Bitcoin dormant wallets movement sends $40M after over 15 years of silence
Six Bitcoin wallets that had sat untouched since the early 2010s suddenly sprang to life this month, sending a fresh wave of attention toward the broader pattern of Bitcoin dormant wallets movement that has puzzled analysts for years. Between August 16 and August 26, the wallets moved a combined 553.59 BTC worth roughly $40 million, according to data tracked by Galaxy Research. One of them hadnโt budged in more than 15 years.
Key takeaways
- Six wallets last active between 2011 and 2014 moved 553.59 BTC, worth about $40 million, between August 16 and August 26, 2026.
- One address had remained completely still for more than 15 years before finally moving.
- Dormant Bitcoin activity onchain fell in the second quarter of 2026 to its lowest point since the third quarter of 2022.
- Five of the six wallets sent funds to addresses with no known exchange ties; the sixth sent 40 BTC to Boerse Stuttgart Digital, a German custody provider.
- Two of the six wallets are tied to a New York lawsuit over 39,069 dormant Bitcoin addresses, while a separate Coldcard hardware wallet flaw pushed roughly 210,000 BTC out of long-term holder wallets in a single week in July.
Rare Movement from Long-Dormant Bitcoin Wallets
Old coins waking up after a decade or more is unusual enough that onchain researchers flag it almost every time it happens. The latest batch of six wallets, all last active between 2011 and 2014, is no exception โ and the numbers behind it are striking.
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