A quiet $9 billion Bitcoin sale has now turned into a major controversy and it could be tied to one of the earliest crypto exchange hacks on record.
This week, Galaxy Digital confirmed it sold 80,000 Bitcoin (worth over $9.4 billion) through over-the-counter (OTC) deals. But CryptoQuant CEO Ki Young Ju says these coins may not belong to a long-term investor at all.
Instead, they could be linked to the 2011 MyBitcoin exchange hack – a breach that, until now, had faded into crypto history.
From a Dormant Wallet to a $9 Billion Payout
“The recent transfer of 80,000 BTC, dormant for 14 years, came from wallets originally hosted by MyBitcoin,” Ju posted on X.
These wallets had been inactive since April 2011, two months before MyBitcoin went offline following a hack. At the time, the exchange’s owner, Tom Williams, admitted the breach and said he was working on a resolution. The attack reportedly caused $72,000 in losses – a small figure by today’s standards, but if those coins were kept, they’re now worth billions.
Ju believes the Bitcoins either belong to the hacker or to Williams himself, who disappeared from the public eye after the exchange collapsed.
Did Galaxy Check Where the BTC Came From?
Here’s where things get murky. Ju added,
“It seems Galaxy Digital bought (handled) the #Bitcoin from them, but I’m not sure if they did any forensics.”
Galaxy didn’t reveal the seller’s identity. Instead, the company described them as a “Satoshi-era investor”, someone from Bitcoin’s early days, and said the sale was part of estate planning.
That explanation hasn’t convinced everyone. The lack of transparency is now raising concerns over whether Galaxy skipped proper checks before handling a historic pile of possibly hacked funds.
What’s surprising is how calm the market stayed. Despite such a large sale, Bitcoin barely moved, trading now around $117,983. Since the deal was done OTC, it didn’t directly affect order books or exchanges.
Still, it raises a bigger question: if stolen coins can quietly re-enter the system, how secure is the broader market really?
A Sign of How the Bitcoin Market Is Changing
There’s a larger shift happening too. Ju, who once used whale activity to predict Bitcoin cycles, now says that approach no longer works. Old whales aren’t selling to retail anymore – they’re passing coins to new long-term holders.
This shift could explain how 14-year-old coins tied to a failed exchange can move billions without shaking the system.
It’s a reminder that the crypto world is maturing but it’s still full of stories that haven’t been fully told.
U.S. President Donald Trump has again commented on the interest rates and how low they should be. The president also revealed his plans to name Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s successor soon, despite earlier reports that the administration is currently interviewing 11 candidates. Meanwhile, the odds of a September Fed rate cut has reached a new
A big moment for the crypto world has arrived! Purpose Investments Inc. has officially secured the final go-ahead for its Purpose XRP ETF, clearing the way for the fund to launch this week on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The ETF will start trading on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, under the ticker symbol XRPP.
This makes it the first spot XRP ETF in Canada, giving investors a simple, regulated way to gain direct exposure to XRP.
Vlad Tasevski, Chief Innovation Officer at Purpose Investments, called the approval a breakthrough for the country’s crypto market. “This signals Canada’s growing leadership in creating a secure, regulated environment for digital assets. We’re proud to lead the way by offering investors safe, reliable access to blockchain-powered technologies,” he said.
The new fund will be available in multiple formats to suit different investor needs:
XRPP: CAD-hedged units
XRPP.B: CAD non-hedged units
XRPP.U: US dollar units
Investors will also be able to hold the Purpose XRP ETF in tax-friendly accounts like TFSAs and RRSPs, making it even easier for Canadians to diversify into crypto through trusted, regulated options.
The timing couldn’t be more interesting — this development arrives as the Ripple vs. SEC case in the U.S. heads toward a critical deadline. With legal clarity potentially on the horizon, XRP’s growing global acceptance is reflected in moves like this.
The XRP market is already showing bullish signs. The price is up by more than 7% and has climbed above the important $2.30 level at the time of writing.
The post Big Breaking: Canada Approves First XRP Spot ETF, Set to Debut June 18 appeared first on Coinpedia Fintech News
A big moment for the crypto world has arrived! Purpose Investments Inc. has officially secured the final go-ahead for its Purpose XRP ETF, clearing the way for the fund to launch this week on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). The ETF will start trading on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, under the ticker symbol XRPP. This …
Welcome to the US Morning Crypto News Briefing—your essential rundown of the most important developments in crypto for the day ahead.
Grab a coffee to see what experts say about Bitcoin’s (BTC) price amid recovery efforts. The status of Bitcoin as a hedge against inflation and economic uncertainty is progressively becoming questionable, with institutional influence adding to the concerns.
Can Strategy’s $555 Million BTC Purchase Send Bitcoin Past $90,000?
Michael Saylor, the chairman of Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy), revealed the firm’s latest Bitcoin purchase, comprising 6,556 BTC tokens worth approximately $555.8 million. With this, the firm has attained a Bitcoin yield of 12.1% year-to-date (YTD) in 2025.
“MSTR has acquired 6,556 BTC for ~$555.8 million at ~$84,785 per bitcoin and has achieved BTC Yield of 12.1% YTD 2025. As of 4/20/2025, Strategy holds 538,200 BTC acquired for ~$36.47 billion at ~$67,766 per bitcoin,” Saylor shared.
Strategy uses the Bitcoin Yield YTD to measure the BTC holdings per share increase. This model has been a key part of their financial strategy firm since their first Bitcoin purchase in August 2020.
This acquisition aligns with a bullish market sentiment for Bitcoin, which is steadily nearing the $90,000 milestone, as the recent US Crypto News indicated.
Despite a mild recovery in Bitcoin prices this week, up by over 3% in the last 24 hours, it is worth noting that Bitcoin is highly sensitive to economic indicators.
Similarly, the global market is highly sensitive to monetary policies set by major economies, particularly the US. BeInCrypto contacted Paybis founder and CEO Innokenty Isers for insights on the current market outlook, particularly for Bitcoin.
“Given the strong concentration of investors in technology stocks, shifts in trade policies and government interventions that influence key indices like the Nasdaq Composite create ripple effects across financial markets,” Isers told BeInCrypto.
“With its relatively higher volatility, risk-averse investors may favor alternative inflation hedges instead of Bitcoin,” he added.
Iners expressed cognizance of the longer stretch of the trade war and the potential inflation that will emerge. Based on this, he noted that capital allocation to Bitcoin as a hedge against economic instability might be reduced.
Strategy’s Stock Premium Narrows as Bitcoin Hype Cools
Meanwhile, Strategy has seen a significant shift in its stock valuation dynamics over the past year. Saylor recently revealed that as of Q1 2025, over 13,000 institutions and 814,000 retail accounts held MSTR directly.
“An estimated 55 million beneficiaries have indirect exposure through ETFs, mutual funds, pensions, and insurance portfolios,” Saylor added.
According to data on Bitcointreasuries.net, the premium investors once paid for exposure to its Bitcoin holdings has notably narrowed.
Specifically, the NAV multiplier, a measure of how much the stock trades above the value of Strategy’s Bitcoin assets, has decreased compared to last year. This indicates that MSTR is now trading closer to the actual value of its Bitcoin reserves.
In 2024, investors were willing to pay a substantial premium for MSTR shares, driven by Bitcoin’s hype and MicroStrategy’s aggressive accumulation strategy.
“I don’t know if buying strategy equity is a good idea for the government. The stock would just pump, and it’s likely trading at a premium over NAV with a higher risk profile. Also, I believe the gov will find it difficult to find institutions that would be willing to sell their BTC in large quantities,” an analyst said recently.
The shrinking NAV multiplier suggests a more cautious market sentiment. Analysts believe this reflects a shift toward valuing MicroStrategy based on its fundamentals rather than speculative Bitcoin enthusiasm.
This suggests a maturing market approach to the company’s unique investment strategy.
This chart shows how Strategy’s stock price (blue) moves with Bitcoin price (orange). When Bitcoin goes up, MicroStrategy usually follows, but it swings even more.
However, the NAV multiplier has narrowed compared to last year, meaning MicroStrategy’s stock is now trading closer to the actual value of its Bitcoin holdings.
Last year, investors paid a bigger premium for exposure to MSTR, but that gap has shrunk. This suggests a more cautious sentiment or a shift toward valuing the company based on fundamentals rather than just Bitcoin hype.
Accumulation signals from whale activity and consolidation at $0.60 indicate a possible rally for Pi Network, despite concerns about the lack of exchange listings and use cases.
