US Spot Bitcoin ETFs Now Hold More BTC Than Satoshi

Key Points:

• U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs now hold more BTC than Satoshi Nakamoto, surpassing 1.1 million BTC in total holdings in less than a year.
• BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust leads with 521,375 BTC, followed by Grayscale and Fidelity’s Bitcoin funds.

U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have accumulated more Bitcoin than Satoshi Nakamoto, the cryptocurrency’s shadowy, pseudonymous creator.

Read more: MicroStrategy Bitcoin Investment Continues As The Price Nears $100,000 

U.S. Spot Bitcoin ETFs Beat Satoshi Nakamoto’s Holdings

The overall assets held in spot Bitcoin ETFs have risen to around 1,104,534 BTC, compared to Nakamoto’s estimated ownership of around 1,100,000 BTC, said Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas. This has occurred less than a year since the time these ETFs began offering their products.

Leading the pack is BlackRock‘s iShares Bitcoin Trust, IBIT, which manages a whopping 521,375 BTC. Grayscale follows with 251,330 BTC, while Fidelity’s FBTC gets third place with 199,246 BTC under management, according to data by crypto analyst Shaun Edmondson. Other ETFs include Ark 21Shares ARKB, holding 48,144 BTC, Bitwise’s BITB with 41,062 BTC, and VanEck’s HODL ETF with 13,745 BTC.

Bitcoin ETFs See $2.7 Billion Inflows as Investor Interest Soars

That reflects rapid growth and underscores a surge in investor interest. Data provided by data analytics firm SoSoValue showed a record inflow of $766.66 million on December 5, extending the six-day streak of ETF investments to over $2.7 billion.

Nakamoto’s holdings now rank second globally, followed by Binance (633,103 BTC), MicroStrategy (402,100 BTC), and the U.S. government (198,109 BTC). MicroStrategy, known for its aggressive Bitcoin acquisitions, recently added 15,400 BTC, consolidating its position among the largest holders.

Both the U.S. and Chinese governments, known to hold substantial amounts of Bitcoin, have accrued their respective reserves through asset seizures. This dynamic could change, though, given that former President Donald Trump has floated the idea of implementing a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve, whereby active buying of the cryptocurrency would be involved.