiative and the AI letter address different parts of the same problem. Funding supports the developers and researchers maintaining Bitcoin, while controlled access to frontier AI could give those specialists more powerful tools for finding and fixing vulnerabilities.
