Solo Bitcoin Miner Wins $200,000 Block Reward Amid Coldcard Wallet Fallout

A solo Bitcoin miner successfully mined block 960,804 early Monday, earning a block reward of 3.157 BTC worth approximately $199,300. Details about the specific mining hardware used were not disclosed. The win comes just three weeks after another solo operator running a single hobbyist grade Bitaxe device claimed block 957,382, pocketing roughly $200,000 worth of Bitcoin at the time.

Solo Wins Continue Despite Industry Pressure

These successes add to a growing trend, with independent miners having claimed 13 blocks so far this year despite tight profit margins squeezing the broader mining industry. Many larger mining companies have shifted focus toward artificial intelligence data centers and related infrastructure as they search for more sustainable revenue streams.

Coldcard Fallout Pushes Holders to Move Funds

Meanwhile, frustration continues to build among smaller Bitcoin holders affected by the ongoing Coldcard wallet exploit. On-chain data shows a spike in BTC sending addresses on Friday, reaching levels not seen since early 2024, while exchange reserves climbed to 2.718 million BTC from 2.706 million BTC recorded on July 30, when the incident first began.

Not all analytics firms agree on investor intent. Some data providers suggest holders are shifting coins into new personal wallets rather than depositing them on exchanges, pointing to a defensive move rather than an intent to sell.