[ Private Key ] │ (Elliptic Curve Multiplication / secp256k1) ▼ [ Public Key ] │ (SHA-256 & RIPEMD-160 Hashing) ▼ [ Public Address: 1FeexV6bAHb8ybZjqQMjJrcCrHGW9sb6uF ] 1. The Math Behind the Key
The sheer value of this dormant wallet has made it a persistent target. In July 2025, security researchers at BitMEX Research flagged a suspicious transaction sent to the address. The transaction utilized the field—a blockchain mechanism that allows arbitrary data embedding—to deliver phishing messages. These messages included links to a fake website impersonating Salomon Brothers, a defunct Wall Street firm, urging the wallet owner to verify their identity.
It is widely believed that this transfer was the result of a hack where the private keys to Mt. Gox’s hot wallet were stolen.
Address: 1FeexV6bAHb8ybZjqQMjJrcCrHGW9sb6uF Created: March 1, 2011 Balance: ~79,957 BTC Status: Dormant (No outgoing transactions) Origin: Stolen from Mt. Gox Hot Wallet
Because Bitcoin obfuscates public keys using HASH160 (SHA-256 followed by RIPEMD-160), the public ledger only contains the hash of the public key, not the public key itself. The true public key is only exposed to the world when an outgoing transaction is signed and broadcasted.
