Satoshi-Era Wallet Empties 75 BTC After Court-Notice Dust
By @sharedot · · 6 pages
- Crypto
- Bitcoin
- Satoshi Era Wallet
A bitcoin wallet dormant since 2011 swept its 75 BTC (~$5M) in one transaction after receiving a 546-satoshi court-ordered legal notice.
A 2011 Wallet Wakes Up With One Transaction
A bitcoin address that had held its coins untouched since 2011 moved its entire 75 BTC balance on Thursday evening, in a transfer worth about $5 million, according to the Bitcoin Foundation.
The transaction swept the old coins together with small later deposits into a single payment to a new address, where the funds remained as of Friday evening, leaving the original address empty.
Both the Bitcoin Foundation and CryptoDaily report that someone can still spend the funds, though neither the holder's identity nor whether the lawsuit prompted the move is known.
Why the Move Undercuts a $260 Billion Claim
The wallet is defendant No. 3,419 in a New York lawsuit in which plaintiff Noah Doe and two Wyoming companies ask the court to declare them owners of bitcoin across 39,069 addresses, arguing that wallets dormant for five years or more are abandoned property claimable under New York law.
The broader claim, described as a $260 billion case, covers roughly 3.8 million BTC, including coins attributed to Satoshi Nakamoto. The transfer directly challenges that premise: the coins were never lost, only parked, and someone retained the keys throughout 15 years of silence.
546 Satoshis Carried the Court Notice
On May 22, the address received 546 satoshis, worth under 40 cents, in a transaction carrying the message "COURT-ORDERED LEGAL NOTICE" and a link to the plaintiffs' notice page. The court authorized this dust-payment method because the holders' identities were unknown, per the Bitcoin Foundation.
Thursday's transaction combined six inputs, including that notice payment and an owner notice dated July 2025 from consultant Salomon Brothers Strategic Advisors, whom the plaintiffs hired to contact wallet holders.
Stakes: Old Supply Fears in a Falling Market
CryptoDaily reports bitcoin traded near $67,000 on Friday, down about 18% over 30 days and below both its 50-day average near $78K and 200-day average near $76K, with daily RSI near 23.
A ruling for the plaintiffs would not supply private keys, and CryptoDaily notes an expert valued the "found wallets" at under $10. In June, another listed wallet spent 15 of its 35.55 BTC.
If more named wallets move, CryptoDaily warns, fears over old supply could pile onto a market sellers already control, with support near $63K the next line to watch.