On July 4, 2025, a long‑inactive Bitcoin address linked to 161,326 BTC, worth about $17,423,208,000, showed activity for the first time in over 14 years.
Four transactions of 10,000 BTC each moved coins that had not been touched since the earliest days of Bitcoin mining.
Blockchain analysts say this address belongs to an early miner and that 120,326 BTC from the same wallet remains untouched.
Massive Moves from an Early Miner
Analyst Maartunn noted that one key transaction traced back to a consolidation where 134 of 138 inputs were original block rewards of 50 BTC each. He said this trail “is one hop away from Coinbase rewards,” confirming the miner’s identity.
A day earlier, Unocrypto had reported that another whale wallet awoke after 14 years to send 20,000 BTC in two batches, roughly $2.18 billion, capturing global attention.
What This Means?
Such large transfers can trigger shifts in market sentiment. When coins dormant for over a decade reappear, traders wonder if a sale is coming. If even a fraction of these funds flow into exchanges, selling pressure could build.
Yet, some see this as a sign that early adopters are finally moving assets rather than cashing out immediately. That could suggest confidence in Bitcoin’s future value rather than panic.
Community Reactions
On social media, followers asked Maartunn to share the full list of addresses and questioned how he knew the wallet belonged to a miner. He promised more details soon.
Others pointed out that public estimates of around $8 billion had missed clusters of transactions that pushed the figure much higher. Some speculated the holder might be transferring coins to a national entity.
Comments also noted that such moves challenge the idea of Bitcoin’s fixed supply scarcity and hinted these plans may have been in motion for years.
Bitcoin’s Price Action
At the time of the transfers, Bitcoin traded at $108,088.65, down 0.76 % in the last 24 hours. The overall crypto market cap stood at $2.14 trillion, while 24‑hour trading volume fell by 14.13 %.
Despite the large movements, volatility remained moderate as traders weighed the implications of such rare activity against recent stability in prices.
Next Steps for Analysts and Traders
Experts will watch whether the remaining 120,326 BTC moves or stays in cold storage. If more coins join the market, prices could face downward pressure.
On the other hand, if this transfer were merely repositioning funds among private wallets, the effect on supply would be minimal. Analysts expect continued blockchain forensics and updates from Maartunn and others tracking these addresses.
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