Bitcoin's Oldest Coins Are Waking Up in 2026 at a Pace Rarely Seen
Bitcoin dormant for 10+ years is waking up at an unusually high rate in 2026, with decade-old coins already more active than in most prior full years. Galaxy Research counted 553.59 BTC moved from wallets dormant since 2011, 2012, and 2014 between Aug. 16 and Aug. 26, worth about $40.15 million. One 2012 wallet moved 212 BTC, and another 2012 stash of 40 BTC was sent to Boerse Stuttgart Digital. Such activity is notable because very old supply rarely moves, though chain data does not show whether coins are being sold, consolidated, or re-custodied. Two possible drivers are a legal case involving “dusted” wallets and a hardware-wallet exploit that pushed holders to move funds to safer storage. The moves come during volatile market conditions, but spot Bitcoin ETFs are still seeing strong inflows and traders remain somewhat bullish on price.
