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Crypto Briefing reports that strong institutional buying continues to surround the BlackRock Bitcoin ETP, as updated SEC 13F filings. New data indicates that Mubadala Investment Company and Citadel Advisors have significantly increased their exposure to the iShares Bitcoin Trust.
Mubadala’s stake in AMD jumped to 8.7 million shares worth around $408 million from 8.2 million shares in the prior quarter, with the overall value decreasing from $436 million thanks to a drop in the share price.
In the face of market volatility, these filings illustrate continued institutional confidence in regulated digital asset investment products as well as strategic positioning in the cryptocurrency space via established financial vehicles.
Citadel Advisors Boosts ETF Position and Options Exposure
U.S. one of the largest hedge funds, Citadel Advisors, also increased its IBIT holdings, disclosing more than 3 million shares worth nearly $147 million, a rise from 1 million shares back in December. In addition to the ETF shares, Citadel reported large options positions: 676 million in IBIT call options and 366 million in put options, suggesting a multi-pronged strategy to hedge and bet on Bitcoin price swings.
This mix of long and hedged positions indicates institutional investors are using it as a risk management mechanism even as they bet on broader adoption of Bitcoin.
Mixed Feelings: Some Sell, Others Buy
Not all the big financial players are embracing the trend of accumulation. The State of Wisconsin Investment Board fully sold out of its $321 million stake in IBIT, according to recent filings. But the board still has exposure to digital assets through other avenues, including nearly $19 million in Coinbase stock.
Meanwhile, Millennium Management, IBIT’s biggest institutional holder, slashed its share count from 29.8 million to 17.5 million, worth now some $823 million. Even with the drop, Millennium remains the biggest and is said to have written figures of $11.5 million in call options and $12.5 million in put options that would be connected to IBIT.
Avenir Group in HK adds 30% to ETF holdings
Another significant announcement is that Hong Kong’s anchoring entity, Avenir Group, has increased its holding in IBIT by 3.4 million shares, taking its total to 14.7 million shares valued at $688 million. This development is the latest sign of increasing demand for crypto exposure among institutional investors headquartered in Asia.
Bitcoin and IBIT: Current Market Status
- iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) currently trades at $58.67
- Bitcoin (BTC) is priced at approximately $103,982
New SEC Filings Reveal Huge Bets on BlackRock Bitcoin ETF in 2025
Bitcoin Price Forecast Table
| Source | Year | Predicted BTC Price |
| Binance | 2025 | $103,974.61 |
| Changelly | 2025 | $112,108.66 |
| Investing Haven | 2025 | $125,000 |
| AllianceBernstein | 2025 | $200,000 |
These forecasts reflect a spectrum of probabilities, with institutional players positioning for potential upside and protecting against downside risk.
Community and Other Sentiment
17 Reddit Post shows Retail still has no idea about BTC ETF Accumulation at Institutions. With a post on Reddit’s Bitcoin, retail is apparently not yet aware of institutional BTC acquiring. A relatively common comment says a great deal
“Big money taking out the IBIT ETF and no one noticing,”
that represents the type of imbalance we would need to see in market attention to suggest severe undervaluation.
But, on X (the former Twitter), analysts from Galaxy Digital and VanEck highlighted that institutional demand for a Bitcoin ETF will be a catalyst for further long-term price appreciation, and implied that a short-term correction is nearing whenever large funds balance themselves.
Final Insight
Sovereign wealth funds and top-tier hedge funds acquiring more and more of IBIT is a profound sign of how the world of finance is becoming increasingly serious about digital assets. While some institutions sit tight or head for the exits, others are positioning more aggressively, adding exposure to hedges.
These are being closely watched not just for their direct market effects but for what they say about the broader trajectory of crypto adoption in institutional finance.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is this new digital asset fund drawing institutional money?
It’s a regulated investment product providing investors with exposure to a major cryptocurrency and is attractive to institutions for the transparency and the security and custodian services it offers and the fact that it provides broader market access.
2. Which major financial players are upping their stakes in the fund?
Large companies, including a Gulf-based sovereign fund and a U.S. hedge giant, recently increased holdings, suggesting strong conviction in the value of digital asset-backed securities.
3. Why are big companies moving money into this crypto-linked trust?
It’s a simple way for your company to access crypto without dealing with the custody of the wallet, making it the perfect choice for larger entities looking for compliant and easy diversification within a portfolio.
4. What are the risks of investing in crypto-backed exchange products?
These range from asset price gyrations and regulation ambiguities to liquidity fears, though the structured-based vehicles entail lower vulnerability to storage constraints and technical barriers to entry.
Glossary of Key Terms
1. Institutional Investor
An institution—like a hedge fund, pension fund, or sovereign wealth fund—that deploys capital in investments across different asset classes, including digital assets, to achieve strategic returns.
2. Digital Asset Trust
A passively managed investment fund that is specially designed to gain exposure to cryptocurrency markets by holding the actual assets or futures that track the underlying index and to allow investors to trade its shares on the traditional U.S. stock market.
3. SEC 13F Filing
A quarterly filing required by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission of institutional investors that manage more than $100 million in assets and have equity holdings.
4. Sovereign Wealth Fund
A state-controlled investment fund for managing the nation’s reserves. They are increasingly investing in international assets such as stocks, real estate, and now digital assets.
5. Call Option
A financial agreement where the holder has the ability, but not the obligation, to purchase an asset at an agreed price at a specific time in the future.
6. Put Option
A derivative that provides the owner with the right to sell an underlying instrument at a specified price; used to protect against the risk of falling prices in a portfolio.
7. Market Exposure
The extent to which a portfolio can be impacted by movements in a particular security or sector. Here, it means it in the way of participating in crypto, not directly.
8. AUM: Asset Under Management
Market value of the money being managed by a fund or an organization. Rising AUMs in crypto-linked products illustrate the increasing amount of institutional conviction in digital currencies.
