In brief
- Initially receiving coins on January 31, 2014, the wallet moved its balance in block 961845 at 07:03 UTC on August 10, 2026.
- Galaxy Research reported the transaction, indicating a potential realized gain of around $1.73 million, representing a 7,975% increase from an average purchase price of approximately $803.
- This marks the second instance of an old wallet being activated this month, following a transaction involving a 2011 wallet that transferred 49.97 BTC on August 6.
A Bitcoin wallet that had been dormant for over 12 years has recently become active again.
The wallet, identifiable by its address starting with "14vMEC," received its first Bitcoin on January 31, 2014, when the cryptocurrency was valued at less than $1,000. After 12.5 years of inactivity, the entire balance was moved to a new address in block 961845 on August 10 at 07:03 UTC. This transaction could yield approximately $1.73 million, equating to a staggering 7,975% return based on an average cost of about $803 per coin.
This extraordinary return reflects the early days of Bitcoin, during which it was primarily a niche asset rather than the $1.3 trillion market it has become today. Such long-term holders are rare, making these occurrences noteworthy as they indicate the movement of coins previously thought to be lost.
🌚 Awakened — dormant 12+ years
26.96 BTC ($1.75M) untouched since first received 2014-01-31 (12.5y ago) — just moved in block 961845Address: 14vMECU9ta5sUrBhbUUnPmDjtx8Vqm6Eum
💰 Realized PnL: +$1.73M (+7,975% gain) - basis ~$803 avg - held 12.5y
🕐 2026-08-10 07:03 UTC
TXID:…— Galaxy Research (@glxyresearch) August 10, 2026
Galaxy Research highlighted the transaction on social media but did not indicate that the coins were sold. The act of transferring the coins does not necessarily mean they are being sold on the market. However, moving them to a new address often suggests preparation for either consolidation or potential sale.
A Continuing Trend?
This event is not a standalone incident. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in the activity of previously dormant Bitcoin wallets.
Just last week, another significant wallet from 2011, which had held 49.97 BTC since July 16, 2011, moved its funds after 14 years of inactivity. This wallet had acquired Bitcoin at around $10 per coin and subsequently transferred the funds to a FalconX-associated wallet, according to data from Arkham Intelligence, raising questions about whether old coins are being readied for sale.
The occurrence of two such awakenings within a single month fits into a broader trend. In the past two years, there have been multiple instances of old wallets reactivating: in January 2024, a group of wallets dormant since 2013 moved $2 billion worth of Bitcoin in one session, and another wallet transferred 3,000 BTC valued at over $349 million after a decade of inactivity, part of a period where a single holder sold over 80,000 BTC in just a month.