Researchers Turn $10k Bitcoin Purchase into $10M Stash – But Selling It Is a Major Hurdle

A Spanish public research institute is facing unexpected challenges as it prepares to sell a long-forgotten Bitcoin stash now worth over $10 million, originally purchased for just $10,000 more than a decade ago.

The Institute of Technology and Renewable Energies (ITER), a public body overseen by the Tenerife Island Council, bought 97 Bitcoin in 2012 as part of an experimental blockchain research project.

At the time, Bitcoin traded at roughly $100 per coin. Thirteen years later, with Bitcoin hovering near $103,200, that modest research expense has turned into a multimillion-dollar windfall.

Can Spain’s Public Sector Sell Its Bitcoin Under MiCA?

According to the Spanish newspaper El Día, the Tenerife council is finalizing plans to divest the holdings but faces major logistical and regulatory complications.

Most European banks still refuse to handle Bitcoin transactions, citing volatility and strict compliance requirements.

Juan José Martínez, Tenerife’s councillor for innovation, said the council is coordinating with a Spanish financial institution authorized by both the Bank of Spain and the National Securities Market Commission (CNMV) to manage the sale.

He said the transaction is expected to be completed in the coming months, with proceeds earmarked for reinvestment into ITER’s scientific initiatives, including research in quantum technologies.

“The 2012 purchase was never meant as an investment but as part of an experimental project to understand blockchain infrastructure,” Martínez told El Día.

At Bitcoin’s current market price, ITER’s holdings are valued at more than $10 million, down from about $12 million in early October when Bitcoin briefly reached a record high near $126,000, according to CryptoNews data.

While the windfall represents an extraordinary return on a small research expenditure, turning those gains into cash is proving far more complex.

In Spain, financial institutions and exchanges face tight oversight under a web of national and EU-level regulations, including the Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework, anti-money laundering (AML) rules, and strict advertising standards.

MiCA, which becomes fully applicable across the EU by the end of 2024 with a transitional period through December 2025, requires all crypto-asset service providers to obtain licenses from the CNMV.

For ITER, a public institution, compliance also involves verifying the origin of funds and ensuring adherence to Spain’s anti-money laundering procedures, overseen by the financial intelligence unit SEPBLAC.

Financial institutions are especially cautious when handling crypto transactions from state-linked entities due to complex asset classification requirements.

Under MiCA, crypto assets fall into distinct categories, including e-money tokens, asset-referenced tokens, or “other” crypto assets like Bitcoin, each with its own reporting and compliance obligations.

Together, these measures make it difficult for public entities to move large volumes of crypto without extensive due diligence.

Spanish Banks Begin Crypto Push as BBVA Launches Bitcoin and Ether Trading

Despite these hurdles, Spain’s financial sector is gradually embracing regulated digital asset services.

In October, banking giant BBVA became the first major Spanish lender to offer 24/7 retail cryptocurrency trading.

The service, approved by the CNMV, allows customers to buy, sell, and manage Bitcoin and Ether directly through BBVA’s mobile banking app.

Earlier this year, BBVA also introduced independent custody services for Binance customers, allowing assets backed by U.S. Treasuries to be held directly with the bank.

Meanwhile, lawmakers are tightening consumer protection standards. In July, the Sumar parliamentary group proposed a “traffic light” risk labeling system for crypto assets.

Under the proposal, tokens would be assigned color-coded warnings, from green for supervised and stable assets to red for speculative coins with no identifiable backing, to help retail investors assess risks more easily.

The initiative follows a broader effort by Spanish regulators to ensure greater transparency and accountability in crypto markets, particularly as digital asset adoption expands across Europe.

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