BlackRock’s Massive Bitcoin Bet Signals Accelerated Institutional Shift

• BlackRock has purchased $430.8 million worth of Bitcoin and now holds over 643,000 BTC.
• Firms like MicroStrategy, Fidelity and Metaplanet are also buying large amounts as institutional inflows are rising fast.
• Bitwise projects institutional Bitcoin investment to hit $427 billion by 2026, which could soak up 20% of the total supply.

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has made another move into the Bitcoin market, buying up 3,950 BTC worth $430.8 million. The uptick shows that institutional confidence continues to grow in Bitcoin as a long-term asset class.

Crypto Rover confirmed the transaction with a tweet, stating, “Whales are loading up.” The phrase implies that large holders are convinced they will maintain their investment despite the volatility of the market. This latest activity also comes on the heels of a string of Bitcoin purchases by BlackRock, including 682 BTC bought for $69m and another transaction of the same value.

As of May 20, BlackRock iShares Bitcoin trust (IBIT) became the No. 2 Bitcoin holder next to Satoshi Nakamoto-led wallet. According to data shared by analyst Shaun Edmondson, IBIT currently holds 636,108 BTC, which makes up over 3% of Bitcoin’s total supply and almost 57% of the estimated 1.12m BTC that Satoshi allegedly owns.

Now, IBIT has surpassed Binance and MicroStrategy in terms of Bitcoin holdings. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said IBIT’s wallet will likely overtake Satoshi’s by next summer if Bitcoin’s price approaches $150,000.

Institutional Bitcoin Inflows Reach Record Levels

IBIT has been one of the top five U.S. ETFs by inflows this year, picking up $877 million on Thursday, May 22. The daily trading volume on its exchange reached $4.2 billion. BlackRock added 7,860 BTC that same day, totaling 643,755.21320 BTC.

Since its launch in January 2024, IBIT has received total inflows upwards of $47.5 billion. The net assets under management by the fund currently stand at $70.1 billion. This brings IBIT’s institutional Bitcoin access back to standard.

IBIT is among the large owners of shares of Goldman Sachs. Blackstone Investments also bought over $1 million worth of IBIT shares. As of March 31, the firm reported 23,094 shares. These shares are part of the Blackstone Alternative Multi-Strategy Fund (BTMIX), which oversees $2.63 billion in assets.

MicroStrategy, Fidelity, Metaplanet Join Accumulation Wave

Other institutional players are also growing exposure to Bitcoin. Last week, MicroStrategy bought 7,390 BTC worth $764.9 million, bringing its total BTC holdings to 576,230 BTC. In the period between May 12 and May 18, $103,498 on average has been paid for a Bitcoin.

In a more recent acquisition, Fidelity Investments picked up 444.3 BTC valued at $48.7 million to add to its list of large Bitcoin purchases in 2025.

The Japanese investment firm Metaplanet added another 1,004 BTC worth $104 million. Now, its holdings amount to 7,800 BTC, worth about $812 million. Metaplanet puts itself forward as one of the most significant ‘corporate’ Bitcoin holders in Asia.

According to a new report by Bitwise Research, institutional investors could add $427 billion to Bitcoin by 2026. If realized, this would translate into more than 4.2 million BTC acquired or over 20% of the capped supply.

The breakdown shows $161.7 billion coming from sovereign governments, $120 billion from banks and investment platforms, $117.8 billion from public companies, and the rest coming from U.S. states and global wealth funds.