Here Are the List of Largest Lost Bitcoin Wallets Ever

3 days ago 9

August 28, 2025 | 06:57 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Over the years, Bitcoin has seen remarkable milestones, with its latest surge nearing the $100,000 mark. Yet amid its success, many still reflect on the largest lost bitcoin wallet that vanished in an instant. Whether you’re a veteran investor or a newcomer chasing opportunities, this article unpacks the haunting reality of losing digital wealth, with insights drawn from webopedia, BiTBO, and Ledger Academy.

How Do You Lose a Bitcoin Wallet?

In 2020, a Chainalysis study revealed that nearly 20 percent of all Bitcoin in circulation has been lost for good. With its decentralized nature, this amounts to roughly 3.7 million BTC, resulting in an absence significant enough to influence today’s investors in various ways.

A Bitcoin wallet is deemed lost when the credentials proving ownership are no longer accessible or can’t be recovered. This can happen in several ways:

Lost seed phrase – without it, owners cannot restore their wallet or regain access.
Stolen coins – when private keys fall into the wrong hands, leaving wallets exposed.
Dormant wallets – accounts untouched for years, with no recorded transactions.
Death – when the owner passes away without sharing access details.

Largest Lost Bitcoin Wallets in History

Notable cases of the largest lost bitcoin wallets include Satoshi Nakamoto, James Howells, Stefan Thomas, and some other owners below:

1. Satoshi Nakamoto - 1.1 million BTC

According to River Intelligence, Satoshi Nakamoto, the mysterious figure behind Bitcoin’s creation, is believed to hold around 1.1 million BTC, scattered across nearly 20,000 addresses. This massive stash was accumulated as rewards for being the first to mine the cryptocurrency early blocks. However, despite this monumental role, Nakamoto stepped away from the project in 2010 and has remained silent since, resulting in the largest lost bitcoin wallet to ever exist.

2. Mt. Gox - 80,000 BTC

In Bitcoin’s early history, Mt. Gox stood as a dominant force, handling more than 70 percent of all global cryptocurrency transactions. But in 2014, the Japanese exchange suffered a devastating hack that wiped out over 650,000 BTC. Although one wallet with about 80,000 BTC remains, authorities have since classified it as part of the lost bitcoin wallets.

3. Unknown Bitcoin Wallet - 53,880 BTC

The inability to transfer even a single Bitcoin has left the wallet (1LdRcdxfbSnmCYYNdeYpUnztiYzVfBEQeC) dormant. Today, its untouched balance is valued at roughly $5.5 billion, making it the third-largest lost bitcoin wallet.

4. Unknown Bitcoin Wallet - 31,000 BTC

A similar case also happened to the dormant wallet of (12ib7dApVFvg82TXKycWBNpN8kFyiAN1dr), which hasn’t made transactions since July 2010. Currently, the 31,000 BTC is valued at around $3.2 billion.

5. QuadrigaCX - 26,350 BTC

The death of Gerald Cotten, known as CEO of QuadrigaCX, has brought the Canadian exchange to a losing battle in 2019. As the sole holder of the private keys, the staggering amount of 26,350 BTC was left unattended. In today’s market, this loss would have equated to more than $2.6 billion worth.

6. James Howell - 8,000 BTC

After mistakenly throwing away a hard drive containing his keys, a British IT worker found himself tied to one of the largest lost bitcoin wallets. The loss, now valued at over $800 million, has haunted James Howells for years. Despite repeated appeals to search a local landfill where the drive is believed to be buried, his requests have been consistently denied.

7. Stefan Thomas - 7,002 BTC

For years, German programmer Stefan Thomas has made relentless efforts to unlock his encrypted USB drive, where he stashed away the 7,002 BTC. To date, eight of ten available attempts have gone in vain, so the wallet—valued at more than $800 million—is now close to being locked for good.

The largest lost bitcoin wallet stories serve as cautionary tales in the volatile world of crypto, where fortunes can be built, but also vanish in an instant. With millions of BTC permanently out of circulation, these losses not only shape individual lives but also influence the broader market. As the virtual currency continues its rise, let’s also learn why you should invest in Bitcoin here.

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