Skip to content
Sweeper Bots Waste $4,800 in Fees for $12.67 Bitcoin Prize

Sweeper Bots Waste $4,800 in Fees for $12.67 Bitcoin Prize

First seen 1 Nov 2026, 21:47 UTC • •
API

Article Content

Browse articles
ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •November 2, 2026 at 09:46 UTC
  • •Sweeper bots spent $4,800 in fees for a $12.67 Bitcoin prize.
  • •The private key was derived from a publicly visible coinbase transaction ID.
  • •No identifiable parties are linked to the incident, benefiting miners significantly.

In January 2026, automated sweeper bots collectively spent $4,800 in Bitcoin fees to capture $12.67 from a compromised SegWit address. The address's private key was derived from a publicly visible coinbase transaction ID from Bitcoin block 924,982. Two small deposits totaling 0.00020305 BTC were quickly swept by competing bots using the replace-by-fee (RBF) method, which allows higher fee transactions to replace lower ones. The incident highlights the absurd economics of such sweeps, where bots spent approximately 380 times the value of the prize. No identifiable individuals or entities have been linked to the incident, and the miners benefited significantly by collecting the transaction fees. Similar incidents have occurred with other weak-key addresses, raising questions about the sustainability of bot operations in this context.

Start a free Starter trial for enhanced analysis

Ask AI about this cluster

Updated just now How this analysis works

Timeline

2026-01-01
Bots engage in fee war
Automated sweeper bots compete to claim deposits from a compromised SegWit address, resulting in high transaction fees.
Tradingview
2026-01-01
Deposits swept
Two deposits totaling 0.00020305 BTC were swept within minutes, leaving the address with a zero balance.
Crypto Briefing

More articles in this cluster (2)

Extracted Entities (1)

1 / 2

Common questions

What is the significance of the private key's derivation?
The private key was derived from a publicly visible transaction ID, making it easily accessible to anyone with the right script.
What are the implications for bot operators?
The incident raises concerns about the sustainability of bot operations, as the costs of competing for small prizes can far exceed the rewards.
How do miners benefit from this situation?
Miners benefit by collecting high transaction fees from the competing bots, resulting in significant earnings from minimal transaction values.