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Sleeping beauty Bitcoin wallets wake up after 14 years to the tune of $2B

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191 points aorloff | 1 comments | 04 Jul 25 18:41 UTC | HN request time: 0.397s | source
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coolspot ◴[04 Jul 25 19:07 UTC] No.44467069[source]▶
Someone just got out of jail.
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Workaccount2 ◴[04 Jul 25 19:35 UTC] No.44467250[source]▶
An old friend of mine died 11 years ago from an overdose, and I am almost certain he used darknet markets to buy other drugs.

It's very likely there is a wallet forever lost with many Bitcoin in it from his passing. No way his family would have known anything about it (Bitcoin/dark markets)or cared much anyway circa 2014. I'll admit I have pondered ways to check this, but it's too far fetched.

I can't help but wonder if the wave of fentanyl that made optiate addict deaths skyrocket, left a huge wake of forever lost Bitcoin. I know there was a lot of overlap between addicts and darknet market users.

replies(1): >>44467892 #
Stevvo ◴[04 Jul 25 21:07 UTC] No.44467892[source]▶
Most addicts would likely not hold Bitcoin in wallet, but spend it on getting their next fix as soon as they buy it. It's not like you're thinking long-term, invest in Bitcoin so you can buy more drugs down the line. There would be leftover change but not big amounts.
replies(2): >>44468015 #>>44472438 #
1. Workaccount2 ◴[05 Jul 25 12:44 UTC] No.44472438[source]▶
He wouldn't heroin from darknet markets and I doubt many addicts do, they need that on tap locally. But he, and many others like him, just like drugs in general and have a heroin addiction they picked up. So the darknet is more for getting lsd, MDMA, mushrooms, or whatever else.