A Satoshi-era Bitcoin address, holding 1.12 BTC and inactive for 14 years, recently received a legal notice via an OP_RETURN transaction. The notice, from Salomon Brothers, demands proof of ownership by November 5, 2025, in connection with a $285 billion lawsuit against Craig Wright. This event highlights the ongoing legal battles over early Bitcoin holdings and could potentially lead to the movement of these long-dormant coins. The outcome will set a precedent for how legal claims are enforced on the blockchain and affect perceptions of Bitcoin's immutability and ownership security, particularly for early adopters.
The legal action against a Satoshi-era address underscores the increasing attempts to claim or freeze early Bitcoin holdings. This could introduce new supply into the market if ownership is proven and coins are moved, impacting Bitcoin's price dynamics and the perceived security of long-term dormant assets.
This event reveals a growing trend of traditional legal systems attempting to assert control over blockchain assets. It challenges the notion of absolute self-custody and could introduce new vectors for market supply, particularly from early, large holdings.
The 1LwWt address received a legal notice from Salomon Brothers via Bitcoin's OP_RETURN field in July 2025 demanding the owner prove ownership by November 5, 2025.