Bitcoin Stumbles as Germany Liquidates $150 Million in Seized Crypto

By City A.M – Jun 28, 2024, 2:00 PM CDT

The German government has transferred approximately $150 million worth of seized Bitcoin to crypto exchanges over the past week.
These transfers, likely intended to sell the Bitcoin for fiat currency, are adding to downward pressure on Bitcoin’s price.
Other factors, such as upcoming Mt. Gox repayments and large outflows from Bitcoin spot ETFs, are also contributing to market jitters.

The German government has recently transferred a substantial amount of Bitcoin to centralized exchanges, fueling market discussions and speculations. According to data from blockchain analytics firm Arkham, the German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) moved another 250 BTC to exchanges such as Kraken and Coinbase. This Bitcoin is worth about $15.4 million. A transfer that follows a series of similar moves last week. In total, around $150 million worth of Bitcoin has been sent to various exchange addresses.

The German authorities’ Bitcoin activities trace back to a massive seizure of nearly 50,000 BTC from the illegal film piracy site Movie2k in January. This seizure marked the largest in Germany’s history. Over the past week, the government has methodically sent significant portions of this stash to known exchanges. For instance, the government moved 400 BTC to Coinbase and Kraken. They also sent 500 BTC to an unidentified address labeled “139Po.” Additionally, the government received 310 BTC back from Kraken. They also got 90 BTC combined from wallets linked to Robinhood, Bitstamp, and Coinbase.

The rationale behind these transfers is not explicitly clear, but sending Bitcoin to exchanges typically suggests an intention to sell. While the exact motives remain speculative, such actions often signal the possibility of liquidating the assets for fiat currency or other tokens. Despite these moves representing only a fraction of daily Bitcoin trading volumes, the German government’s holdings, approximately 46,359 BTC worth around $2.8 billion, are significant. This makes Germany one of the largest nation-state holders of Bitcoin, following the United States, China, and the UK.

The broader market implications of these movements are noteworthy. Bitcoin’s price has seen downward pressure, partly due to these governmental transfers. On top of this, other factors are exacerbating the selling pressure. The upcoming Mt. Gox repayments, which will release around $9 billion worth of Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash to creditors, and large outflows from Bitcoin spot ETFs are also contributing to market jitters. Furthermore, selling pressure from major Bitcoin holders, or “whales,” adds to the volatility.

While the exact reasons behind these moves remain speculative, their impact is tangible. As the market adjusts to this influx of supply, investors are keenly observing the developments, balancing between immediate selling pressures and continuous positive long-term market outlook.

By CityAM