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ZEC $1,143 Satoshi-era bitcoin worth $8.3 million moves after 16 years
A batch of 100.02 BTC mined in July 2010 left its address in block 970,379, paying a $1.22 fee to split into two new wallets.
Key takeaways
- A $1.22 fee. The holder paid 1,467 satoshis, about $1.22, to move a stash worth about $8.3 million.
- Two new addresses. The 100.02 BTC split into 10 BTC and 90.02 BTC at modern bc1q addresses.
- Not a sale. Moving coins between addresses is not the same as selling them, and nothing identifies the owner.
What happened
A batch of 100.02 BTC mined in July 2010 moved on Wednesday for the first time in 16 years. At roughly $83,000 per coin, the stash was worth about $8.3 million when it left. The transaction was confirmed at 18:52 UTC in block 970,379.
The coins split between two new addresses: 10 BTC went to one and 90.02 BTC to the other. The holder paid a fee of 1,467 satoshis, which came to about $1.22. Both destinations are modern bc1q addresses, a format that did not exist when the coins were mined.
Why it matters
Galaxy Research said it had identified the batch after it lay dormant for 16 years, 2 months and 24 days. Galaxy also said the address had been active before, and that it tracks the specific coins rather than the address alone.
Other old coins have been moving too. A 50 BTC batch from 2010 moved in February 2025 and was then worth roughly $5 million. In August, 49.97 BTC moved to a wallet that Arkham labeled as FalconX. Between August 16 and 26, six wallets dormant since 2011, 2012 or 2014 moved 553.59 BTC, about $40 million.
What the data shows
- The moved coins were 100.02 BTC, worth about $8.3 million at roughly $83,000 per coin. The fee was 1,467 satoshis, or about $1.22.
- The transaction split the coins into 10 BTC and 90.02 BTC. Galaxy Research put the dormancy at 16 years, 2 months and 24 days and the gain at 108.69 million percent.
- The address previously sent out 100 BTC twice on August 8, 2015, 100 BTC in December 2017 and 249 BTC in March 2018. Galaxy said the wallet moved around 894 BTC before these specific coins.
Background
- Coins from Bitcoin's first years are called Satoshi-era, after the network's pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto.
- In 2010, a Florida programmer named Laszlo Hanyecz paid 10,000 BTC for two pizzas, a bill of about $41.
- The mining reward has been cut in half four times since, most recently to 3.125 BTC in the April 2024 halving.
What is still unclear
- Reports differ on the mining date. Decrypt says 50.02 BTC came in block 70,522 on July 26, 2010, and 50 BTC in block 70,748 on July 28. Bitcoin.com News says July 13, 2010, in an old P2PK address.
- Galaxy's 'untouched' label drew complaints because the wallet had been used before, Galaxy said the specific UTXOs had not moved since 2010.
- As of Thursday, the 10 BTC and 90.02 BTC were still sitting in their new addresses, with nothing sent onward.
Questions readers ask
How much was the 2010 bitcoin worth when it moved?
At roughly $83,000 per coin, the stash was worth about $8.3 million. Bitbo's highest registered price for BTC in 2010 put it at around $29 when mined.
Did the owner sell the bitcoin?
Moving coins between addresses is not the same as selling them. As of Thursday, the 10 BTC and 90.02 BTC were still in their new addresses with nothing sent onward.
What is a Satoshi-era coin?
They are coins from Bitcoin's first years, named after the network's pseudonymous creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. They have been waking up in clusters.
Why did people question Galaxy's 'untouched' label?
The wallet had moved around 894 BTC before, so some users said the coins were not untouched. Galaxy said it tracks specific UTXOs unmoved since 2010.
