According to ChainCatcher, citing a CoinDesk report, two wallets associated with Casascius physical bitcoins recently moved a total of 2,000 bitcoins, worth approximately $180 million, after lying dormant for over a decade. These bitcoins had not been touched since 2011 and 2012, when the price of bitcoin was less than $15, compared to nearly $90,000 now.
Casascius physical coins were created by Utah entrepreneur Mike Caldwell starting in 2011. They are tangible collectibles containing embedded private keys, with face values ranging from 1 to 1,000 BTC. Each coin comes with a tamper-evident holographic seal to protect the private key underneath. Caldwell ceased production of pre-funded coins at the end of 2013 after the U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) designated him as an unregistered money transmitter.
The exact purpose of these recent transfers is unclear; it could be for sale, internal restructuring, or precautionary measures to preserve access. It might also be related to the physical components degrading, similar to an incident earlier this year in which a user claiming to own a 100 BTC Casascius bar reported difficulty importing the key into modern wallets after peeling off the hologram.
Disclaimer: The information on this page may come from third parties and does not represent the views or opinions of Gate. The content displayed on this page is for reference only and does not constitute any financial, investment, or legal advice. Gate does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information and shall not be liable for any losses arising from the use of this information. Virtual asset investments carry high risks and are subject to significant price volatility. You may lose all of your invested principal. Please fully understand the relevant risks and make prudent decisions based on your own financial situation and risk tolerance. For details, please refer to
Disclaimer.
Related Articles
Major CEX Launches Crypto-Backed Lending in UK, Supporting BTC, ETH, and cbETH for USDC Borrowing
A centralized exchange launched crypto-backed lending services in the UK, allowing instant USDC loans using BTC, ETH, and cbETH as collateral, powered by Morpho. Total loans issued surpassed $2.17 billion since the service's US debut in January 2025.
GateNews27m ago
Crypto Jack Warns Bitcoin May Drop to $48K Amid Geopolitical Tensions
Crypto trader Crypto Jack warns investors to sell Bitcoin, predicting a decline to $48,000 amidst US-Iran tensions and negative financial signals, before a potential recovery in May based on seasonal trends.
CryptoFrontier31m ago
French-listed Capital B Increases Bitcoin Holdings to 2,937 BTC
Gate News message, April 20 — French-listed company Capital B has increased its Bitcoin holdings by 12 BTC, bringing its total holdings to 2,937 BTC, according to an official announcement.
GateNews42m ago
Bitcoin’s fourth halving rally is slowing down, analysts say: BTC may have entered a “new normal”
Investment firm Galaxy analyst Alex Thorn noted that Bitcoin’s advance during this halving cycle has been lower than historical records, with volatility declining, and the market may be entering a new normal. Compared with the past three halvings, the fourth time’s price change is no longer significant. While the passage of U.S. spot ETFs has catalyzed the rally, the market’s ongoing conditions still need to be watched closely.
ChainNewsAbmedia49m ago
BTC rose 0.56% in 15 minutes: trading volume surges and buy-side dominance drives a spot rebound
From 07:15 to 07:30 on April 20, 2026 (UTC), BTC achieved a +0.56% short-term return in mainstream markets. The price range touched 74718.5 - 75568.1 USDT, and the 15-minute intraday swing reached 1.14%. In this phase, market attention warmed up, trading activity rose noticeably, and overall volatility increased.
The main driver behind this deviation is that for mainstream trading pairs such as BTC/USDT, the 15-minute trading volume increased month-over-month to +15%, forming a buy-side dominant pattern that pushed spot prices upward to break higher. Inflows directly drove the short-term upside. On-chain data shows that large BTC transfers were dispatched to new wallets in a structured, staged manner, with no concentrated sell pressure flowing to trading platforms. This releases a rebalancing signal rather than a sell signal, which helps ease short-term sell pressure. The chain
GateNews1h ago
Bitcoin Dominance Approaches 59.9% Resistance, Altseason Signals Emerge
Bitcoin dominance has reached 59.9%, nearing a key resistance level. If rejected, analysts predict a capital shift to altcoins, potentially leading to an "altseason," as past trends show this often initiates rallies in smaller assets.
GateNews1h ago
