James Howells to tokenize legal claim over lost 8000 BTC

James Howells to tokenize legal claim over lost 8000 BTC

 James Howells, the British man known for accidentally discarding a hard drive containing 8000 bitcoins, has announced plans to tokenize his legal claim — pushing back against recent reports that he had given up on the search.
 

"No, I haven’t given up. That may be partly true, but not in the way it’s being portrayed," Howells said.

He clarified that on July 1, he submitted a formal offer to the Newport City Council, including its leader, legal team, and a member of Parliament. The offer proposed a purchase and excavation of the landfill site where the hard drive is believed to be buried — with a funding range of $33 million to $40 million. 

To raise the required funds, Howells intends to launch a token via Bitcoin Ordinals in October, representing 21% of the value of the lost wallet. However, despite what he calls a generous offer, the city has yet to respond.

"So here’s where we are: if they’re not going to sell the landfill, there’s no need for a symbolic sale either. I will no longer pursue the purchase of the landfill, I will no longer pursue excavation or reclamation, and I will no longer engage with the council or any of its representatives," said Howells.

He emphasized that this is a strategic shift, not a surrender, referencing a High Court ruling from January 2025 that confirms him as the legal owner of the 8000 BTC.