Bitcoin enthusiast Charlie Shrem just announced the launch of 21million.com, a Bitcoin faucet designed to distribute small amounts of the crypto to users who complete simple CAPTCHA tasks.
The concept isn’t new. Back in 2010, early Bitcoin developer Gavin Andresen created the original Bitcoin faucet, which handed out five whole bitcoins at a time to promote adoption.
That pioneering giveaway ultimately distributed 19,700 BTC, worth around $1.86 billion at current prices.
“Working on getting the bitcoin faucet going again,” Shrem tweeted Monday.
The website features an old-school minimalist design with a CAPTCHA challenge and a field for users to enter their Bitcoin address, clearly mimicking the original faucet’s straightforward approach, including the design.
How much is the famous OG Bitcoiner giving away?
Well… right now, zero BTC. As of May 5, 2025, the site is not functional. Multiple attempts to interact with the site have yielded no Bitcoin rewards.
Shrem described the project as “vibe coded,” referring to developing software without traditional coding techniques.
This approach lets AI tools build everything without the developer writing code themselves. “It’s a lot of fun,” Shrem said.
The development style is part of a growing trend of using AI prompting to create applications, with developers guiding AI systems rather than writing code line by line. This approach allows even those with limited coding experience to build functional websites and applications.
Some community members have offered to donate Bitcoin to help fund the faucet, indicating support for the initiative despite its early challenges.
One user, @BitsBeTrippin, publicly offered to donate, so the faucet may rely on community contributions to maintain operations.
I will donate to it to help get it going – just send the addy
— Bitsbetrippin (@BitsBeTrippin) May 5, 2025
The initiative comes when Bitcoin’s higher value makes traditional faucets less economically viable than in the currency’s early days.
In 2010, giving away, say, five bitcoins cost virtually nothing. Today, that same amount would be worth roughly half a million dollars.
Shrem didn’t respond to a request for comment from Decrypt. He also hasn’t responded to any requests for Bitcoin from anyone on Crypto Twitter.
Edited by Sebastian Sinclair
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