Dormant Bitcoin Whale Awakens After 10.9 Years, Realizing 11,507% Gains

NAIROBI (CoinChapter.com)—After more than a decade of inactivity, a dormant Bitcoin whale has transferred 81 BTC, now valued at $5.18 million. This wallet had not been touched since 2013 when the Bitcoin it contained was worth just $44,707, marking an 11,507% gain due to the cryptocurrency’s massive price surge.

Whale Alert reported that the whale recently moved its holdings. While the reason for the transfer is unclear, it could indicate plans to sell or move the funds to a more secure location. This comes as other early Bitcoin wallets from the “Satoshi era” have also shown signs of activity.

2009-Era Whale Sends 5 BTC to Kraken Exchange

On-chain data from Arkham reveals that another dormant whale has stirred, sending 5 BTC to the Kraken exchange. The wallet belongs to an early Bitcoin miner who generated coins in Feb. and Mar. 2009—just one month after Bitcoin’s launch. The miner’s wallet still holds 1,215 BTC, valued at around $77 million. This whale has executed three transactions in the past three weeks, moving a total of 10 BTC to Kraken.

Arkham noted that the whale had previously moved funds between 2011 and 2014 before going dormant for nearly a decade. During this period, the whale’s holdings grew from $474,000 to over $80 million.

Bitcoin Whales Offload 30,000 BTC Amid Price Surge

In a broader market movement, Bitcoin whales have offloaded over 30,000 BTC, worth approximately $1.86 billion, within just 96 hours. Data by CryptoQuant shows declining exchange reserves, suggesting whales are moving BTC off exchanges.

In fact, crypto analyst Ali Martinez attributes the sell-off to Bitcoin’s recent surge above $63,000, suggesting whales are cashing out profits amid the recovery. If Bitcoin follows historical cycles, as Martinez predicts, the next market peak could arrive around Oct. 2025.

Interestingly, Arkham recently identified a whale who moved $16 million in BTC after 15 years of inactivity. Another event saw the transfer of 250 BTC, valued at $15.95 million, from addresses mining Bitcoin during its first month of existence in Jan. 2009.

Notably, the reactivation of dormant Bitcoin whales is becoming more common, with early holders moving large amounts of BTC after years of inactivity.