Dormant Bitcoin wallet moves $40M after 12 years

A dormant Bitcoin wallet moved 500 BTC ($40.6M) after 12 years. The transfer, amid Bitcoin’s price surge, drew attention but does not confirm a sale.

A long-dormant Bitcoin wallet, inactive since November 2013, transferred 500 BTC—valued at approximately $40.6 million—on May 10, 2026. When first received, these coins were worth about $457,000, marking an 89-fold increase over 12 years. The transaction, detected around 3:16 p.m. ET, moved the entire balance from address "1KAA8...d882j" to a new address "bc1qm...hjrxy." The motive behind the transfer remains unclear. Such moves often precede sales or are done for security upgrades, custody rotation, or address consolidation. This event aligns with a broader trend of early Bitcoin adopters reactivating dormant wallets as Bitcoin trades near all-time highs, recently between $80,000 and $82,000. The movement of old coins draws significant attention due to potential market impact, though there is no confirmation of a sale.