Dormant Bitcoin Giant Awakens: 14-Year-Old Wallet Shocks Market With 80,000 BTC Move
A cryptocurrency wallet untouched since 2011 suddenly sprang to life today, moving a staggering 80,000 BTC—worth approximately $4.8 billion at current prices.
The Lazarus Wallet: Bitcoin's Sleeping Dragon
This prehistoric stash—mined when BTC traded below $10—just bypassed 14 years of HODLing to execute one of the largest single-wallet transactions in crypto history. The move triggered immediate speculation: Early miner? Lost Satoshi? Or just another finance bro finally remembering his cold wallet password after a decade of martinis.
Market Ripples From Digital Archeology
While the transaction represents just 0.38% of Bitcoin's circulating supply, the timing couldn't be more provocative—coming exactly 16 years after the Genesis Block. Crypto Twitter erupted with theories, while traditional finance analysts scrambled to explain how an asset can gain 800,000% and still be considered 'high-risk' by their compliance departments.
One thing's certain: In crypto, even the dead wallets have better ROI than your 401(k).
Bitcoin whale wakes up after 14 years
The two reactivated wallets were part of a broader group of eight wallets that, according to on-chain data, are controlled by an early adopter who acquired their BTC in 2011, well before Bitcoin’s meteoric rise. Lookonchain reported that two of these addresses received bitcoin in April 2011, when prices hovered around $0.78. The remaining six started holding from May 2011, when BTC traded at approximately $3.37.
These holdings remained untouched for over 14 years. The original value of coins in the first two addresses totaled roughly $15,600 and is now valued at over $2.18 billion. The other six wallets have seen their combined holdings grow from $202,000 to more than $6.5 billion.
A Bitcoin OG holding at least 80,009 $BTC($8.69B) woke up after 14+ years of dormancy and transferred out 40,000 $BTC($4.35B) today!
This OG controls about 8 wallets, 2 of which received 20,000 $BTC($15,600 at the time, $2.18B now) on April 2, 2011, when the price of $BTC was… pic.twitter.com/F8jULZ6Ee7
80,000 Bitcoin moved
On Friday, July 4, 2025, the wallets that held at least 80,009 BTC in nearly a decade and half of dormancy, began transferring the coins out. Two of these transactions were of 40,000 BTC worth about $4.35 billion, on-chain data showed.
The transfers began late Thursday night and Lookonchain provided an update showing all eight wallets had reactivated and transferred out 80,009 BTC. At Bitcoin’s staggering prices, these coins are worth about $8.69 billion.
According to CryptoQuant, the movement of these Satoshi-era Bitcoin marks the largest single-day movement for coins over a decade old.
Rather than sent to exchanges, the transfers were to other unknown addresses, suggesting potential reallocation. However, the holders could also be eyeing other outcomes, including a possible sale as BTC looks to break to new highs.
Bitcoin price fell from highs of $110k to lows of $107,600 in 24 hours on July 4, with a 1.3% dip also hitting the rest of the crypto market.
