By Key Points
- Over 1.1 million BTC are controlled by US Bitcoin ETFs at the present.
- IBIT from BlackRock is ahead with 521,164 BTC managed.
- The total ETF asset base is $109 billion with net inflows of $33 billion.
- Bitcoin holdings by institutions are rising as BTC nears $100,000.
The combined Bitcoin holdings of US-based spot Bitcoin ETFs have reached a groundbreaking milestone, satoshi Nakamoto’s 1.1 million btc has also been overtaken. This fact highlights the growing trend of bitcoin passing into institutional hands and becoming more widespread.
Topping the list is BlackRock’s IBIT which manages an impressive volume of 521,164 BTC. Just behind are Grayscale’s GBTC and Fidelity’s FBTC. Collectively, these ETFs now have a total Bitcoin holdings of 1,105,923 BTC.
KING OF THE HILL: The US spot ETFs have just passed Satoshi in total bitcoin held, now hold more than 1.1m, more than anyone in the world, and they’re not even a year old yet, literally babies still. Mind blowing. h/t @EdmondsonShaun for the data pic.twitter.com/FQBIGGz5ei
— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) December 6, 2024
These ETFs have collected $33 billion in net inflows since their inception in January 2024, raising the total assets under management to a stupendous $109 billion.
Over the last week, net inflows surged to $2.35 billion which points to increasing optimism in the market. For further information on the recent inflow increase, read this article devoted to US Bitcoin ETFs inflows.
Although investors are pouring money into ETFs, which is helping to drive the price of Bitcoin up, the price still has a long way to go before hitting that desired 100,000-dollar mark.
The growth of this digital currency is also linked up to the rise of investments made by institutions, and crossing this mark for Bitcoin many institutions as well as large investors would become interested in the currency.
If you are wondering how ETFs have had a role in Bitcoin’s price increase, here is a news article on the inflows into Bitcoin ETFs that over the quarter totaled 555 million dollars.
Satoshi Nakamoto Bitcoin Holdings
Quite a number of years have gone by and still nobody has come up with concrete evidence to dispel the general consensus that umbra gracilis — the individual credited for creating Bitcoin — controls the greatest quantity of Bitcoin in existence, rumored to be approximately 1.1 million coins.
It is believed Nakamoto mined these coins at the beginning of Bitcoin’s creation and hasn’t used them ever since.
At this moment, US Bitcoin ETFs have met these thresholds combined.Here’s how current Bitcoin holdings break down:
- BlackRock’s IBIT, it holds 521,164 BTC.
- The next in line are Grayscale’s GBTC and Fidelity’s FBTC.
- The combined Bitcoin holdings of all 12 ETFs total 1,105,923 BTC.
This trend emphasizes the emerging prominence of institutional investors in the crypto industry. For instance, MicroStrategy with 402,100 bitcoins occupies the first position in terms of bitcoins held by corporations.
In November 2024, the US $13 billion dollars purchase enhanced the company’s BTC strategy. Other public firms such as MARA and Worksport are also buying Bitcoin furiously.
Source: Bitcoin Treasuries
On a national scale, the US government maintains the greatest quantity of bitcoins in 2021, according to the data, having 208,409 BTC from confiscated assets. This places it as the largest state-level holder of Bitcoin.
In the event that bitcoin persists in such trends, it will target its aim at the 100K dollar mark. For analysis on price forecasts movement of bitcoin, see how bitcoin rose over 100K to a dominant figure of 101K in the market.
The Unsolved Riddle of Satoshi Nakamoto
As institutional Bitcoin holdings grow, interest in Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity continues to fascinate the crypto community. In 2024, several high-profile claims emerged:
- Australian scientist Craig Wright was adamant he is Satoshi, a belief which was rejected by a UK court on the lack of evidence basis.
- The HBO documentary ‘Money Electric’ theorized Canadian cryptographer Peter Todd to be Nakamoto. Todd contested the allegations and was threatened which made him go into hiding.
- In a strange twist of events, Stephen Mollah was said to be Satoshi at the London press conference but lost his credibility during the events because of technical problems.
What remains undisclosed by any theoretical moduli is the character of Satoshi; it is said to be one of the enigmas of the crypto sphere.
Bitcoin Holdings Show Institutional Adoption on the Rise
It’s a turning point of sorts when we see US Bitcoin ETF assets rising above the 1 million BTC mark. It shows that institutional investors are powering the growth of Bitcoin as well as that ETFs are increasingly becoming the investment vehicle of choice.
ETFs are supported by regulation making it easier for normal investors to invest in Bitcoin thereby enhancing confidence in the market.
Institutions are vying for crypto exposure through more than just ETFs. Now, for example, companies like Metaplanet are engaging in Bitcoin investment activities. Read further about how Metaplanet’s shares soared as they invest heavily in Bitcoin.
Currently, however, the challenges continue to be present for some crypto platforms. For example, DMM Bitcoin has recently shut down which indicates continuous obstacles in the crypto sector. More details about the shutdown can be found in this document concerning DMM Bitcoin’s exit.
As Bitcoin nears $100,000, these rising Bitcoin holdings suggest that institutional interest will only grow. Having only recently come to the marketplace, fill ETF’s expansion opportunities still look very bright.
