The Mystery of Dormant Bitcoin Resurgence

In this episode, Nik breaks down the mysterious on-chain movement of 80,000 dormant Bitcoin that last moved in 2011. He walks through the implications of this $8 billion transaction, the legal-sounding op codes attached to it, and the suspicious BCH test transactions that accompanied the event. Nik explores what this means for assumptions about lost coins, private key security, and even the possibility of quantum theft. With analysis from Checkmate at Checkonchain and Cyphertux, this episode unpacks one of the most intriguing Bitcoin stories of the year—and why the price hasn’t yet reacted.

🔗 Links & Sources:
• Checkmate’s Write-up on the 80K BTC Move:
https://newsletter.checkonchain.com/p/eighty-thousand-ancient-bitcoin
• Cyphertux Deep Dive (OP_RETURN Analysis):
https://www.cyphertux.net/articles/en/research/bitcoin-80k-btc-mystere-opreturn

📚 Bitcoin Age is here, order yours today: https://a.co/d/5gau08H

📊 The Bitcoin Layer is a bitcoin and global macroeconomic research firm.

▶️ Subscribe and turn on notifications for TBL on YouTube.
📚 Subscribe to TBL’s research letter: https://thebitcoinlayer.com/subscribe
🎧 Subscribe to The Bitcoin Layer on your favorite podcast platform.
📱 Follow TBL on X: https://twitter.com/TheBitcoinLayer
📩 Join the official TBL channel on Telegram: https://t.me/thebitcoinlayerofficial
🧢 Use code TBLYT10 for 10% off all The Bitcoin Layer Merch at http://TheBitcoinLayer.com/merch

⛓️ ₿lock Height 904626

⚡ Contribute to The Bitcoin Layer via Lightning Network: thebitcoinlayer@zbd.gg

Nik Bhatia's Twitter: https://twitter.com/timevalueofbtc
Creative Director Matthew Ball's Twitter: https://twitter.com/matthewrball
Researcher Demian Schatt's Twitter: https://x.com/demianschatt
Lead Statistician Augustine Carrasco Twitter: https://x.com/AugustineCarrB

The Bitcoin Layer and its guests do not provide investment advice.