04.07.2025 19:50

A significant event unfolded in the cryptocurrency world on July 4th. A long-dormant Bitcoin whale, after fourteen years of inactivity, transferred 20,000 Bitcoin (BTC). This represents a staggering sum exceeding $2.1 billion at current market prices. The movement, quickly identified by blockchain analytics tools from internet sources, signifies the re-emergence of a major player who had been absent from the scene since 2011.

The transaction involved two separate Pay-to-Public-Key-Hash (P2PKH) addresses, each sending 10,000 BTC to newer wallets. This meticulously orchestrated transfer, occurring within minutes of each other at blocks 903916 and 903921 respectively, demonstrates a sophisticated approach to managing these long-held assets. Both originating addresses had lain idle since their creation in April 2011, highlighting the whale's patience and strategic holding period. The process also involved consolidating numerous smaller unspent transaction outputs (UTXOs) into larger, more manageable holdings.

Interestingly, the transfer strategy employed a mix of wallet types. One batch of 10,000 BTC found its way into a new P2PKH address, showcasing the whale's familiarity with older technologies. However, the other 10,000 BTC were deposited into a more modern Pay-to-Witness-Public-Key-Hash (P2WPKH) wallet, suggesting an awareness of and adoption of enhanced security and efficiency protocols. Considering the initial acquisition cost of approximately $0.77 per BTC in 2011, the current value represents an astronomical return on investment – a growth exceeding 141,565,494%.

Adding to the intrigue, some of the involved wallets exhibit historical links to an address previously used to send thousands of BTC to the now-defunct Mt. Gox exchange. This historical connection further fuels speculation regarding the identity of this mysterious Bitcoin whale and the potential motivations behind this long-awaited transaction.