13-Year Dormant Bitcoin Wallet Reactivates

A long-dormant Bitcoin wallet, inactive for 13.7 years, has reactivated with a small test transaction, drawing attention to the cryptocurrency's enduring appeal for early investors. The wallet, which holds 2,100 bitcoins valued at approximately $148 million at current prices, transferred just 0.00079 bitcoin—worth about $56—to a new address on March 20, 2026, according to blockchain analytics firms Whale Alert and Lookonchain.

The address, identified as 1NB3ZX, received its full balance on July 5, 2012, when bitcoin traded at roughly $6.59 per coin. That initial acquisition cost the holder around $13,800, representing an unrealized gain of more than 10,000 times the original investment as bitcoin's price has climbed to near $70,000. Blockchain data confirms no outgoing transactions occurred in the intervening years, during which the asset endured multiple market cycles, including sharp declines in 2013, 2018, and 2022. The recent move appears to be a precautionary step to verify control over the funds, a common practice among holders of legacy wallets before any larger transfers. The wallet retains the remaining 2,099.99921 bitcoins.

Such activations of "Satoshi-era"...