A Bitcoin wallet (15MZ...FUz) inactive since January 2011 moved this week, transferring its entire stash of 3,962 BTC worth $468 million at current prices to a new address. According to blockchain analytics platform Arkham Intel, the coins were originally acquired when Bitcoin traded at just $0.37, turning an initial $1,453 investment into a generational fortune. The transfer included a microscopic test transaction of 0.0018 BTC ($218), suggesting meticulous reactivation protocols.
This awakening follows another move six days prior, when a separate 2011-era whale liquidated 80,000 BTC for $8.69 billion. Such dormant holder activity typically sparks sell-off fears, yet markets shrugged off volatility as institutional giants absorbed pressure. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF added 1,204 BTC hours before the transfer, while MicroStrategy fortified its treasury with 4,225 BTC earlier this month.
Motivations remain speculative: profit-taking seems plausible amid peak prices, but the new wallet’s anonymity hints at security upgrades or inheritance planning. Notably, the coins avoided exchanges, reducing immediate market impact. Galaxy Digital recently facilitated a $2 billion OTC deal for similar vintage BTC, signaling institutional appetite for discreet block trades.
The event underscores Bitcoin’s evolution from cryptographic experiment to institutional asset class. As Macquarie and Robinhood expand crypto infrastructure, and regulators advance frameworks like the GENIUS Act, dormant coins increasingly migrate toward regulated custody.
Over 10% of Bitcoin’s supply remains untouched for a decade, a testament to its store-of-value narrative. Yet their movement, once ominous, now meets deep liquidity from traditional finance entrants.
For real-time tracking, platforms like Arkham Intel monitor whale behavior as Bitcoin’s maturation accelerates.
Satoshi-Era Bitcoin Wallets Moved 80,000 BTC worth $8.69B After 14 Years