Summary
- Calle, a member of the Bitcoin Red Team, noted that Chinese AI models are often preferred for security research over U.S. ones due to restrictions on American models.
- The team actively scans Bitcoin's open-source ecosystem and collaborates with various projects to address security vulnerabilities.
- Calle expressed concern that AI technology enables individuals lacking advanced security skills to execute complex exploits.
The rise of AI is enabling less experienced individuals to engage in sophisticated hacking, pushing cryptocurrency developers to urgently identify vulnerabilities before they are exploited.
The Bitcoin Red Team is tackling this issue, formed as a rapid response to the emerging security threats posed by AI within the Bitcoin ecosystem. Calle, a pseudonymous member and software developer, described the group’s mission in an interview with Decrypt.
Myriad: What’s the next move for Bitcoin? Share your prediction.Calle explained, “Right now, it’s a race against time. The Bitcoin Red Team was established to preemptively address potential threats.”
The team comprises around 20 to 25 volunteers, many of whom remain anonymous. Notable members include developers like Stu, Talip, and thesimplekid, as well as other contributors like Ben Carmen, Daniela Brozzoni, James O'Beirne, and Bruno Garcia from the Vinteum Bitcoin R&D Center.
Bitcoin Red Team Update:
We are working diligently and have spent approximately $20,000 so far on various services. Funding is secured, and while donations are appreciated, they are not needed. All expenses are covered.
We have completed numerous scans…
— Rob Hamilton 🟥 (@Rob1Ham) August 4, 2026
The formation of the Bitcoin Red Team was catalyzed by Rob Hamilton, CEO of Bitcoin insurance firm AnchorWatch, who began scrutinizing Bitcoin projects following the Coldcard air-gapped wallet hack.
While Calle reassured that the core Bitcoin protocol remains secure, he emphasized concerns regarding the applications, wallets, and services surrounding Bitcoin.
“Bitcoin itself is secure, but the software we use for transactions may not be, and that’s what users interact with predominantly,” Calle remarked.
The Coldcard hack, alongside attacks on other Bitcoin services and the introduction of advanced Chinese AI models, prompted Calle and fellow researchers to act swiftly.
“The emergence of Kimi K3 has created significant disruption in cybersecurity, providing both attackers and defenders with exceptional capabilities,” he explained.
The Red Team responds to security scan requests from Bitcoin projects while also proactively searching for vulnerabilities independently.
“We receive many requests for scans, but we also conduct our own sweeps, covering almost the entire key open-source ecosystem,” Calle stated. “So even if you approach us for a scan, there’s a good chance we’ve already done it.”
Findings are shared with affected developers, and their feedback helps refine the team’s vulnerability classifications and severity ratings.
Chinese AI Models Dominate Security Research
Calle highlighted that the Bitcoin Red Team relies more on Chinese AI models than American ones due to the latter's restrictions, which often hinder cybersecurity research.
“It’s not even a comparison,” he noted.
In February, Anthropic accused Chinese AI labs of employing fraudulent accounts to obtain over 16 million Claude exchanges, while the Trump administration warned in April about similar large-scale thefts involving Chinese entities.
Myriad: When will OpenAI unveil GPT-6? Make your prediction.While Calle acknowledged that U.S. AI models are generally more advanced, their limitations can restrict their utility in security-sensitive applications.
“Despite U.S. frontier models being arguably the most intelligent available, they are heavily guarded, which constrains their application, particularly in cybersecurity,” he explained.
Calle experienced these limitations firsthand before joining the Red Team, as U.S. models often refused to assist in identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, prompting him to switch to Chinese alternatives.
"Bitcoin is Burning"
Recently, Calle referred to the escalating security threats to Bitcoin software as "Bitcoin is burning", highlighting the vulnerabilities in the broader ecosystem of wallets, exchanges, and other software.
Calle suspects that attackers are already leveraging AI to discover and exploit weaknesses but refrains from detailing their tactics to avoid providing malicious actors with insights.
He warned that AI is diminishing the information advantage that previously protected certain software vulnerabilities from less-skilled attackers.
“There are no secrets in software anymore,” Calle stated. “The era of security through obscurity is over.”
AI has also simplified the process of exploiting vulnerable software, he noted.
“Now, even someone lacking technical skills can carry out simple exploits from start to finish with AI,” Calle remarked. “This has fundamentally altered the landscape.”
Bitcoin is likely facing these challenges sooner than other sectors due to the direct financial incentives for attackers to target cryptocurrency, Calle suggested.
“As an attacker, the prime target is digital currency,” he stated. “We are witnessing the onset of a broader transformation in society and computer systems, and I believe other industries will eventually encounter similar issues.”