An early Ethereum wallet has come out of retirement after more than ten years, transferring roughly $4.6 million in ETH while successfully dodging a cryptocurrency scam. Blockchain analysts have taken note of the unusual transfer because the wallet dates all the way back to the launch of Ethereum in 2015.
Identified by the address starting with 0x7dDd, the wallet obtained its initial Ether during the genesis block of Ethereum in July 2015. It later gathered another 755 ETH in March 2016, remaining entirely dormant regarding outgoing transfers until November 9, 2026.
This movement mirrors other instances where early Ethereum wallets have unexpectedly awakened after prolonged periods of inactivity.
The sudden activity serves as a striking example of how long-term crypto investments can multiply in value while underscoring the security hurdles tied to moving large sums of digital assets.
According to blockchain intelligence reports, the wallet first executed a minor test transaction prior to moving almost its full balance to a new address.
However, that test payment instantly triggered automated scam networks that continuously monitor the Ethereum blockchain.
Ethereum Whale Awakens After More Than A Decade
The first outgoing transaction from the wallet took place around 22:04 UTC on November 9, moving 0.05 ETH—valued at about $106—to a fresh receiving address.
The movement was flagged by blockchain tracker Whale Alert, bringing visibility to a wallet left untouched for over 11 years.
Whale Alert (@whale_alert) — November 10, 2026
A dormant pre-mine address containing 2,155 $ETH (4,575,753 USD) has just been activated after 11.3 years!
Scarcely three minutes later, the original wallet started receiving a flurry of tiny ETH deposits from two fraudulent addresses designed to mimic the legitimate destination.
Both deceptive accounts replicated specific sections of the correct receiving address, including the matching ending characters.
One of the suspicious accounts allegedly executed 43 minor transfers, and Etherscan identified the funding sources of these lookalike wallets as linked to phishing operations.
The perpetrators were employing a tactic known as address poisoning, which aims to inject misleading addresses directly into a user’s transaction history.
This variety of address poisoning is becoming a major worry for crypto holders because it preys on how wallets render and let users copy addresses.
Since numerous crypto applications display only the opening and closing segments of an address, users can accidentally pick a fraudulent destination when copying details from past transactions.
In this scenario, the scam effort appears to have failed.
At roughly 22:42 UTC—about 38 minutes after the first test—the original wallet sent 2,154.94 ETH, valued at approximately $4.6 million, to the correct destination.
The transfer concluded successfully without any funds leaking into the counterfeit accounts.
What The $4.6 Million Transfer Reveals About Crypto Wallet Security
The event underscores how swiftly automated fraudsters can react to on-chain activity involving high-value crypto wallets.
Unlike standard phishing scams that depend on emails or rogue websites, address poisoning leverages the inherent transparency of public ledgers.
Bad actors can monitor transactions, spot targets, and spin up convincing lookalike addresses before a user finalizes a substantial move.
The attackers responded within minutes of the wallet waking up, illustrating the speed at which automated monitoring targets major crypto transfers.
Even so, the owner appears to have practiced caution.
Following the initial 0.05 ETH transaction, the receiving wallet kicked back a smaller 0.01 ETH transfer, with nearly all those funds subsequently sent back.
The primary transfer happened shortly afterward, hitting the intended destination safely.
The episode also proves why running test transactions by themselves does not guarantee total safety. While a small successful payment confirms an address can accept funds, users must still verify that the target address has not shifted before initiating a bigger transfer.
Past incidents have shown how expensive address-poisoning tricks can get when investors mistakenly route funds to malicious wallets.
For investors managing heavy crypto portfolios, this distinction remains critical.
A wallet can stay secure for years, but the moment funds are moved, openings are created for bad actors to target human error.
This latest transfer also leaves open the question of why the original holder chose to move the crypto after more than ten years.
Although the wallet history is public, the identity of the owner and their specific reasons for moving the assets remain a mystery.
Furthermore, there is no confirmed proof that the transaction signals an immediate sell-off of the cryptocurrency.
For now, the successful movement of approximately $4.6 million in ETH highlights both the remarkable longevity of early Ethereum holdings and the importance of maintaining strong security practices as cryptocurrency adoption continues expanding.
Written by
Yuki Yamamoto
