Dormant Clifton Collins Bitcoin Wallet Sends 500 BTC to Coinbase Prime

An inactive Clifton Collins Bitcoin wallet transferred 500 BTC—valued at $41.52 million—to Coinbase Prime on Oct. 20, 2026. According to U.Today, which cited blockchain analytics firm Lookonchain, the coins had remained untouched for over ten years.

This event marks the latest activity in an ongoing series of seizures and transfers involving Collins-connected wallets this year. Bitcoin that was previously thought to be completely unreachable has now surfaced across five distinct 500 BTC tranches throughout 2026.

Clifton Collins Bitcoin Wallet Sends 500 BTC to Coinbase Prime

Lookonchain identified the recipient as Coinbase Prime, the institutional trading desk of the exchange. This transaction extracted yet another portion of the broader 6,000 BTC fortune out of a wallet that had stayed dormant for more than a decade.

The amount matches the size of every other tranche seen this year at 500 BTC. That exact figure also corresponds to the amount Collins placed into each of the 12 separate wallets he utilized to distribute his holdings.

At the time of the transfer at 20:08 UTC on Oct. 20, Bitcoin was trading at $82,520, marking a 0.85% increase over a 24-hour period according to CoinGecko.

Collins-Linked Wallet Movements Reach 2,500 BTC in 2026

Irish authorities seized 500 BTC in March, an additional 500 BTC in May, and another 500 BTC in July. Later, on Aug. 28, a further 500 BTC worth roughly $39.6 million was sent to Coinbase Prime.

Combined with the Oct. 20 transaction, these five tranches total 2,500 BTC—representing about 42% of the original 6,000 BTC fortune.

While August and October transactions were directed to Coinbase Prime, the March, May, and July movements were official seizures by Irish authorities. This places the recent activity within a wider campaign of asset recovery rather than an isolated reactivation of legacy coins.

Collins Split His Bitcoin Across 12 Wallets

Collins, a former Dublin beekeeper, accumulated roughly 6,000 BTC between late 2011 and early 2012 via cannabis cultivation. At the time, Bitcoin was worth only a few dollars.

As the value of his investment grew, he became concerned about potential hacking risks. To mitigate this, he divided the entire fortune equally among 12 wallets, putting 500 BTC into each, and reportedly printed out the private keys onto an A4 sheet of paper.

That document was placed inside the aluminum cap of a fishing rod case stored at a rental home in County Galway. This hiding spot eventually became central to the narrative surrounding the lost access to the funds.

Irish Recovery Efforts Followed the Fishing Rod Case’s Disappearance

Irish police arrested Collins in 2017 after discovering cannabis inside his vehicle. He subsequently served a five-year prison sentence.

While he was incarcerated, his rented home was burgled and later cleared out entirely. His belongings were sent to a local dump, causing the fishing rod case containing the supposed keys to disappear.

In March 2026, Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau reported that it successfully accessed a previously locked 500 BTC wallet with the help of Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre. Subsequent seizures occurred in May and July, followed by transfers to Coinbase Prime in August and October.

Observers are closely watching for any additional movements from these Collins-associated wallets.

FAQ

When did the latest 500 BTC transfer occur?

The most recent transaction happened on Oct. 20, 2026, following more than ten years of complete inactivity in the Collins-linked wallet.

How much Bitcoin was sent to Coinbase Prime?

The wallet transferred 500 BTC, which U.Today valued at $41.52 million. An identical amount of Bitcoin was also sent to Coinbase Prime on Aug. 28.

How many wallets held Clifton Collins’ reported Bitcoin fortune?

The roughly 6,000 BTC fortune was split across 12 different wallets, with Collins assigning 500 BTC to each to protect his expanding assets from being hacked.

What happened to the private keys for the original Bitcoin stash?

Collins reportedly stored printed copies of the keys inside a fishing rod case at his rented County Galway property. The case went missing after the home was burgled and cleaned out while he was in prison.

Which agencies helped Ireland access a previously inaccessible 500 BTC wallet?

Ireland’s Criminal Assets Bureau announced the breakthrough in March 2026, receiving assistance from Europol’s European Cybercrime Centre to gain access to the wallet.

This article is for information only and is not financial advice.

Additional FAQs

What was the price of Bitcoin during the October 20 transfer?

Bitcoin was changing hands at $82,520 at 20:08 UTC on Oct. 20, 2026, up 0.85% over 24 hours according to CoinGecko.

How does the total recovered amount compare to Collins’ original holdings?

The five tranches moved or seized so far in 2026 total 2,500 BTC, which accounts for about 42% of the original 6,000 BTC fortune.

How was Clifton Collins originally connected to the Bitcoin?

Collins built up his fortune through cannabis farming in late 2011 and early 2012 when Bitcoin cost only a few dollars, later storing the proceeds across multiple digital wallets.