Crypto Firms Push AI Companies for Early Access to Protect Bitcoin Infrastructure

A coalition of crypto companies has called on leading artificial intelligence developers to grant Bitcoin developers early access to their most advanced models, arguing that current safety restrictions leave open-source security teams at a disadvantage.

Developers Say Guardrails Limit Defense Capabilities

The letter, organized by a Bitcoin focused policy group, explained that many core developers working on open-source financial infrastructure cannot access specialized cyber programs and are often restricted by guardrails built into publicly available AI systems, forcing them to rely on weaker tools than potential attackers may use.

Wide Range of Companies Back the Request

The letter was signed by numerous firms across the digital asset space, spanning exchanges, custody providers and hardware wallet makers, all backing the call for expanded trusted-access programs for those defending critical open-source systems.

Security Concerns Grow Alongside AI Capabilities

The group warned that frontier AI tools can now scan large codebases and identify weaknesses faster than ever, benefiting both defenders and attackers. Industry data shows a sharp rise in crypto related hacking losses this year, with security experts increasingly pointing to AI-assisted vulnerability discovery as a growing risk factor.