Bitcoin holder just offloaded over $260 million  BTC after 12 years

A long-dormant Bitcoin (BTC) wallet tied to an early adopter has resumed heavy distribution, with more than $260 million worth of BTC sold after roughly 12 years of holding.

On-chain activity shows the holder originally received 5,000 BTC when Bitcoin traded near $332, valuing the stash at about $1.66 million at the time.

The latest transaction saw the wallet sell another 500 BTC, worth approximately $47.77 million, continuing a selling pattern that began in early December 2024, according to the latest on-chain data retrieved by Finbold from Lookonchain on January 18. 

Dormant Bitcoin address transactions. Source: Lookonchain

Since December 4, the holder has offloaded a total of 2,500 BTC, realizing around $265 million at an average sale price of $106,164 per coin. 

Despite the sizable distribution, the wallet still controls the remaining 2,500 BTC, currently valued at roughly $237.5 million, pushing total profits from the position to well over $500 million.

Impact on Bitcoin price 

The renewed activity from such an old wallet is notable because coins held for more than a decade are typically viewed as a tightly held supply. 

When these long-term holdings begin to move, it often signals profit-taking rather than panic, but the scale of the sales can still influence short-term market dynamics. 

The recent transfers suggest a structured and gradual exit rather than a single liquidation, which helps limit immediate market disruption.

From a price perspective, the impact depends on where the cryptocurrency is sold. Exchange-based selling can add short-term pressure, particularly during volatile conditions, but Bitcoin’s deep liquidity means a few hundred BTC is unlikely to shift the broader trend unless other large holders follow suit. 

Historically, such sales tend to occur in later-cycle phases, as early adopters rebalance while new buyers absorb the supply.

Notably, the offloading has come at a time when Bitcoin is witnessing renewed bearish sentiment following a sharp drop that has raised the risk of a break below the $90,000 support level.

By press time, Bitcoin was trading at $92,781, down about 2.4% over the past 24 hours, while on a weekly basis the asset remains up more than 2%.

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Source: https://finbold.com/bitcoin-holder-just-offloaded-over-260-million-btc-after-12-years/