Bitcoin Wallet Linked to LuBian Hack Moves $1 Billion After Three Years of Silence

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FORT WORTH, Texas, Oct. 15, 2025 — A Bitcoin wallet tied to the LuBian mining-pool hack has reappeared after nearly three years of inactivity. It transferred more than $1 billion worth of BTC in one day. On October 14, 2025, the address labeled “39DUz” sent 9,757 BTC, worth about $1.1 billion, to two new wallets. The unexpected transfer drew immediate attention from analysts who have followed the LuBian case since 2020.

The reason for the move remains uncertain. Some experts believe the wallet owner may be reorganizing funds for security. Others think it could signal the start of a gradual sell-off. The timing is notable, as the U.S. Justice Department is moving to seize about 127,271 BTC connected to the same theft, now valued near $14.4 billion.

LuBian was once among China’s top Bitcoin mining pools. It controlled around six percent of the global hash rate before its collapse in early 2021. In December 2020, hackers exploited a weak key-generation flaw that exposed private keys and drained 127,000 BTC. At that time, the loss equaled about $3.5 billion. Today, it would be worth more than $14 billion.

🚨BREAKING: A LuBian wallet holding 9,757 $BTC ($1.1B) just woke up after 3 years, moving ALL its #Bitcoin holdings.

This comes a day after reports that the US gov plans to seize 127,271 BTC ($14.4B) linked to the #LuBian hack. pic.twitter.com/s8vXrcdyWy

— Coin Bureau (@coinbureau) October 15, 2025

After the breach, LuBian’s operators posted over 1,500 messages on the blockchain, pleading for the stolen coins to be returned. None of those appeals succeeded. The funds remained untouched until mid-2024. Then, the hacker merged smaller wallets into one large account.

The latest transfer has reignited speculation about the hacker’s motives. Analysts monitoring blockchain activity say the coins may have been split across new addresses to hide their origin. Meanwhile, others connect the movement to the Justice Department’s wider campaign against international laundering networks.

Authorities have already recovered billions of dollars in stolen assets from related operations. Many of these recoveries are linked to the Prince Group, a Southeast Asian organization accused of laundering Bitcoin through shell firms and luxury property. Investigators believe parts of the LuBian stash may have followed a similar route.

Security specialists say the LuBian breach remains a clear warning for the industry. Early mining pools often lacked strong encryption and oversight, which left them open to attacks. Therefore, the 2020 incident is still considered the largest crypto theft in history and a defining moment for asset protection.

Even now, more than 100,000 BTC from the hack remain missing. The hacker’s wallet is still one of the largest Bitcoin addresses worldwide. As a result, the quiet movement of such a large sum continues to highlight how blockchain transparency often coexists with deep anonymity.

Recap

• Dormant LuBian-linked wallet transferred 9,757 BTC (≈ $1.1 billion)
• The 2020 breach stole 127,000 BTC from LuBian servers
• The U.S. seeks forfeiture of $14.4 billion in stolen Bitcoin
• Funds tied to laundering through the Prince Group
• Still the world’s largest crypto theft