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2011 Bitcoin Wallet Moves $2.54 Million After New York Supreme Court Lawsuit Targets Ownership of 3.7 Million Bitcoin

2011 Bitcoin Wallet Moves $2.54 Million After New York Supreme Court Lawsuit Targets Ownership of 3.7 Million Bitcoin

A dormant wallet moved 35.55 BTC after being named in a New York Supreme Court case claiming roughly 3.7 million to 3.8 million inactive bitcoins, including addresses tied to Satoshi Nakamoto, may be abandoned property.

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Fact Check
The existence of the NY Supreme Court lawsuit targeting ownership of millions of dormant Bitcoin (including Satoshi-tied addresses) is well-confirmed by Galaxy Research (primary analyst source by Alex Thorn) and Crypto Briefing. The case is filed by 'Noah Doe' and two Wyoming LLCs under Index No. 153119/2026, covering 39,069 dormant addresses under NY abandoned property law. The only discrepancy is the exact figure: the claim says 3.7 million BTC, while both primary sources specifically state 3.8 million BTC. The core factual claim (lawsuit exists, targets ~millions of dormant BTC including Satoshi addresses, filed in NY Supreme Court) is true; the specific number is slightly inaccurate.
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Summary

A dormant Bitcoin wallet moved 35.55 BTC worth about $2.54 million after years of inactivity, after being named in a New York Supreme Court lawsuit seeking ownership of more than 3.7 million Bitcoin across 39,069 dormant addresses. According to Galaxy, the filing includes 1.09 million Bitcoin linked to 21,744 addresses associated with Satoshi Nakamoto, and plaintiffs sent OP_RETURN abandonment notices between June 30 and July 10, 2025. Another report describes the claim as covering nearly 3.8 million dormant bitcoins and says earlier reporting identified a U.S. man and two companies as seeking ownership of more than 39,000 addresses. The case challenges assumptions about Bitcoin ownership, scarcity, and the treatment of dormant wallets, while the wallet transfer shows at least one targeted address remained under active control.

Terms & Concepts
  • OP_RETURN: A Bitcoin transaction function that lets users store a small amount of data on-chain, often used for messages or proofs.
  • Satoshi Nakamoto: The pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, whose identity remains unknown and whose early-linked addresses are closely watched by the market.
  • Bitcoin wallet: A tool or address used to store and manage access to Bitcoin holdings on the blockchain.