Banks Are Accumulating Bitcoin via MicroStrategy (MSTR) Shares

As Bitcoin continues its path toward mainstream adoption, banks are quietly gaining exposure to the leading cryptocurrency—not by buying Bitcoin directly, but by investing in MicroStrategy (MSTR) shares, the largest corporate holder of BTC.

As Bitcoin continues its path toward mainstream adoption, banks are quietly gaining exposure to the leading cryptocurrency—not by buying Bitcoin directly, but by investing in MicroStrategy (MSTR) shares, the largest corporate holder of BTC.

According to NASDAQ data, banks now indirectly hold nearly 40,000 BTC, worth over $4 billion at current prices ($104,646 per BTC). Meanwhile, the U.S. government owns over 270,000 BTC ($28 billion), and under Trump’s presidency, it is expected to hold or even accumulate more.

With institutional accumulation at an all-time high, central banks now showing interest in Bitcoin, and bullish price predictions targeting $175K–$200K in 2025, are financial institutions quietly preparing for the next Bitcoin supercycle?

Banks are accumulating Bitcoin via MicroStrategy, which acts as a proxy due to its substantial BTC holdings.

Financial institutions are gaining Bitcoin exposure through their investments in MicroStrategy (MSTR) shares, which act as a proxy due to the company’s substantial BTC holdings.

By investing in MSTR, banks are indirectly accumulating Bitcoin, as the company holds over 132,500 BTC, valued at around $13.8 billion at the time of writing.

According to NASDAQ data, banks collectively hold nearly 40,000 BTC, worth over $4 billion, through their MSTR investments. Here’s a breakdown of some of their indirect Bitcoin holdings:

Bank of America: 7,630 BTC

Goldman Sachs: 4,420 BTC

JPMorgan Chase: 3,200 BTC

Bank of New York Mellon: 2,700 BTC

With institutions accumulating behind the scenes, Bitcoin’s supply on exchanges continues to dwindle, setting the stage for a potential supply shock.

U.S. Government Might Buy More Bitcoin

Alongside institutional investors, the U.S. government is now one of the largest Bitcoin holders in the world, controlling over 270,000 BTC ($28 billion).

The U.S. government acquired a significant portion of its BTC holdings after the Silk Road bust in 2014, when the government seized around 144,000 BTC.

Over the years, the U.S. Marshals Service has continued to sell off batches of the seized Bitcoin, with the last sale being 19,000 BTC in December 2022.

However, if the U.S. decides to actively accumulate Bitcoin, it could trigger a wave of institutional buying as other nations and private investors rush to secure their share before supply dwindles further.

The Governor of the Czech National Bank, AleÅ¡ Michl, has proposed allocating up to 5% of the bank’s reserves into Bitcoin.

With the CNB holding approximately €140 billion in reserves, this move could mean an allocation of around €7 billion ($7.5B) in BTC.

If the Czech central bank does decide to purchase Bitcoin, it will join a small but growing group of central banks that are directly or indirectly accumulating BTC.

Currently, the U.S. Federal Reserve is banned from buying Bitcoin directly, but it could still allocate a portion of its reserves to an institution like MicroStrategy, which in turn holds a large amount of BTC.

As central banks join institutional investors in accumulating Bitcoin, this could be the final trigger for the next massive Bitcoin bull run.

Bitcoin Price Predictions: $175K–$200K in 2025?

With banks and governments stockpiling BTC, analysts are setting bold price targets for 2025:

PlanB’s Stock-to-Flow Cross-Asset Model (SFAC) predicts Bitcoin will reach $175,000 by 2025.

According to IntoTheBlock co-founder Juan Pellicer, Bitcoin’s realized price could hit $200,000 in 2025.

Institutions preparing for a Bitcoin supply shock could drive the price to $175K–$200K in 2025, pushing it to new all-time highs much faster than expected.