Key Takeaways
- A dormant Bitcoin wallet moved $53.2 million after 12 years of inactivity.
- The wallet's balance was just $8,000 when last used in 2012.
- The owner remains unknown, with $11.3 million transferred in total.
A long-dormant Bitcoin wallet containing 749 BTC, now valued at $53.2 million, became active again for the first time in nearly 12 years.
According to on-chain data from Mempool, the wallet initiated a transfer of 159.2 BTC ($11.3 million) on the morning of Oct. 29.
The wallet had last sent funds on Nov. 10, 2012, when the entire balance was worth only $8,000.
On-chain monitoring platform Whale Alert highlighted this significant transaction, noting the incredible rise in Bitcoin’s value since the wallet was last used.
Blockchair’s analysis of the transaction shows that 124.2 BTC ($8.8 million) was returned as change to the sender in a new address, while the remaining 35 BTC ($2.4 million) was sent to another address. The identity of the wallet’s owner and the reasons for the transfer remain unknown.
This event follows a trend of dormant Bitcoin addresses waking up in 2024. Similar instances include a wallet that moved 1,000 BTC in July, as well as a $6 billion Bitcoin transfer from a dormant address in March.
