5-7-2025 – A Bitcoin early adopter has moved 80,009 BTC worth $8.69 billion after keeping the cryptocurrency dormant for over 14 years, marking one of the largest ancient whale movements in Bitcoin history.
The entity controls eight wallets that acquired the Bitcoin during 2011 when prices ranged from $0.78 to $3.37. Two wallets received 20,000 BTC on April 2, 2011, originally worth $15,600 but now valued at $2.18 billion. The remaining six wallets accumulated 60,009 BTC on May 4, 2011, for approximately $202,000 at the time, now worth $6.52 billion. All eight addresses became active simultaneously, transferring out their entire holdings.
The massive movement has sparked speculation about the whale’s identity and motivations. Analysis by ai_9684xtpa suggests the transfers may not be connected to “Kao Mao,” a known early Bitcoin mining operation that began manufacturing mining equipment in 2012. Kao Mao’s known addresses have shown activity since November 2024, distinguishing them from these newly awakened wallets.
The timing of the transfer coincides with Bitcoin trading near all-time highs, potentially representing profit-taking after holding through multiple market cycles. The whale’s original investment of approximately $218,000 has generated returns exceeding 39,000%, highlighting the extraordinary gains available to Bitcoin’s earliest adopters.
