South Korean cryptocurrency exchange Bithumb has revealed that more than $200 million (approximately ₩291.6 billion) in customer assets have been sitting idle across 2.6 million inactive accounts, following an internal review tied to a dormant asset recovery campaign.
The initiative targeted accounts that had shown no login or trading activity for over one year, uncovering a surprisingly large pool of forgotten digital assets.
Some Accounts Left Untouched for Nearly 12 Years
According to Bithumb, the longest inactive account had remained untouched for 4,380 days, close to 12 years. This suggests that some early crypto users entered the market during its infancy and never returned, leaving assets behind through multiple market cycles.
The review also identified a single dormant account worth approximately $2.84 million, highlighting how substantial balances can go unnoticed for years.
Dormant Assets Show Massive Returns
One of the most striking findings was the performance of some forgotten holdings. Bithumb reported that certain dormant assets recorded gains exceeding 61,000%, or more than 610 times their original value.
In some cases, these returns surpassed Bitcoin’s long-term performance over the same period, underscoring how early exposure to major crypto assets could generate extraordinary gains even without active trading.
The most common assets found in inactive accounts were Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Ripple (XRP), reflecting the dominance of early, high-liquidity cryptocurrencies among long-term holders.
Exchange Launches Account Recovery Effort
Bithumb stated that it is actively reaching out to eligible customers to help them reclaim their assets. The exchange is providing direct notifications and assistance throughout the account recovery process, emphasizing customer protection and asset accessibility.
Users can independently check whether they hold dormant assets by visiting Bithumb’s official website and using the “Check Dormant Assets” feature.
Previous Campaigns Returned Millions to Users
This is not Bithumb’s first recovery effort. In a prior campaign, the exchange helped 36,000 users reclaim roughly $50 million in forgotten crypto holdings, demonstrating that dormant balances are not an isolated phenomenon.
The latest discovery suggests that a significant amount of capital remains sidelined across crypto markets, locked in inactive accounts rather than circulating through trading or long-term custody strategies.
Forgotten Crypto, Real Value
Bithumb’s findings highlight a recurring theme in the crypto industry: assets acquired early and left untouched can become highly valuable over time. As exchanges continue to audit inactive accounts and encourage recovery, more long-dormant capital could re-enter active use, reminding investors that sometimes the biggest gains come from simply holding and forgetting.
