Exposed Public Keys Hold Over 6 Million Bitcoin as AI Warnings Grow

More than 6 million bitcoin, representing over 31% of the circulating supply, are held in addresses with exposed public keys, according to new data from Glassnode, as industry figures warn of potential future AI threats to cryptography.

The figure marks an increase of roughly 222,000 BTC since May 2026 and is about 5 to 6 percentage points above the low seen in 2023. The data measures address usage patterns, not an immediate security breach, as no practical attack on Bitcoin or Ethereum wallet keys has been demonstrated.

Of the total exposed supply, cryptocurrency exchanges hold approximately 1.79 million BTC behind visible public keys. The growing metric highlights the scale of holdings that could theoretically be vulnerable if future advances in artificial intelligence or quantum computing were to undermine the cryptographic foundations of digital assets.

The report coincides with warnings from figures like Ethereum Foundation researcher Justin Drake, who has urged the community to prepare for potential AI-driven attacks on wallet security. The data underscores a long-term security consideration for the Bitcoin network as technological capabilities evolve.