Exchanges Send 3000 Bitcoin (BTC) Back To German Government

• After the German government transferred thousands of bitcoin to exchanges and market makers on Monday, nearly 3000 BTC — worth about $163 million — were sent back later in the day.
• Exchanges likely sent Germany back the bitcoin after not succeeding in selling the crypto within a targeted price range.
• At one point, the price of bitcoin dropped to about $55,200 on Monday.

After the German government transferred more than 10,000 bitcoin to exchanges and market makers early Monday, the country’s authorities received nearly 3,000 BTC back later in the day. 

As of 4:15 p.m. EST, Germany had received 2,898 bitcoin, or about $163 million, primarily from Coinbase, Kraken and Bitstamp, according to Arkham Intelligence data.

The exchanges most likely sent the bitcoin back to Germany after they could not sell them within a targeted price range, according to The Block’s Research Director Steven Zheng.

“Considering some bitcoin were sent back to the German government from Coinbase, one can assume they were unsold bitcoin as part of a sale agreement between the crypto exchange and the country,” Zheng said.

Start your day with the most influential events and analysis happening across the digital asset ecosystem.

Germany’s major crypto transfers on Monday included 5,200 bitcoin sent to market maker Flow Traders, 4,200 of the token to the B2C2 Group, 2,350 BTC to Bitstamp, 2,050 to Coinbase and 1,250 bitcoin to crypto exchange Kraken, according to Arkham.

The German government holds more than $2 billion worth of bitcoin, Arkham has also stated.