Several long-dormant Bitcoin wallets have become active in January 2026, moving large, vintage holdings that had sat untouched for more than a decade. Most notably, a wallet inactive for over 13.5 years sent 909.37 BTC, which the report values at $84.2 million, and two 2016-era wallets shifted a combined 1,087.29 BTC worth over $100 million. Alongside these moves, observers flagged a 200 BTC transfer from an older P2PKH address into a newer Segwit address, and smaller transfers appeared from other 2012-era addresses.
Recent Movement of Vintage Bitcoin Wallets
The week saw multiple awakenings of very old wallets that had been quiet for years. In separate alerts, on Sunday a 200 BTC transfer was traced from a P2PKH address created on July 9, 2013, to a P2WPKH Segwit address, and shortly after a 10 BTC move was detected from another wallet created in June 2012. This pattern follows prior rounds of reactivations; for background on similar episodes last year see activation of old wallets in 2025.
Details of the Transfers
Whale Alert reported the largest single move as a 909.3799125 BTC transfer from a wallet first created on June 30, 2012 (originally at block 186935). The 909.37 BTC was later locked in at block 932989 and was shuffled into a new, unknown P2WPKH address; according to the trace the original P2PKH wallet had held a larger balance since creation. Separately, btcparser.com flagged the 200 BTC move that occurred at block height 932778, and a 10 BTC transfer from a Jun. 21, 2012 wallet appeared at block height 932785.
Possible Reasons for Wallet Activity
- Reorganization of long-held holdings as owners move coins between old and newer address types.
- Preparation for potential sales or redistribution, though the chain movements do not by themselves confirm intent.
- General reshuffling of legacy caches into modern wallet formats such as Segwit for operational or fee-related reasons.
Why this matters
For miners running from 1 to 1,000 devices in Russia, these wallet movements are noteworthy mainly as on‑chain signals rather than direct operational threats. Large, long-dormant transfers can show changing behavior among early holders, but the moves reported went to new Segwit addresses, not directly to known exchange wallets, so immediate market or exchange pressure is not certain from the chain data alone.
What to do?
If you operate mining equipment, you do not need to change your rigs because of these specific transfers, but it's sensible to stay informed and keep operational security tight. Watch for related on‑chain activity and exchange inflows, secure your own keys, and avoid reacting to single large transfers without broader context.
- Monitor blockchain explorers and alerts for patterns of exchange deposits or clustered selling that might affect fees or mempool conditions.
- Keep miner finances and withdrawals planned: secure wallets, stagger transfers, and avoid last‑minute moves in volatile moments.
- Consider using Segwit addresses for your own withdrawals where appropriate, since several moved coins were shuffled into P2WPKH addresses.
FAQ
Why are old Bitcoin wallets moving now? Several long-dormant wallets appear to be reorganizing holdings as prices have eased; observers suggest they could be preparing for sales or simply updating address types, but chain data alone does not prove intent.
How old were the wallets involved in these transfers? Some of the wallets were created in 2012 and 2013, making them more than a decade old, while others in the set date to 2016.
How much Bitcoin was moved in the latest transfers? Recent large movements reported include 909.37 BTC from a 2012 wallet, 1,087.29 BTC moved by two 2016 wallets, and a 200 BTC transfer from a 2013 P2PKH address to a Segwit address.
Did these Bitcoin transfers move coins to exchanges? The traced funds were routed into new Segwit addresses (P2WPKH) rather than directly into known exchange wallets in the reported traces.
For context on broader whale activity in January 2026, monitors have also recorded sizable sales by large holders; related coverage on those moves can be found in reporting about how whales sold $286M during the same month.
