The Bitcoin Red Team, a volunteer security group of about 20 to 25 people, is racing to identify vulnerabilities across applications, wallets, services and other software built around Bitcoin. Calle, a pseudonymous Bitcoin software developer and member who helps maintain the open-source Cashu protocol, told Decrypt that Chinese AI models are used far more than U.S. models because guardrails on American systems can block cybersecurity research. He cited the release of more powerful Chinese models, including Kimi K3, as a factor that accelerated the effort. The group formed as an emergency response after the Coldcard air-gapped wallet hack, attacks on other Bitcoin services and advances in AI. Calle said the team has found no issues in the Bitcoin protocol itself but has proactively scanned almost the entire significant open-source ecosystem, while also accepting requests from projects. Findings are shared with developers to improve vulnerability classifications and severity ratings. He warned that AI enables people without advanced cybersecurity expertise to complete simple exploits end to end, giving attackers a direct financial incentive to target internet money. The group has spent about $20,000 across different services, with funding secured, according to an August 4, 2026 update from Rob Hamilton.