[DigitalToday reporter Jinju Hong (홍진주)] Four bitcoin wallets that had been dormant long-term have recently moved again, transferring a total of 202.84 BTC.

On Sept. 5 (local time), blockchain media outlet DeCrypt reported the transfers were worth about $15.73 million. Some of the funds were sent to cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, raising the possibility of sales.

The transfers were confirmed between Aug. 29 and Sept. 4. The largest wallet held 146.06 BTC, worth about $11.31 million. It had been untouched for about 12.8 years since November 2013. Its return based on acquisition cost was estimated at about 12,902 percent.

Market attention also focused on a 40 BTC wallet that had been dormant since 2011. It was worth about $3.09 million at current value. With an average purchase price of about $3, its return reached 2,571,899 percent. Bitcoin worth about $120 at the time exceeded $3 million after being held for nearly 15 years.

A 10 BTC wallet that had not moved since June 2011 also transferred about $777,000. A 6.78 BTC wallet whose last activity was in February 2011 moved about $551,000. The valuation gains on old holdings were very large. Holdings from the 2010s rose more than 2,000 percent from cost, and some exceeded 500,000 percent.

The moves extend a trend of faster transfers of long-dormant holdings this summer. Bitcoin groups that had not moved for more than 10 years have been reactivating at a rarely fast pace in 2026. In August, about $40 million moved from six wallets over 10 days.

Still, wallet transfers alone cannot determine the final destination of the funds. On-chain movements do not show whether owners sold, changed custody methods or reorganised holdings across multiple wallets. This time, the 6.78 BTC wallet left a relatively clear signal because the receiving address was identified as Coinbase. Transfers to Coinbase are often more closely linked to intent to sell than simple custody moves.

Some wallets also carried a sender tag linked to the 'Noah Do' lawsuit. The suit seeks to have thousands of dormant addresses recognised as abandoned property in New York. Wallets bearing labels tied to the case have continued to move even after a court halted proceedings in June.

Why long-time holders are now moving in large numbers has not yet been confirmed. With bitcoin that had been dormant for more than 10 years returning to circulation in succession, whether it leads to actual sales and whether further transfers follow have emerged as the next points to watch.