Dormant wallet transfers $188 million in Bitcoin: chain collapse


The wallet address 356my…BAsmK, inactive since October 23, 2018, transferred 2,931 bitcoins, valued at approximately $188 million at the time of transfer, to an unspecified address on July 12, 2026, at approximately 3:41 PM ET, citing on-chain intelligence platform Onchain Lens, which draws its data from Arkham.

Bitcoin’s price at acquisition in October 2018 was approximately $6,475, resulting in an unrealized gain of nearly ten times, with a reported price of $63,100 as of 7 a.m. ET on July 13.


This isn’t just a major portfolio revitalization. It’s the latest data point in a pattern of long-term cryptocurrency holders, where wallets holding Bitcoin were acquired years before current price levels, and are starting to reposition old supply at a time when cryptocurrency markets are trading well below previous highs but still represent hundreds of percent gains for 2018-era buyers.

The reawakening of a 2018-era Bitcoin wallet comes as BTC USD is trading at $63,100, down -1.3% over the past 24 hours on a daily trading volume of $20.2 billion.

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Details on the chain: What the transfer does and doesn’t confirm

The recipient’s address, bc1qn…8gp25, had not transferred Bitcoin at the time of reporting. The destination address appears unmarked, with no exchange bureau or OTC affiliation specified in the on-chain data.

This means that the transfer remains classified as a wallet-to-wallet movement rather than a confirmed exchange flow – a distinction that on-chain analysts consistently identify as an effective bearish signal.

The Block noted that such transfers “often precede owner token sales to cash out profits,” and that this characterization is structurally accurate as a baseline.

But the analytical question is no longer whether the whale moved; It is whether the destination address then routes the coins to a central exchange or known liquidity venue.

A transfer to an unspecified self-custody address corresponds to a turn of the switch or cold storage consolidation, and is not necessarily an impending sale.

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Precedents of the dormant Bitcoin whale: reactivation trend in 2025-2026

The July 12 move falls within a broader reactivation cycle that on-chain analysts have noted has built across the current cycle. The Block reported on an event in July 2025 in which an individual or entity transferred over $8.7 billion in bitcoin after 14 years of inactivity.

The event was widely cited by analysts as a sign of ancient supply movement, with many large holders emerging from their decade-long slumber at Bitcoin’s all-time highs.

Supplemental on-chain research documents a pattern of similar dormant wallet reactivations in early 2026, with coins in several cases moving to new non-exchange addresses and no subsequent exchange deposits detected, a pattern interpreted as consolidation rather than distribution.

A broader pattern of reactivation without immediate exchange rate inflows has been the prevailing outcome across similar events – although it has not eliminated the narrative of supply accumulation that tends to put a cap on short-term sentiment.

Understanding how long-term owner movements relate to broader surrender dynamics is a relevant context; Pre-analysis of Surrender patterns for long-term Bitcoin holders It shows that realized losses, not portfolio reactivation alone, are the most reliable marker of distribution cycles.

Likewise, historical data on Long term stand selling cycles It suggests that reactivation events increase the probability of bid compression but do not resolve it in a directional sense until exchange flow data confirm intent.

The analytical signal to watch for Bitcoin

(Source: TradingView)

Practical follow-up indicators are clear and straightforward: Any transfer from bc1qn…8gp25 to an Arkham-branded wallet or similar instruments belonging to Coinbase, Kraken, Binance or a known OTC desk would materially change the reading in this event.

In the absence of that, the diversion is a moral event, one that may impact the price of Bitcoin in the short term by amplifying fears of excess supply – rather than being a proven reason for the diversion.

We believe the market will treat this as a watchlist item rather than a direct catalyst, especially given that, at $188 million, this transfer is approximately 46 times smaller than the July 2025 event that preceded it in dollar terms.

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Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to provide accurate and timely information but should not be considered financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify the information yourself and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.

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Daniel Francis

Daniel Francis is a technical writer and Web3 educator specializing in macroeconomics and DeFi mechanics. A crypto native since 2017, Daniel brings his background in cross-chain analytics to author evidence-based reports and detailed guides. It is certified by the Blockchain Council and is dedicated to providing “information gain” that cuts through the market noise to find blockchain’s real-world utility.






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