A Bitcoin wallet holding 2,100 BTC (worth over $147 million) became active after more than 13 years of dormancy.

 

The wallet, identified by the address 1NB3ZXx…BQB6ZX, moved 0.00079 BTC (approximately $55.71) at 11:27 a.m. UTC on Friday, a tiny fraction of its total holdings. According to data from Bitinfocharts, the wallet received the 2,100 BTC in a single transaction on July 4, 2012.

 

At the time, Bitcoin was trading at $6.59, valuing the holdings at about $13,839. The wallet’s value has since increased by more than 10,000x, rising to over $147 million today.

 

Image credit: Bitinfocharts

 

This move did not go unnoticed in the crypto community, with many applauding the whale’s patience and others calling it one of the most effective trading strategies.

 

“13.7 years of silence… just to move $56. That’s not a sell signal — it’s a reminder of what conviction looks like in Bitcoin. From $6 to $75,000, the biggest returns didn’t come from trading… they came from time,” said Andy Wang, CEO of crypto platform HashWhale.

 

This isn’t the first Bitcoin whale wallet to be reactivated this year. In January, a 13-year-old dormant wallet moved 909 BTC, worth about $85 million, to a new address.

 

About a week ago, another Bitcoin whale that had been dormant for roughly two years transferred 343 BTC, worth approximately $23.85 million, between Binance and Cobo.

 

 

Bitcoin’s Price Action This Month

Despite experiencing significant volatility this month, Bitcoin has posted a net positive month-to-date gain.

 

Starting the month at around $67,000, Bitcoin dipped to $65,303 before surging to $74,000 days later, and was trading at $69,927 as of March 10. It also reached a peak of $75,988, with some analysts speculating about a potential breakout above $80,000.

 

According to data from CoinMarketCap, Bitcoin is currently trading at around $69,807, with a 24-hour trading volume of approximately $39 billion and a market capitalization of nearly $1.396 trillion.

 

 

The Algorand Foundation, the organization behind the Algorand layer-1 blockchain network, announced on Wednesday that it is laying off 25% of its staff.

 

The foundation described the decision as “difficult” and attributed it to the downturn in the crypto market. “This decision was not taken lightly and is in response to the uncertain global macro environment as well as the broader downturn in crypto markets,” it said.

 

Describing the affected employees as “best-in-class contributors,” the foundation said it would support them through the transition. Following the layoffs, the foundation believes it is now more closely aligned with its long-term business, technology, and ecosystem goals.

 

 

 

 

About the Algorand Foundation

Founded in 2019 by MIT professor and Turing Award winner Silvio Micali, the Algorand Foundation is responsible for guiding, funding, and growing the Algorand blockchain ecosystem.

 

The aim of the foundation is to make real-world adoption of blockchain technology easier, and to build an open and accessible system where digital assets can be transferred instantly and securely.  The foundation is often described as building infrastructure for the future of finance and the broader digital economy.

 

The Algorand Foundation offers a diverse suite of blockchain-related products that serve both end users and developers in the crypto space. Some of its products include:

• Algokit: A developer toolkit designed to simplify smart contract development and deployment, as well as to help builders create applications on the Algorand blockchain.
• Rocca Wallet: A self-custodial wallet that makes it easy for both beginners and experienced users to manage their digital assets. According to the Algorand roadmap, the Rocca Wallet is expected to launch later this year.
• Commercial toolkit: A set of tools that enables enterprises to integrate the Algorand blockchain more easily into their operations.

 

The Reality of Working in the Crypto Space

While the crypto industry is known for offering some of the highest-paid and most sought-after jobs, it has recently experienced a wave of layoffs, with many companies re-pivoting and restructuring due to changing market conditions.

 

Just last month, Block Inc., the company behind Square, Cash App, and Afterpay, cut approximately 40% of its workforce, laying off about 4,000 employees. The layoffs were part of a broader restructuring and a shift toward artificial intelligence (AI).

 

More recently, this month, the crypto exchange Crypto.com laid off around 20% of its staff as part of a strategic shift toward AI-focused operations. Web3 infrastructure company Eclipse Labs also laid off about 65% of its workforce during a major restructuring in August.

 

 

Cryptocurrency lending firm Blockfills, along with its operating company Reliz Ltd. and two affiliated entities, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a Delaware court.

 

According to the team, the filing was voluntary and in the best interests of the company and its customers. The decision, the firm said, was made after extensive discussions with investors, clients, creditors, and other stakeholders.

 

“This filing will allow the firm to implement an orderly restructuring while maintaining transparency and oversight through the court-supervised process,” Blockfills said.

 

 

 

"The bankruptcy filing was the best course of action after evaluating all available strategic and financial alternatives,” Blockfills said. The company now plans to restructure and stabilize the business while pursuing additional liquidity and recovery options.

 

In the filing, Blockfills estimated its assets at between $50 million and $100 million and its liabilities at between $100 million and $500 million, leaving a potential deficit of up to $450 million.

 

 

Blockfills Many Struggles 

The past few months have been tough for Blockfills. In February, the firm suspended customer withdrawals and deposits. According to the team, the move was intended to protect both the firm and its clients, given the impact of challenging market conditions on its liquidity.

 

Blockfills also suffered huge financial losses, reportedly losing about $75 million from its lending and other crypto services. The firm is facing a lawsuit from Dominion Capital, which alleges that it mishandled and commingled customers’ funds, prompting a U.S. federal judge to freeze approximately 70.6 bitcoins linked to the company.

 

 

Past Bankruptcy Cases

Blockfill isn’t the first crypto lending firm to file for bankruptcy. In 2022, Celsius Network, one of the largest crypto lenders, froze withdrawals in mid-year and later filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in July amid harsh market conditions. 

 

Court filings revealed the company had about $4.3 billion in assets and $5.5 billion in liabilities, leaving a deficit of roughly $1.2 billion. Celsius eventually shut down in February 2024.

 

Several other crypto lending companies also filed for bankruptcy in 2022, including BlockFi, Voyager Digital, Three Arrows Capital, and Hodlnaut. Some of these companies attempted to restructure and resume operations, but none succeeded, with all eventually shutting down.