Genesis-Block Ethereum Wallet Moves 2,155 ETH After a Decade of Silence

An Ethereum wallet funded in the network's genesis block moved 2,155 ETH — roughly $4.57 million to $4.59 million — on November 9, its first outbound transaction in more than ten years. Within minutes of a small test transfer, scam-linked activity appeared on or near the address, according to on-chain records documented by the tracker Lookonchain.

The address, 0x7dDd57165c87A2707f025DCFC2508c09859Bc-style identifiers aside, the precise wallet is 0x7dDd57165c87A2707f025DCFC2508c09834759Bc. It first received funds in Ethereum's very first block, produced in July 2015.

What did the wallet hold, and where did it come from?

The genesis-block allocation delivered 1,400 ETH during the ICO era, when ether traded near $0.31. A second deposit arrived on March 29, 2016: 755 ETH withdrawn from the Bitfinex exchange, when ETH changed hands at roughly $11.74.

The combined balance sat untouched for over a decade. The address recorded zero outgoing transactions from 2016 until this month.

How did the movement unfold?

The owner first sent a small test transaction, then moved the full balance to a fresh address roughly 38 minutes later. On-chain tracker Lookonchain documented both steps.

Initial reports have not confirmed any deposit to an exchange. The coins went instead to a newly created address, which points more toward custody housekeeping than an imminent sale, though the owner's intentions remain unknown.

Why did scammers react within minutes?

Scam-related activity appeared on or near the address almost immediately after the first transfer, even though the main balance reached its intended destination. The timing shows how closely some actors monitor the blockchain: a wallet that stayed quiet for ten years drew attention the moment it moved.

The owner did everything right by operational standards — the test transaction confirmed the destination before the full transfer — and still attracted unsolicited attention. Opportunists respond to visible on-chain activity within minutes, not hours.

Is this part of a wider pattern?

Historical wallets have been returning to activity throughout 2026 as owners recover old keys. This address is among the oldest that can exist on Ethereum, predating nearly the entire market that now trades around it.

For context on scale, 2,155 ETH is meaningful to one holder but small relative to daily trading volume in ether. The movement itself carries little market weight.

What comes next?

The watch point is the new receiving address. A later deposit to an exchange would revive questions about selling, while continued inactivity would suggest a holder who simply wanted fresher custody.