A 2010 Bitcoin Wallet Just Woke Up and Moved $8.3 Million

A wallet that had been silent since 2010 just moved 100.02 bitcoin — about $8.3 million at today's prices.

The coins were mined in July 2010, back when bitcoin cost pennies, and they sat untouched for more than 16 years before moving on October 7. Nothing in the transaction reveals who controls them, and moving coins between addresses is not the same as selling them.

Two mining rewards, one transfer

The stash traces back to two separate mining rewards: 50.02 BTC in block 70,522 on July 26, 2010, and 50 BTC in block 70,748 two days later. Both payouts were merged into a single transaction on July 30, 2010. At the time, the whole pile was worth around $29.

When it finally moved, the coins split into 10 BTC and 90.02 BTC outputs sent to two fresh addresses. Both were still unspent as of Thursday, with nothing sent onward. The holder paid 1,467 satoshis in fees — roughly $1.22 — to shift $8.3 million.

Old coins, but not necessarily Satoshi's

Bitcoin's earliest coins are nicknamed "Satoshi-era," after the network's pseudonymous creator. Their age proves nothing about ownership: the coins came straight from two mining rewards, and that does not establish a link to Satoshi Nakamoto.

This is not an isolated event. Six other wallets shifted 553.59 BTC between August 16 and 26. In February 2025, a 50 BTC batch worth roughly $5 million moved after about 15 years. The transfer only proves someone still holds the keys — not that they intend to cash out.

Why it matters

Dormant whales make traders nervous because a sale would add sell pressure, but this one is not a sale. It is also a reminder that a fixed supply means little if very old keys resurface at the wrong moment.

There is precedent for far bigger moves: Galaxy sold more than 80,000 BTC for an early investor in July 2025 as part of estate planning. Next to that, 100 coins is a rounding error. Still, the two new addresses are worth watching — if they start sending, the story changes.