Bitcoin Adopted by Wikileaks 15 Years Ago: How It Happened

Fifteen years ago today, an unprecedented financial blockade wiped out 95% of WikiLeaks' revenue (until they adopted Bitcoin).

Alex Dovbnya · 14 Jun 2026 · 4 min read

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Bitcoin Adopted by Wikileaks 15 Years Ago: How It Happened

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Alex Dovbnya

Sun, 14/06/2026 – 19:32

Fifteen years ago today, an unprecedented financial blockade wiped out 95% of WikiLeaks’ revenue (until they adopted Bitcoin).

Bitcoin Adopted by Wikileaks 15 Years Ago: How It Happened

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Fifteen years ago today, on June 14, 2011, the whistleblowing organization WikiLeaks fundamentally changed the trajectory of decentralized finance by officially adopting Bitcoin.

Due to the controversial “Cablegate” leaks, WikiLeaks faced a crippling financial blockade.

Traditional financial gatekeepers, including Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Bank of America, and Western Union, abruptly cut ties with the organization. This embargo wiped out approximately 95% of WikiLeaks’ operating revenue overnight.

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In response, WikiLeaks posted a Bitcoin address to solicit donations. It was the first high-profile, real-world stress test of Bitcoin as a censorship-resistant currency.

A watershed moment

The integration of Bitcoin by WikiLeaks was a defining milestone for the cryptocurrency ecosystem.

Before WikiLeaks, Bitcoin’s ability to bypass traditional financial blockades was largely theoretical.

It also served as the ultimate stress test. WikiLeaks was under the geopolitical microscope and facing immense pressure from the United States government.