Could It Be Satoshi? — Bitcoin Miner Wallets Reactivate After 15 Years

Wallets belonging to early Bitcoin miners, who earned coins as rewards shortly after the blockchain’s creation by its pseudonymous founder, Satoshi Nakamoto, have recently started moving their funds.

On Sept. 20, five miner wallets, each containing 50 Bitcoin (BTC) from block rewards mined in 2009, began transferring their BTC. Blockchain data reveals that one wallet received its reward on Jan. 29, 2009, three on Jan. 31, 2009, and the final wallet on Feb. 2, 2009.

Image source: Blockchain.com

The Bitcoin blockchain went live on Jan. 3, 2009, when Satoshi Nakamoto mined the genesis block, embedding a message referencing a UK Times newspaper headline. By Jan. 9, 2009, Nakamoto had explained the protocol’s core concepts, including how to mine and transfer Bitcoin.

Since these coins were mined just weeks after Bitcoin’s launch, the wallets likely belonged to individuals who were active during its early days. Social media has been abuzz with speculation, with some suggesting the wallets may belong to Satoshi Nakamoto, while others believe they could be tied to Hal Finney.