South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has revealed that more than $200 million worth of crypto assets are sitting dormant across 2.6 million inactive user accounts, shedding light on how much early retail capital remains untouched on centralized exchanges.
The disclosure was made as part of Bithumb’s ongoing dormant asset recovery campaign, which targets accounts that have not logged in or traded for over a year. According to the exchange, these dormant assets amount to 291.6 billion Korean won (approximately $201.8 million), with some balances remaining inactive for more than a decade.
Dormant Crypto Assets Reveal Forgotten Early Investments
Bithumb reported that the largest single dormant holding it identified was worth around $2.84 million, while the longest period of inactivity stretched to 4,380 days, or nearly 12 years. These figures illustrate how many users entered the crypto market during early bull cycles and later disengaged, leaving assets untouched as their focus shifted elsewhere.
Some of these inactive holdings have delivered extraordinary returns. According to Bithumb, certain dormant assets have posted gains exceeding 61,000%, or more than 610x their original value. These returns reflect investments made during the earliest stages of crypto adoption.
By comparison, Bitcoin traded at roughly $767 on January 1, 2014, and recently reached around $87,700, representing a gain of about 11,300%, or 114x. This means some forgotten assets on Bithumb have significantly outperformed Bitcoin over the same 12-year period.
Market Impact and Bithumb’s Recovery Efforts
Bithumb has run similar recovery initiatives in the past. During its 11th anniversary campaign last year, around 36,000 users successfully reclaimed dormant assets worth nearly $50 million. The exchange says these efforts are part of its broader customer protection strategy, aimed at helping users rediscover funds they may no longer realize they own.
Eligible customers will be notified directly, and Bithumb plans to provide assistance with account recovery to ensure assets can be safely reclaimed.
Beyond individual users, dormant crypto balances also carry broader implications for the market. These funds represent latent liquidity and potential supply that could re-enter trading circulation over time. The situation also raises important questions about how exchanges manage long-inactive accounts and communicate with customers to safeguard long-forgotten digital assets.
