A German government agency made significant movements in Bitcoin today, shifting $425 million worth of the cryptocurrency to different wallet addresses. This activity, detected by Arkham, included sending some of the Bitcoin to cryptocurrency exchanges and some back to its original wallet.
The wallet in question, identified by Arkham as belonging to the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), transferred 6,500 BTC to the address “bc1q0unygz3ddt8x0v33s6ztxkrnw0s0tl7zk4yxwd” and then moved a portion back to the original address. The transactions revealed that $32 million worth of Bitcoin was sent to the Kraken crypto exchange, and a similar amount was deposited on Bitstamp.
Arkham’s CEO, Miguel More, communicated with CoinDesk via Telegram, stating that the entity seemed to have shifted $130 million in Bitcoin to “service wallets.” These wallets are generally used when there is an intention to sell the assets soon.
This movement was also noted by Mantle blockchain strategist, known as @Defi_Maestro on X (formerly Twitter).
The BKA had seized nearly 50,000 BTC, valued at over $2 billion at the time, from the operators of Movie2k.to, a website known for film piracy that was active in 2013. According to Arkham, the BKA obtained the Bitcoin in mid-January through a “voluntary transfer” from the suspects involved.
These movements indicate that the German authorities may be preparing to sell a significant portion of their Bitcoin holdings, potentially impacting the market. The transfers to Kraken and Bitstamp suggest that these exchanges might be the platforms used for the anticipated sales.
This event showcases the ongoing influence of governmental actions on the cryptocurrency market. It also highlights the transparency and traceability of Bitcoin transactions, which, despite their pseudonymous nature, can be monitored and analyzed using blockchain technology. The BKA’s decision to move and potentially sell such a large amount of Bitcoin could have various implications, including affecting Bitcoin’s price and market dynamics. As governments and institutions continue to interact with cryptocurrencies, such events will likely become more frequent and significant.