Boltz, a non-custodial bridge that lets users move bitcoin between the mainchain, Lightning Network, and Liquid, pulled its swap service offline indefinitely on Monday. The company blamed months of automated, AI-assisted attacks that overwhelmed its ability to roll out fixes fast enough. The move follows an earlier temporary shutdown that the team hoped would buy time.
The indefinite halt
Boltz first took the swap service down temporarily before deciding the situation required a longer pause. The company hasn't said when — or if — the service will come back. For now, the bridge is dead in the water. Users who had swaps in progress when the shutdown hit are left waiting; Boltz hasn't detailed how it will handle those pending transactions.
The attacks
According to Boltz, the attacks were automated and AI-driven, hitting the infrastructure in ways that made it hard to keep up. The company said the volume and sophistication of the assaults outpaced its ability to deploy patches. It's a reminder that even non-custodial services — where users hold their own keys — aren't immune to operational disruption. The attackers didn't steal funds directly, but they made the service unusable.
What users should know
Because Boltz is non-custodial, users never lost control of their bitcoin. The risk was downtime, not theft. Still, anyone relying on the bridge for fast swaps between Bitcoin layers is now stuck. The Lightning Network and Liquid both have other bridges, but Boltz was a popular option for its simplicity and lack of KYC. The indefinite halt leaves a gap.
Boltz has not provided a timeline for when the swap service might return. The company is still active on its social channels but hasn't shared a plan beyond the shutdown notice.
