🚨 Bitcoin Whale Awakens After 14 Years – Dumps $9.46B in Market-Shaking Move

A dormant Bitcoin whale just rattled the crypto markets with a seismic sell-off—$9.46 billion worth of BTC hitting the exchanges after 14 years of HODLing. Was it Satoshi? A hedge fund playing 4D chess? Or just another 'smart money' exit before the next crash?

### The Whale Strikes

On-chain analytics lit up as the ancient wallet—untouched since Bitcoin’s infancy—executed the mother of all profit-taking moves. Timing? Impeccable, as always (if you ignore the 1,000% gains left on the table).

### Market Fallout

Liquidity pools shuddered, derivatives traders panicked, and your 'BTC to $1M' Twitter guru suddenly remembered 'volatility.' Meanwhile, Wall Street analysts called it 'healthy profit-booking'—because nothing says 'healthy' like a 5% intraday drop.

### The Cynic’s Take

Funny how 'long-term conviction' lasts exactly until the exit liquidity arrives. Bonus jab: The whale probably sold to buy a private island—funded by the very 'decentralized revolution' they helped build. Poetic.

TLDR

• A Satoshi-era Bitcoin whale who held 80,009 BTC since 2011 has moved all funds to Galaxy Digital
• The whale originally purchased the Bitcoin for around $217,000 in 2011 and held for over 14 years
• Galaxy Digital has been moving portions of the Bitcoin to exchanges including Bybit and Binance
• The total value of the moved Bitcoin is approximately $9.46 billion at current prices
• Some speculation suggests Galaxy Digital may have purchased the Bitcoin rather than facilitating a sale

A Bitcoin whale who held 80,009 BTC since 2011 has transferred all holdings to Galaxy Digital. The whale originally purchased the Bitcoin for approximately $217,000 over 14 years ago.

The whale distributed the bitcoin across eight different wallets in 2011. The funds remained dormant for more than 14 years before recent activity began.

Data from Arkham Intelligence shows the whale began moving funds on July 15. The first transfer involved 9,000 BTC worth $1.06 billion from the “bcc1qq” address.

The Bitcoin OG with 80,009 $BTC($9.46B) transferred the remaining 40,192 $BTC($4.77B) to #GalaxyDigital in the past 3 hours.https://t.co/wU54scRJn8 pic.twitter.com/irBREdBiCK

— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) July 18, 2025

Galaxy Digital immediately began moving portions of the received Bitcoin to exchanges. The digital asset platform transferred funds to Bybit and Binance following the initial deposit.

The whale continued transfers throughout the week. A second movement of 7,843 BTC worth $927 million occurred hours after the first transfer.

By the end of the transfer period, 40,000 BTC worth $4.68 billion had moved to Galaxy Digital. The whale used the same “bcc1qq” address for these initial transfers.

Final Transfer Completes Movement

The remaining 40,000 BTC moved to Galaxy Digital through a different wallet address. The whale used the “bc1qs4” address for the final transfer on Thursday.

Four separate wallets sent Bitcoin to the “bc1qs4” address before the final Galaxy Digital transfer. The address then moved all 40,000 BTC to Galaxy Digital in one transaction.

The complete transfer represents $9.46 billion in Bitcoin at current market prices. This amount equals approximately 0.4% of Bitcoin’s total $2.38 trillion market cap.

Some observers initially speculated the movements represented wallet reorganization. Others suggested the transfers might indicate a security breach or hack.

Galaxy Digital’s role in the transfers has sparked debate about the whale’s intentions. Some believe the company purchased the Bitcoin rather than facilitating a sale.

Market Reaction and Speculation

Bitcoin critic Jacob King used the transfers to criticize Bitcoin holders. He claimed early investors are “jumping ship” due to knowledge of an impending crash.

Other market observers downplayed the transfer’s impact. One user noted the $9.46 billion represents a small fraction of Bitcoin’s total market value.

The transfers have created uncertainty among short-term Bitcoin holders. Large whale movements often generate selling pressure concerns in cryptocurrency markets.

Some analysts suggest Galaxy Digital may have acquired the Bitcoin for institutional clients. The company provides cryptocurrency services to institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals.

The whale’s decision to MOVE funds after 14 years of dormancy has attracted widespread attention. Early Bitcoin holders rarely move such large amounts simultaneously.

Current data shows Galaxy Digital has moved portions of the received Bitcoin to major exchanges including Bybit and Binance, though the company’s specific intentions remain unclear.