Bitcoin · Federal Reserve (FED) · Decrypt
Bitcoin's Oldest Coins Are Waking Up in 2026 at a Pace Rarely Seen
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The most dormant Bitcoin on the network, coins untouched for a decade or more, is stirring at an unusual clip this year, according to fresh data from Galaxy Research.
Key facts
- One address moved 212 BTC, about $13.66 million, that had sat untouched since August 2012, a stretch of 14 years representing a roughly 557,640% gain on a cost basis near $12
- The most lucrative of the batch, 40 BTC last held in May 2012, landed at German custody bank Boerse Stuttgart Digital for a staggering 1,535,911% gain
- Traders read the remarks as hawkish, and odds of a September rate hike jumped to about 56% from 35% a day earlier, according to CME's FedWatch tool
- Separately, around 233,000 BTC left long-term wallets during the Coldcard hardware-wallet exploit, as spooked holders rushed funds to safer setups
Summary
Galaxy Research data shows Bitcoin's oldest cohort—coins dormant for a decade or more—stirring more prominently in 2026 than in most prior years, even though the year is only part way through. Six wallets dormant since 2011, 2012 and 2014 moved a combined 553.59 BTC (~$40.15 million) between Aug. 16 and 26, including a 40 BTC wallet last touched in May 2012. The awakenings come amid a choppy market: Bitcoin fell to $76,877 Friday after Fed Chair Kevin Warsh's hawkish Jackson Hole keynote lifted September rate-hike odds to ~56%, though $2.8 billion in eight-day ETF inflows and bullish Myriad traders keep the longer-term outlook positive. A chart the firm published last week tracks how much Bitcoin from each vintage "woke up" in each calendar year since 2012, sorted into age cohorts.