In a remarkable event for the cryptocurrency world, several Bitcoin miner wallets from 2009 have become active again after being dormant for over 15 years. These wallets, which together hold 250 BTC, are now worth approximately $15.9 million. The reactivation of these old wallets has generated curiosity and speculation within the crypto sector, as such events are rare, especially for wallets that were set up during Bitcoin's infancy.
According to on-chain data from Lookonchain, five different wallets each holding 50 BTC were reactivated within a single hour on Friday. These Bitcoin were mined shortly after Bitcoin's official launch on January 3, 2009, during a period when the reward for mining a block was still 50 BTC—significantly higher than today's 3.125 BTC.
The mining rewards for these wallets date back to between January 29 and February 2, 2009, well before the first Bitcoin halving in 2012. At the time these rewards were received, Bitcoin held little to no value. However, with Bitcoin's meteoric rise over the past decade, the total value of these 250 BTC is now substantial.
This sudden reactivation of long-dormant wallets has led to intense speculation regarding their ownership. Many within the crypto community have floated the possibility that these wallets could belong to one of Bitcoin's earliest adopters, potentially even its elusive creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Others have suggested early contributors like Hal Finney, who was the recipient of the first-ever Bitcoin transaction, or they hypothesize that someone may have rediscovered an old hard drive containing this fortune.
This event is not isolated. Earlier this year, a wallet from the Satoshi era, dormant for 14 years, transferred 50 BTC worth $3.05 million to Binance, sparking similar interest and concern. Last year, three whales moved 6,500 BTC, which was worth approximately $230 million at the time, after being inactive for nearly six years.
While the latest wallet reactivations haven't had an immediate impact on Bitcoin's price, the cryptocurrency continues to perform well, gaining over 11% in the past week. As of now, Bitcoin's price hovers around $63,435, boosted by the U.S. Federal Reserve's recent decision to cut interest rates by 50 basis points.
