$2b in mt. Gox bitcoin engages in trial transaction as payouts progress

$2B in Mt. Gox Bitcoin Engages in Trial Transaction as Payouts Progress

Last Updated: August 14, 2024By

In a move rippling through the cryptocurrency realm, a digital wallet that recently acquired a staggering $2 billion in Bitcoin (BTC) from the remnants of the Mt. Gox exchange initiated a tentative transaction on Tuesday. This maneuver is likely a prelude to the distribution of funds to long-awaiting creditors, as observed by the blockchain surveillance entity, Arkham Intelligence.

Analysts at Arkham surmise that the wallet orchestrating this transfer is probably linked to the crypto custodial service BitGo, which stands as one of the quintet of exchanges tasked with disbursing tokens to creditors. BitGo is reportedly the last remaining entity in the distribution process, according to these analysts.

This test transaction trails behind a significant transfer two weeks prior, wherein 33,100 BTC—valued at an approximate $2.2 billion at the time—was moved from a Mt. Gox cold storage wallet holding assets intended for creditors.

Read more: Mt. Gox Witnesses $3.2 Billion Bitcoin Exodus in Mere Hours

In a Telegram communication to CoinDesk, Arkham delineated the rationale behind identifying the wallet as BitGo. “The address was associated with a substantial input cluster, which we were able to classify as BitGo due to the custody framework and the types of wallets employed,” an Arkham analyst elucidated. “Moreover, we’ve pinpointed the other four exchanges involved in the Mt. Gox distributions, enabling us to utilize a process of elimination.”

Simultaneously, within a Reddit forum dedicated to Mt. Gox creditors, several users reported the reception of funds in their BitGo accounts, although CoinDesk has yet to authenticate these assertions.

As of this writing, BitGo has not responded to CoinDesk’s inquiries regarding the transaction.

Mt. Gox, once the behemoth of Bitcoin exchanges, collapsed spectacularly in 2014 following a crippling hack. The ongoing distribution of over 140,000 BTC, along with a similar quantity of Bitcoin Cash (BCH), has stirred anxiety among investors. They are concerned that creditors might liquidate their assets to realize gains after nearly a decade of anticipation.

The trustee overseeing the Mt. Gox assets began the distribution process in early July, an event that sent BTC prices plummeting below $54,000. The exchanges sanctioned by the trustee for creditor reimbursements include Bitbank, BitGo, Bitstamp, Kraken, and SBI VC Trade.

Currently, Mt. Gox wallets hold 46,000 BTC, a significant reduction from the 141,000 BTC held as of July 1, as reported by Arkham.

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About the Author: Eunji Lim

Eunji lim

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