Ethereum Wallet Linked to Erik Voorhees Makes Major Bitcoin Cash Swap After Nine-Year Hold

A wallet tied to crypto pioneer Erik Voorhees just broke its silence—and moved a fortune.
The Nine-Year Wait
For nearly a decade, the wallet sat untouched. Then, in a single transaction, it swapped its entire Ethereum stack for Bitcoin Cash. The move bypassed traditional markets and executed directly on-chain.
Why It Matters Now
Timing is everything. The swap comes as institutional money floods into crypto—though some of it still feels like glorified gambling with better marketing. This isn't a retail trader's move; it's a calculated shift by someone who helped build this industry.
Active wallets from crypto's early days don't wake up without reason. They cut through noise and place bets that speak louder than any analyst report. This one just shouted across nine years of blockchain history.
TLDR
- Erik Voorhees sold 4,619 ETH from a dormant wallet, valued at $13.42 million.
- The funds were converted into 24,950 Bitcoin Cash (BCH).
- The Ethereum wallet had remained inactive for almost nine years.
- Voorhees’ move raised questions about his confidence in Ethereum’s future.
Erik Voorhees, the CEO of ShapeShift, has recently made headlines by moving a significant amount of Ethereum (ETH) from a dormant wallet. After being inactive for almost nine years, the wallet was reactivated and sold a large quantity of ETH, valued at approximately $13.42 million. The funds were then converted into Bitcoin Cash (BCH), triggering market speculation.
Ethereum Wallet Reactivated After Nine Years
According to the blockchain analytics platform Lookonchain, the Ethereum wallet linked to Erik Voorhees has been dormant for a long period. The wallet had not seen any activity since 2016, but over the past two weeks, it has become active again. The reactivation surprised many in the cryptocurrency community, particularly because of the scale of the transactions that followed.
In total, the wallet sold 4,619 ETH during this period. When these coins were originally acquired in 2016, the ETH price was around $20. The total value of the sale today, at current ETH prices, is approximately $13.42 million.
Capital Rotation to Bitcoin Cash
The significant sale of ETH from this wallet was not the end of the story. The proceeds from the ETH sale were used to purchase Bitcoin Cash (BCH). Over the past 14 days, the wallet accumulated around 24,950 BCH. This move has prompted curiosity in the cryptocurrency community, as Bitcoin Cash has often been seen as an alternative to Bitcoin, and is notably distinct from ethereum in terms of blockchain structure and goals.
Voorhees, an early supporter of Ethereum, has been known for his investments in a variety of cryptocurrencies. His decision to move away from Ethereum and into Bitcoin Cash raises questions about his current views on the future of Ethereum. Some speculate that the recent volatility and price fluctuations in Ethereum may have contributed to his decision to pivot toward Bitcoin Cash, which has shown a different growth trajectory in recent years.
Market Reactions and Speculation
The sudden and large-scale capital rotation has sparked discussions among traders and analysts. Some view Voorhees’ MOVE as a sign that he no longer believes in Ethereum’s long-term potential. Ethereum has faced significant volatility in recent weeks, with its price failing to maintain stability above the $3,000 mark. Despite briefly surpassing the $3,000 resistance level, it has faced rejections at higher levels, which has made investors cautious.
The fact that Voorhees is known to have acquired his Ethereum at a much lower price adds further intrigue. The original investment in 2016 was likely under $100,000, but the proceeds from the sale show a profit of more than $13 million. This raises the question of whether other early Ethereum investors may follow suit, especially in light of the recent market fluctuations.