A long-inactive Bitcoin wallet has transferred roughly 4,582 BTC worth about $377.6 million, reviving questions about whether a major holder may be preparing to sell or simply moving coins between addresses under the same control.
The wallet, identified as 18VmXvkF4cgLi35RtMiHHDpvMjUCyVpQ9x, sent the Bitcoin on Monday to five separate addresses, according to blockchain records cited by CoinDesk. Four of the receiving addresses received exactly 1,000 BTC each, while the fifth received approximately 582 BTC. None of those addresses had moved the coins at the time of the report.
The transfer involved Bitcoin that had remained largely dormant since March 2020, shortly before the cryptocurrency suffered one of its sharpest market declines during the early Covid-19 panic.
Coins acquired before the 2020 crash
Blockchain records from Arkham and mempool.space show that the wallet received the 4,582 BTC on March 3, 2020. The coins came from another address, 17VX1BEjYVyBMi2vw6nXDrpwMvCSweHZot.
Nine days later, financial markets were hit by widespread Covid-19-related panic. Bitcoin fell more than 40% and traded below $4,000. According to the source material, the cryptocurrency has not returned to that price level since.
When the coins arrived in the wallet, they were worth approximately $40.8 million. At the time of Monday’s transfer, their value had increased to about $377.6 million—roughly nine times the original value.
The wallet did not send Bitcoin out for more than four years after receiving the funds. Its first recorded outgoing transaction came in August 2024, involving only 0.009 BTC sent to the address bc1qmpjs55x326wvnvtwvkwfqqzzlyljk7ffmdw32g. The remaining Bitcoin was returned to the same wallet, suggesting that transaction did not represent a large-scale disposal of the holdings.
Why dormant-wallet movements attract attention
Large transfers from wallets that have been inactive for years are closely watched because they can precede selling and increase market uncertainty. If the coins are sent to an exchange or subsequently distributed and sold, the additional supply could put pressure on the market. However, a blockchain transfer alone does not establish that a sale is planned.
The latest recipients had not moved the Bitcoin when the report was published, and the purpose of the transfer remains unknown. The coins may have been shifted between addresses controlled by the same person or organization. Such transfers can be part of routine custody or security procedures rather than a change in market positioning.
On-chain analysts have previously examined links between movements by long-dormant holders and periods of volatility. Data and insights from CryptoQuant indicate that sudden increases in measures such as Coin Days Destroyed and older Spent Output Age Bands have frequently been viewed as early signals of a possible correction or heightened price swings. These indicators track activity involving coins that have remained unspent for extended periods.
The uncertainty is not unique to private holders. Addresses linked to the U.S. government recently moved at least $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin, although it was not clear whether those transactions were intended for sale or were internal transfers between government-controlled wallets.
Bitcoin market picture
Moneyiar market data recorded Bitcoin at $83,353.881990854 at 09:29 on Oct. 13, 2026, with a 24-hour change of 0.01% and a seven-day decline of 2.79%.
The same Moneyiar data showed the following prices and moves at that time:
- Ailey (ALE): $0.2680650466, down 0.08% over 24 hours and 0.65% over seven days.
- AI Rig Complex (ARC): $0.035091056, down 43.36% over 24 hours and 50.2% over seven days, based on data recorded at 07:53.
- Loaded Lions (LION): $0.0012916609, down 7.85% over 24 hours and 15.62% over seven days.
The whale transfer therefore adds a closely watched on-chain event to a market in which Bitcoin was little changed over the previous 24 hours but remained lower over the past week. Whether the movement affects prices will depend on what happens to the coins in the five receiving addresses; so far, no subsequent movement was reported.
