Tesla quietly moves $769m in Bitcoin to multiple unknown wallets

As a seasoned researcher with a keen interest in the dynamic world of cryptocurrencies and tech giants, I find Tesla’s recent Bitcoin transfers intriguing. The company’s strategic moves with Bitcoin have always been a subject of fascination, given its potential impact on both the financial market and the crypto industry.


After a period of inactivity spanning two years, Tesla, the maker of the Cybertruck, has transferred its Bitcoin reserves into various, undisclosed digital wallets.

As a researcher, I’ve found that on October 15th, approximately 20:41 UTC, Tesla-linked wallets began transferring funds, following several trial transactions of small Bitcoin amounts. Subsequently, a significant amount of Bitcoin, equivalent to around 11,500 BTC or over $769 million, was dispersed among seven distinct wallets.

The transfers marked the first time the funds had been moved since June 17, 2022.

As of the current moment, the electric car manufacturer has not yet made an official statement about whether they intend to sell their assets. The identity of the owners of certain wallets associated with this transaction remains a mystery. The upcoming Q3 earnings report from Tesla, due out October 23rd, may provide more clarity regarding this recent development.

Regarding X, one individual hypothesized that the action might not have been a sale, but instead an attempt by Tesla to assume direct control over the coins. They highlighted that this could potentially indicate the resumption of Bitcoin transactions, as they observed that the utilization of a traditional address format, seldom used by exchanges for immediate transactions, served as a significant clue.

Tesla’s Bitcoin sales

Previously, Tesla sold its largest amount of Bitcoin, specifically 29,160 coins, back in June 2022 at an average price of $20,000 per coin. This was their biggest Bitcoin sale to date. Prior to that, the company had previously sold 4,320 BTC a month after purchasing approximately $1.5 billion worth of the cryptocurrency in February 2021.

Initially, Musk stated that his action was intended to showcase just how simple it could be to sell off Bitcoin without causing a major disruption in the market.

Shortly following this, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, declared that the company would additionally accept Bitcoin for its cars’ purchase. Yet, only a few months later in May 2021, Tesla halted this payment method due to increasing worries about the environmental consequences associated with Bitcoin mining, particularly its heavy dependence on fossil fuels like coal, to run these operations.

Before today’s transactions, Tesla ranked as the fourth-biggest company owning Bitcoin, following companies like MicroStrategy and Bitcoin mining firms such as Galaxy Digital and Riot Platforms, according to Bitbo data.

Simultaneously, while Musk is involved with another firm, SpaceX, they are maintaining their Bitcoin reserves. At present, these reserves amount to 8,285 Bitcoins, equivalent to approximately $556 million in value.

In the process of typing, Bitcoin’s value remained unaffected by the transfers, and it was being exchanged just a little under $67,000. Over the last day, it had experienced an increase of approximately 1.7%.

Recently, Musk hinted at the potential return of Dogecoin as a payment method for Tesla merchandise, which he mentioned in August. While there’s no formal confirmation yet, Musk’s suggestions have brought Dogecoin back into focus once more.

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2024-10-16 11:12