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Dormant Satoshi-Era Whale Moves $16M: Inside the 2009 Bitcoin Wallet’s Awakening

Dormant Satoshi-Era Whale Moves $16M: Inside the 2009 Bitcoin Wallet’s Awakening

KriptoworldKriptoworld2025/10/23 16:00
By:by Tatevik Avetisyan

A Satoshi-era Bitcoin wallet shifted 150 BTC on Thursday, its first activity since June 2011.

The coins were largely mined between April and June 2009, only months after Bitcoin went live. Whale Alert flagged the transfer in a post on X.

Dormant Satoshi-Era Whale Moves $16M: Inside the 2009 Bitcoin Wallet’s Awakening image 0 Dormant Satoshi-Era Whale Moves $16M: Inside the 2009 Bitcoin Wallet’s Awakening image 1 Satoshi-Era Wallet 150 BTC Move. Source: MLM on X

At Friday’s price near $110,604, the moved coins equal more than $16 million. The wallet’s broader stash dates back to the network’s earliest days. That timing places the address among the oldest known miners.

The wallet belongs to an unknown owner. There is no attribution linking it to Satoshi Nakamoto. The address history instead shows early mining and long dormancy.

On-chain data: Nansen and mempool.space track the Bitcoin whale

Nansen recorded the 150 BTC transaction in a single outbound move. The transfer size and timing match Whale Alert’s notice. No exchange deposit has been confirmed in this report.

Data from mempool.space indicates the address received 7,850 BTC in total over its lifespan.

The explorer also shows a June 2011 action that consolidated 4,000 BTC into one wallet. Those events mark the last active period before this week.

After Thursday’s shift, the address balance appears near 3,850 BTC. The arithmetic reflects the recent 150 BTC outflow. The remainder stays on the legacy stash unless moved later.

Price context: then versus now for early-mined Bitcoin

When CoinMarketCap began tracking Bitcoin in July 2010, the price hovered near $194 for reference points used here.

Today’s level near $110,604 makes the entire 3,850 BTC balance worth about $426 million. The article’s initial estimate placed the larger historical stash near $442 million.

Those figures illustrate the scale of value attached to early mining. The 2009 period produced coins at negligible spot prices. Now, each block subsidy from that era represents significant capital.

Valuation snapshots depend on the quoted time. Friday’s figure uses the most recent price cited in the source text. Intraday swings can shift these totals.

Analyst claim: whale once held 8,000 BTC across wallets

Independent analyst Emmett Gallic said the whale once held 8,000 BTC split over multiple wallets.

He added that a separate address has been selling “for years.” According to his post on X, the entity “activated a new wallet from the Satoshi Era of Bitcoin.”

Gallic’s summary notes a path from 8,000 BTC down to 3,850 BTC. He attributed part of that path to steady sales and Thursday’s 150 BTC move. He closed with the line: “God Level DCA Strat.”

The claim fits the explorer view that shows broad historical inflows. However, wallet clustering always carries caveats. Cross-address ownership cannot be proven without private keys or disclosure.

Other Satoshi-era Bitcoin whales have stirred in 2025

Another Satoshi-era whale controlling 80,201 BTC began moving funds in July after 14 years of dormancy.

Transfers ended with a final move on July 16. Tracking suggested coins were routed toward Galaxy Digital during that sequence.

Those shifts added to this year’s pattern of early wallets reappearing. The actions spanned multiple days and addresses. Public posts tied the moves to custodied destinations.

In June, analyst Willy Woo said whales with 10,000+ BTC have been selling since 2017. The note responded to questions about distribution during rising institutional interest.

The comment focused on long-running supply rotation at the top end.

Dormant Satoshi-Era Whale Moves $16M: Inside the 2009 Bitcoin Wallet’s Awakening image 2 Dormant Satoshi-Era Whale Moves $16M: Inside the 2009 Bitcoin Wallet’s Awakening image 3
Tatevik Avetisyan
Editor at Kriptoworld

Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.

📅 Published: October 24, 2025 • 🕓 Last updated: October 24, 2025

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Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.

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