A long-dormant Bitcoin wallet dating back to 2009 has suddenly shown activity after 14 years, transferring part of a fortune now worth roughly $442 million.
According to data shared by Whale Alert on X, the wallet’s owner mined about 4,000 BTC between April and June 2009 — just months after Bitcoin’s genesis block was created. The miner has now moved 150 BTC, valued at over $16 million, in a single transaction this week.
Blockchain data from Nansen and Mempool.space indicates that the wallet may have originally held around 7,850 BTC, with its last recorded movement dating back to June 2011, when several holdings were consolidated into one address.
At today’s prices — around $110,600 per BTC — the entire stash would be worth nearly half a billion dollars, compared to just $194 in 2010 when CoinMarketCap first began tracking Bitcoin’s price.
Possible larger stash in the past
Independent blockchain researcher Emmett Gallic suggested that the early miner once controlled approximately 8,000 BTC spread across multiple wallets. Gallic noted that the entity appears to have been gradually liquidating its holdings over time.
“A whale that originally owned 8,000 BTC just reactivated a 2009-era wallet. After today’s move of 150 BTC, they’re down to about 3,850 BTC. That’s some next-level DCA discipline,” Gallic commented.
Mempool data confirms the whale’s total lifetime receipts of 7,850 BTC, with the balance now sitting near 3,850 BTC following the latest movement.
More early Bitcoin holders are waking up
This isn’t the first time an early Bitcoin address has stirred recently. In July, another Satoshi-era whale — one holding over 80,000 BTC — began transferring coins to Galaxy Digital after 14 years of inactivity, completing the move on July 16.
Crypto analyst Willy Woo noted earlier this year that wallets with 10,000 BTC or more have been gradually distributing their coins since 2017, often during waves of institutional demand.
While some traders see these awakenings as a potential bearish sign, others argue it’s part of a healthy market evolution. Analysts emphasized in August that the exit of early holders is being met by strong inflows from new investors — a sign of Bitcoin’s continued growth and market maturity.
Download the FREE Bitcoin Mining eBook
Kickstart your mining journey with essential insights:
https://bitmernmining.com/landing-page-ebook-download/
For more news, find me on Twitter Giannis Andreou and subscribe to My channels Youtube and Rumble
What is your opinion on this particular topic? Leave us your comment below! We are always intere
