James Howells Ditches $500M Bitcoin Hunt, Bets Big on New DeFi Token Launch

After a decade-long obsession with recovering his lost 8,000 BTC hard drive, James Howells pivots to DeFi—because nothing heals crypto trauma like launching a token.

From landfill nightmare to liquidity pool dreams

The Newport native finally abandoned his quixotic legal battle with local authorities, swapping hard drive excavation for smart contract deployment. His new token? A poetic middle finger to centralized storage solutions.

DeFi or die trying

Howells' project promises "redemption through decentralization"—though skeptics note the whitepaper suspiciously omits whether the token's value is backed by that still-missing $500M Bitcoin fortune. Classic crypto: when in doubt, pivot to vaporware.

The move comes as institutional investors increasingly treat DeFi launches like scratch-off lottery tickets—except the house always wins, and the tickets are written in Solidity.

James Howells, known for losing a hard drive containing 8,000 Bitcoin in a Newport landfill, has officially ended his 12-year excavation effort after repeated legal and council obstacles. Following the decision to stop physical recovery attempts, Howells is now shifting his focus to the crypto space by launching a new DeFi token inspired by his Bitcoin saga. This project aims to capture the story’s spirit symbolically, marking a fresh chapter in blockchain innovation rather than pursuing the original coins.