More than 101,000 bitcoin tied to early addresses created between 2009 and 2017 were shifted in the first seven months of 2025, with a massive July breakout accounting for over 80% of that total.
Old Wallets, Big Moves
So-called “sleeping bitcoins” refer to coins held in wallets that have seen no spending activity for years—sometimes more than a decade. These types of wallets, often created in bitcoin’s earliest years, are closely monitored for signs of movement, which may indicate anything from owner access recovery to institutional repositioning.
Sleeping bitcoin wallets tied to the protocol’s early years moved a combined 101,003 BTC from January to July 25, 2025, according to tracking data from btcparser.com. The parser basically monitors blockchain transactions involving long-dormant wallets created between 2009 and 2017, offering rare insights into the behavior of early holders.
The most dramatic activity occurred in July 2025, when a staggering 81,675 BTC were transferred from 63 wallets. That single month alone represented 80.8% of the year’s total inactive bitcoin spending. Of particular note were enormous transactions of roughly 10,000 BTC each—all from wallets created in 2011.
The July figures were unlike anything observed in prior months. By contrast, June 2025 saw just 1,671 BTC moved across 43 transfers. While the number of transactions remained relatively consistent, the average size of each transfer in July ballooned, driven by 2011-origin wallets. That month alone featured 12 transfers from 2011 addresses totaling 80,026 BTC—an unprecedented reawakening.
The eight 10,000 BTC moves on the Fourth of July, alongside the movement of 118.88 BTC from a dormant 2015 address.
May 2025 marked the second-highest monthly total, with 5,798 sleeping bitcoins spent across 93 transfers. Most came from 2013 wallets (4,147 BTC) followed by activity from 2014 and 2017 addresses. April logged 4,681 BTC in 100 transfers, led by 2015 wallets, which alone moved over 2,200 BTC—an unusual concentration for that vintage.
In March, 2,205 BTC were spent across 69 transfers, with minor activity from a 2010 wallet (a microscopic 0.00014 BTC transaction) and a solitary 1 BTC move from 2012. The bulk came from 2016 and 2013 addresses, continuing a broader trend of consistent mid-range spending across these years.
February’s total hit 1,549 BTC with one 50 BTC movement from a 2010 wallet—the only notable early-vintage spend for that month. Transfers were otherwise distributed across 2011 through 2017, with 2017 wallets contributing nearly 500 BTC.
January opened the year with 3,422 BTC moved in 89 bitcoin transfers. Most active were 2017 wallets (1,224 BTC), followed by spending from 2014, 2013, and 2016. The dispersion of activity in Jan. mirrored other non-July months, with transaction sizes often ranging from 10 to 300 BTC.
Across all months, older wallets from 2009 and 2010 rarely appeared. Only two confirmed 2010 transactions occurred—one in February and one in March—while 2009 wallets remained dormant throughout the year.
The data shows clear behavioral patterns: modest and consistent movements from 2013–2017 wallets throughout the year, interrupted by a sudden and overwhelming wave of activity in July from 2011 wallets. The July phenomenon suggests a coordinated decision by an early holder alongside an institutional steward to finally move long-idle funds—possibly for liquidation, security migration, or internal reshuffling.
Whether these events signal broader trends or isolated actions remains unknown. However, blockchain tracking offers rare glimpses into early bitcoin movement—and 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most active years for dormant wallet awakenings in recent history.
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