Key Insights:
- Bitcoin news: Active BTC wallets weakened claims that dormant Bitcoin addresses were abandoned in court.
- Legal challenges mounted as experts disputed the lawsuit’s abandoned-property argument.
- Satoshi-linked wallets remained central as fresh on-chain activity reshaped the case.
Bitcoin news continues to focus on the lawsuit seeking ownership of thousands of long-dormant Bitcoin wallets after new on-chain activity changed part of the case. The latest court filing removed 44 wallet addresses from the list of defendants after those addresses recorded new blockchain transactions.
The move followed comments from Galaxy Research head Alex Thorn, who said every removed wallet had moved coins since the lawsuit was filed. The update has shifted attention toward whether long periods of inactivity alone can support claims that digital assets have been abandoned.
The lawsuit was filed by “Noah Doe” and two Wyoming entities. It requests the New York Supreme Court to recognize thousands of dormant Bitcoin wallets as abandoned property under New York’s lost-and-found law.
The original complaint listed 39,069 wallet addresses containing about 3.7 million BTC. Those addresses include wallets linked to Bitcoin creator Satoshi Nakamoto and the Mt. Gox hacker.
Bitcoin News: Active Wallets Restructure the Lawsuit
According to Thorn, the 44 wallets that were removed held 21,443 BTC when the lawsuit began. He said those addresses later moved 46,334 BTC on-chain and now contain about 3,097 BTC. He also stated that every removed address became active after the case entered court.
The complaint itself clarified that wallets showing on-chain activity would no longer qualify for inclusion. Thorn said the latest filing appears to comply with that condition by removing addresses that no longer meet the lawsuit’s definition of dormant wallets.
In addition to the Bitcoin news, another wallet linked to the lawsuit became active after almost 15 years with no recorded activity. The address transferred 30 BTC, adding another activity involving wallets named in the complaint.
Legal Challenges Continue to Build
The case has also faced legal opposition before a scheduled procedural hearing on July 14. Attorney Ian R. Cohen argued that dormant self-custodied Bitcoin does not meet the legal definition of abandoned property under New York law.
The court has already paused additional action in the lawsuit. That decision temporarily prevents the plaintiffs from pursuing a default judgment before procedural issues receive further review.
The Digital Chamber also submitted an amicus brief opposing the lawsuit. The organization argued that the plaintiffs’ interpretation of New York law could affect self-custodied digital assets beyond the wallets named in this case.
Galaxy Research previously noted that a successful ruling would not grant the plaintiffs private keys to the wallets. Instead, the decision would provide a legal declaration. Thorn said there is no evidence showing that any of the nearly 39,000 listed wallets are actually lost.
Satoshi-Linked Addresses Remain at the Center
The lawsuit over the Bitcoin news continues to receive attention because it involves many early Bitcoin mining addresses. Galaxy Research said the complaint lists more than 21,000 Patoshi-pattern wallets that researchers believe are connected to Satoshi Nakamoto.
Thorn said the recent wallet removals showed that some listed addresses remain under active control. Those transactions add another documented development as the court considers the legal questions surrounding the lawsuit.
