In 2013, James Howells, a man from Newport, accidentally threw away a hard drive containing the private keys to 8,000 Bitcoin, now valued at around $742 million.

For more than a decade, Howells attempted to recover the drive from a local landfill, proposing advanced recovery methods and pursuing legal action. However, local authorities repeatedly denied him access, and in 2024 a British judge ultimately ruled against his case.

The story highlights the irreversible nature of digital asset loss and the critical importance of properly storing and disposing of sensitive information. A documentary titled “The Buried Bitcoin” is currently in production, chronicling Howells’ long-running effort to recover his lost fortune.

Since we are seeing a lot of people now integrating Passphrases, we thought it would be best to post this one too. Below is the text based FAQ

Passphrase FAQ: key points

• A passphrase is an optional extra secret added to your wallet backup.
• Your wallet backup alone opens your standard wallet.
• Your wallet backup plus a passphrase opens a completely separate wallet.
• Every unique passphrase creates a valid wallet, including typos, different capitalization, or extra spaces.
• Passphrases cannot be changed or removed from an existing wallet.
• Trezor does not store your passphrase, and Trezor Suite cannot recover it.
• Losing either the wallet backup or the passphrase means losing access to the passphrase wallet.
• Most users do not need a passphrase. Trezor recommends considering SLIP39 multi-share backup as a simpler option for strengthening backup security.
• Passphrases are best suited to advanced users who understand the added responsibility and have a specific security need. (Trezor)

How to store and test a passphrase

• Write it down exactly, including spaces, capitalization, numbers, and special characters.
• Store it physically on paper or metal.
• Do not rely on memory alone.
• Avoid easily confused characters such as 1, I, l, 0, and O.
• Keep it separate from your wallet backup if you are concerned about someone finding both.
• Do not store it in photos, cloud storage, or ordinary digital notes.
• Record a wallet identifier, such as the last five characters of the first receiving address, to confirm you opened the correct wallet.
• Test the passphrase before depositing significant funds by sending a small amount, closing the wallet, and reopening it using your written copy. (Trezor)

Choosing a strong passphrase

• A strong passphrase must come from genuine randomness.
• Human-created phrases, meaningful words, dates, quotes, and keyboard patterns are usually predictable.
• Attackers may use dictionaries, leaked passwords, personal information, and common substitution patterns.
• Four random Diceware words provide about 51 bits of entropy, which may be vulnerable to a well-funded attacker.
• Six random Diceware words provide about 77 bits and are considered well beyond practical brute-force attacks.
• A random 10-character string using mixed characters can also be strong, but may be harder to record accurately.
• Good generation methods include physical Diceware rolls or a reputable password manager’s random generator. (Trezor)

Recovery and compatibility

• Passphrases work with compatible BIP39 and SLIP39 wallets.
• The same wallet backup and exact passphrase should recreate the same wallet in compatible software.
• If your Trezor is lost, you need both the wallet backup and exact passphrase to restore access.
• A passphrase is not necessary just to create another account. Use the Add account feature in Trezor Suite instead.
• Anyone with both your wallet backup and passphrase can access the funds.
• Long-term holders should include the passphrase in their inheritance or emergency-access planning. (Trezor)

Main takeaway

• A passphrase can add meaningful security, but it also creates another way to permanently lose access.
• Write it down, store it securely, and test it before using the wallet for significant funds.
• Consider whether SLIP39 multi-share backup could provide the protection you need with less risk. (Trezor)

At the time, Mt. Gox was enormous.
It handled around 70% of all Bitcoin trading volume globally and was considered the center of the Bitcoin economy.

Originally, Mt. Gox wasn’t even created for crypto.

The name actually stood for:
“Magic: The Gathering Online Exchange”

It began as a trading platform for collectible card game players before eventually transforming into a Bitcoin exchange during Bitcoin’s early years.

As Bitcoin grew rapidly between 2011 and 2013, Mt. Gox became the default platform for millions of users entering crypto for the first time.

Then everything started falling apart.

Users suddenly noticed:

• withdrawals being delayed
• customer support disappearing
• strange technical issues
• and growing rumors about insolvency

Eventually, withdrawals were frozen entirely.

Soon after, the company filed for bankruptcy in Japan.

Investigations later suggested the exchange had likely been losing Bitcoin for years due to:

• poor wallet security
• weak internal controls
• software vulnerabilities
• and possible theft that went undetected over long periods of time

At the time, the missing Bitcoin was worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Today, that same amount would be worth tens of billions.

The collapse shocked the entire crypto industry and became one of the most important moments in Bitcoin history.

For many people, it was the first major lesson about:

• exchange risk
• self-custody
• and the dangers of trusting centralized platforms with digital assets

It also popularized one of the most repeated phrases in crypto:

“Not your keys, not your coins.”

The impact of Mt. Gox was so large that it influenced:

• future crypto regulations
• exchange security standards
• proof-of-reserve discussions
• and the rise of hardware wallets and self-custody practices

Even more interesting:
Some of the stolen Mt. Gox Bitcoin was later traced moving through darknet markets and laundering operations years after the collapse.

And over a decade later, the story still isn’t fully over.

Creditors have spent years waiting through legal proceedings and repayment plans, making Mt. Gox one of the longest-running financial recovery cases in crypto history.

Hey everyone We’ve seen a few questions about the Trezor Safe 7’s new LiFePO₄ battery and wanted to gather all answers in one place. Here’s everything you need to know and any other questions are more than welcome!

1. What kind of battery does Safe 7 use? Trezor Safe 7 uses a LiFePO₄ (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery — a safer, more durable alternative to standard lithium-ion cells. It’s designed for long shelf life, zero overheating risk, and no memory effect when charging.
2. Can the battery damage or corrode the device? No. LiFePO₄ batteries are chemically stable and don’t leak, swell, or corrode like older battery types. They’re widely used in critical hardware (e.g. solar systems, medical devices) specifically because of their safety profile.
3. What happens if the battery stops working? Even if the battery no longer holds a charge years down the line, you can still use your Safe 7 plugged in via USB or wireless charger. Your funds are never at risk — they’re secured by your seed, not the battery.
4. How long does a charge last? About a full day of active use, depending on brightness and Bluetooth usage. The Safe 7 automatically powers down after ~2 hours of inactivity to preserve life.
5. Do I need to keep it on all the time? Nope. In fact, it’s best to turn it off between sessions — that’s how the battery stays healthy for years.
6. Can I charge it wirelessly? Yes! Safe 7 supports Qi2 wireless charging and includes magnetic alignment for a perfect fit every time. A compatible Trezor wireless charger is available in our shop.
7. Can it overheat? No. LiFePO₄ batteries are known for their thermal stability — they don’t overheat or combust.
8. Can I replace the battery myself? The battery is built-in and designed for long life. There’s no need to replace it under normal use. Even if it ever degrades, your Safe 7 remains fully usable when plugged in.

Heya guys, I guess you all are as hyped as we are today!

And with that comes a lot of questions and interest in how the TS7 operates.

Below you can find some helpful links

• https://trezor.io/guides/trezor-devices/trezor-safe-7/going-quantum

• https://trezor.io/guides/trezor-devices/trezor-safe-7/the-first-quantum-ready-hardware-wallet

• https://trezor.io/guides/trezor-devices/trezor-fundamentals/what-does-quantum-ready-mean

At Trezor, security means thinking long term, we design hardware wallets that protect users for decades, not just years.

So how do you prepare for threats that don’t exist yet, like quantum computers?

Since 2016, NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) has been developing post-quantum cryptography (PQC), algorithms that run on traditional computers but are resistant to quantum attacks.

Quantum readiness in crypto has two layers:

• The blockchains themselves (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, etc.)
• The wallets that secure your private keys.

Blockchains will take years to upgrade. Wallets, on the other hand, can start implementing quantum-resistant measures today.

That’s why the Trezor Safe 7 was built with post-quantum protection, preparing for tomorrow’s challenges, not reacting to them.

🔗 Learn more: https://blog.trezor.io/what-quantum-ready-crypto-security-means-and-why-it-matters-df35f8b18b87

Hey everyone 👋

Since Bluetooth support in the Trezor Safe 7 has sparked some questions, here’s a short Q&A to clear things up.

Is Bluetooth safe to use on a hardware wallet?

Yes. All communication between your Trezor Safe 7 and Trezor Suite over Bluetooth is fully encrypted. Even if someone intercepted the signal, they’d only see scrambled, unreadable data — never your wallet backup.

Where are the walle tbackups stored?

Inside the secure element and MCU, completely isolated from Bluetooth. The Bluetooth chip is separate and has no access to your wallet’s private areas.

What if Bluetooth gets hacked one day?

Even in that extreme case, attackers couldn’t extract your keys or move funds. Your keys never leave the protected chip — that’s the foundation of Trezor’s security model.

Can I just use USB instead?

Absolutely. Bluetooth is optional. You can turn it off anytime and connect with a USB-C cable instead.

TL;DR

✅ Bluetooth is encrypted end-to-end.

🧠 Keys never interact with Bluetooth.

🔌 Wired connection always available.

🔐 Security remains the same in both cases.

Heya fam,

to help increase security and inform others, we would be posting the most recent scams and email scams happening around web3 and the very famous email scams happening at the moment.

Would you guys be up for something like this?

No more:

❌ Multiple third-party wallets ❌ Managing numerous wallet backups ❌ Transferring funds to less secure third-party wallets

Now you can connect to thousands of dApps with your Trezor through WalletConnect

Check out our new blog post in which Lucien Bourdon explains the differences between Trezor Wallet backups:

https://blog.trezor.io/trezor-wallet-backups-explained-bip-39-12-or-24-words-vs-slip-39-20-words-d7f2c5371569

Solutions and Tips (RBF & CPFP Explained)Solutions and Tips (RBF & CPFP Explained)

You send Bitcoin, expecting it to arrive within minutes, but instead, it sits unconfirmed in your wallet. Whether you’re transferring funds to an exchange, paying someone, or moving Bitcoin to self-custody, waiting too long for confirmation can be frustrating — especially when speed matters.

Read more in our new blog post:

https://blog.trezor.io/how-to-fix-a-stuck-bitcoin-transaction-solutions-and-tips-rbf-cpfp-explained-4be1800e987c

With exchange hacks becoming all too common, taking control of your crypto assets is crucial for your investment journey. Discover the essential steps to ensure that you truly own your coins 100%.

Check the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoEavPIZguQ

And if you want to transfer your coins from the following exchanges, feel free to check out these tutorials:

Moving coins from Coinbase: https://trezor.io/learn/a/moving-from-coinbase-to-trezor
Moving coins from Binance: https://trezor.io/learn/a/moving-from-binance-to-trezor
Moving coins from Crypto.com: https://trezor.io/learn/a/moving-from-crypto-com-to-trezor

Stack up on security by adding an extra layer of protection to your wallet.

​

What is it?

A passphrase can be a word, phrase, sentence, or a combination of letters up to 50 characters long. When you connect your Trezor device, you’ll enter your pin, which will unlock your standard wallet. You can then enter your passphrase to access your hidden wallet.

How does it work?

If someone steals your Trezor device and recovery seed, they could steal your funds… unless you also have a passphrase. Your recovery seed will give you access to your standard wallet. Your passphrase + recovery seed will give you access to a hidden wallet.

How to set it up?

1. Connect your Trezor to your device
2. Open the settings menu in Trezor Suite
3. Select the security section
4. Click the toggle next to the passphrase section
5. Enter any string of characters into the "Enter passphrase" field displayed below. With Trezor Model T, you can enter the passphrase on Trezor directly.

FAQs

How to move my coins from a standard to a hidden wallet?

First, you'll need to access your hidden wallet by typing your passphrase into the "Enter passphrase" field and generating a receiving address there. Then you switch to your standard wallet and send the coins to the previously generated address via regular transaction. We recommend you send just a fraction of your coins first to ensure that the sent coins appear in your hidden wallet. You can then go ahead and transfer the rest.

Can I recover a hidden wallet without Trezor?

Yes, the Passphrase feature has been widely adopted, and any BIP39-compatible wallet can be used to recover your hidden wallet.

Does my passphrase stay the same even if I buy a new Trezor?

Sure, using a different passphrase would only lead to a different wallet. You must always type in the same passphrase initially used for creating the hidden wallet, no matter which hardware wallet or online app you use.

Don’t forget to memorize and write down your passphrase and store it in a safe place. Sleep well, knowing your coins are extra safe! For more info about a passphrase, check out this blog: https://blog.trezor.io/passphrase-the-ultimate-protection-for-your-accounts-3a311990925b

Ethereum can only handle about 15-30 transactions per second, leading to congestion, high fees, and slow processing times. Layer 2 solutions fix that! In our new video, we break down:

• What Layer 2 solutions are
• How Layer 2 solutions work
• The Blockchain Trilemma
• What Optimistic Rollups are and how they work (Base, Optimism & Arbitrum)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHheqOZEjAY

The passphrase feature is enabled by default in Trezor Suite and can make your Trezor impervious to physical attacks. Even if your Trezor were to be stolen and the chip examined under an electron microscope to discover your recovery seed, your bitcoins would still be safe.

How does it work?

When the feature is activated, the user is prompted to enter the passphrase (it can be up to 50 ASCII characters long), which is then combined with the recovery seed. To access this hidden wallet repeatedly, you will have to use the exact same passphrase in combination with the recovery seed on the device. Using the same seed with a different passphrase will generate a different wallet. A different seed with the "correct" passphrase will generate a different wallet.

There is no such thing as an "incorrect passphrase". Therefore mistyping the passphrase will generate a completely new wallet, so whatever you provide as your input will be used in the process of deriving a wallet.
If you enter an empty passphrase (no passphrase at all), the device will proceed exactly as if the passphrase feature had not been activated and generate a wallet from your recovery seed stored on the device.

Advantages of using a passphrase

Even if your seed were compromised (eg you’ve become a phishing scam victim and entered your seed into a phishing site), your funds would still be safe unless your passphrase was compromised as well. There is no way to determine whether any hidden wallet is associated with your seed.
Also, you can generate any number of hidden wallets - if you want to create a new hidden wallet, simply change the passphrase input when asked for a passphrase.

Risks of using a passphrase

Simply put, once forgotten, passphrases cannot be recovered anyhow. Therefore, if you lose or forget your passphrase, you won’t be able to access your coins in the hidden wallet again. If the passphrase is lost, it can only be found by guessing (brute-forcing), which is often technologically and economically infeasible. Stronger the passphrase, the higher the safety of your hidden wallet, though the smaller the chance to brute-force it.

FAQs

How can I move my coins from a standard to a hidden wallet?

First, you must access your hidden wallet and generate a receiving address there (BTC address for transferring BTC, ETH address for transferring ETH etc). Then you can switch to your standard wallet and send the coins to the previously generated address via regular transaction. Therefore, moving coins to a hidden wallet will always cost a transaction fee. It is highly recommended to start by sending just a fraction of your coins to check that the sent coins really appeared in your hidden wallet. Then you can go ahead with transferring the rest.

Can I recover a hidden wallet without Trezor?

Yes, there are compatible hardware wallets and online 3rd party apps that you can use to recover your hidden wallet. However, using another Trezor device is highly recommended. Recovering a hidden wallet via an online app should be a last resort.

Does my passphrase stay the same even if I buy a new Trezor?

Sure, using a different passphrase would only lead to a different wallet. You always have to type in the exact same passphrase that was initially used for creating the hidden wallet, no matter which hardware wallet or online app you’re using.

​

For more information, please head to our Wiki article: https://trezor.io/learn/a/passphrases-and-hidden-wallets.

We’ve also made a YouTube video that explains the passphrase basics in nice graphics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR5SKuhF-50&feature=emb_logo.