Satoshi-Era Bitcoin Whale Moves 2,000 BTC as Market Absorbs $181M Sell Signal

A Bitcoin miner from the network’s earliest days has reawakened after more than a decade of dormancy, moving 2,000 BTC worth approximately $181 million at current prices. The transaction has drawn significant attention across the crypto market, as it represents the largest activity by a so-called “Satoshi-era” whale since late 2024, according to CryptoQuant analyst Julio Moreno.

Moreno emphasized that this type of movement is rarely random. Historically, Satoshi-era Bitcoin miners tend to transfer their holdings at key market inflection points, often during periods of strong price action or heightened liquidity. In this case, the timing aligns with Bitcoin’s continued ability to absorb large sell-side events without major structural damage.

Adding further technical clarity, Sani, founder of TimechainIndex, confirmed that the Bitcoin originated from block rewards mined in 2010. During that period, miners earned 50 BTC per block, a reward structure that produced many of today’s long-dormant “vintage” wallets. These coins had remained untouched for more than 15 years across 40 legacy Pay-to-Public-Key (P2PK) addresses before being consolidated and transferred to Coinbase. Market participants typically view transfers to centralized exchanges as a signal that a potential open-market sale may follow.

This event is not isolated. Over the past year, Bitcoin wallets dating back to the 2009–2011 era have increasingly reactivated. Analysts interpret this trend as early adopters either securing generational profits or modernizing custody practices after years of inactivity. A notable example occurred in July 2025, when Galaxy Digital facilitated the sale of more than $9 billion in Bitcoin on behalf of a Satoshi-era investor, marking one of the largest crypto transactions in history.

Despite the renewed flow of early-mined Bitcoin into circulation, the market has shown impressive resilience. Bitcoin has consistently absorbed these large-scale legacy supply shocks without triggering a broader breakdown in market structure, underscoring the depth of current liquidity.

Looking beyond short-term selling pressure, long-term sentiment remains bullish. Asset manager VanEck recently projected that Bitcoin could reach a theoretical price of $2.9 million by 2050, driven by its potential role as a global settlement and reserve asset.