Bithumb Uncovers $200M in Dormant Crypto Across Millions of Forgotten Accounts

Bithumb just found a fortune in the couch cushions—$200 million worth of crypto sitting idle across millions of accounts users forgot existed.

The Lost and Found

Think of it as the digital equivalent of discovering old bonds in a safety deposit box. The exchange identified massive troves of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other assets that haven't seen a transaction in years. We're talking about millions of accounts, collectively holding a sum that would make any traditional bank manager blush.

Why It Matters Now

This isn't just a quirky audit finding. It highlights a fundamental shift in how people store value. In traditional finance, dormant accounts typically hold pennies. In crypto, they can hold fortunes—proof that digital assets are being treated as long-term stores of value, not just speculative tokens. It's a silent, multi-million-dollar vote of confidence.

The Institutional Angle

Forget the 'crypto is for criminals' narrative. This is institutional-grade negligence—or perhaps, ultra-long-term HODLing. It's the kind of oversight that happens when assets appreciate so significantly that users literally forget they own them. Try finding that kind of 'problem' in a savings account.

The Bigger Picture

This discovery cuts through the noise of daily price swings. It reveals a massive, frozen layer of liquidity and value that exists outside the daily market frenzy. It's a reminder that the real story in crypto isn't always on the chart—sometimes, it's sleeping in a wallet no one has checked in half a decade.

While Wall Street funds pay teams to shave basis points off execution, the crypto space casually misplaces nine figures and calls it a Tuesday. The future of finance is here—and apparently, it has a terrible memory.

Early Crypto Adoption Left Millions of Dormant Accounts

These dormant accounts can trace their roots back to the early adoption periods of crypto. Many people signed up out of curiosity or a speculative mind-set. Later, downturns in the market reduced enthusiasm. People may have forgotten small transactions. They may also have felt their balances were not significant enough, causing them to ignore the accounts altogether.

Over the years, the effects of bear market trends, along with the corresponding departure of retail traders, also contributed. The closure of exchanges and a lack of credentials also influenced this departure. Yet, the prices continued to rise. Such increased values turned unattended assets into a substantial amount without the intervention of the account owners.

Bithumb Uncovers Forgotten Crypto With Massive Gains

Bithumb pointed out that some dormant assets recorded appreciation ratios that surpassed 61,000 percent, or rather 610 times. Such appreciation ratios involved tokens that had been acquired during the earliest phases of the market. Some dormant assets performed better compared to Bitcoin.

The value of Bitcoin also increased dramatically during this time. Some of these neglected assets still managed to register higher multiples, despite this sharp increase in Bitcoin’s value. It is very likely that many holders may not be aware of the magnitude of their unrealized profits.

The exchange has held campaigns in the past to facilitate recovery. During its eleventh year, it saw around 36,000 users recover close to $50 million. This campaign, however, will take place on a larger platform. Bithumb plans to notify and help users recover through direct notifications.

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