Morgan Stanley has revealed a substantial investment of $187.79 million in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, according to its recent Form 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
As of June 30, 2024, the bank held over 5.5 million shares in this spot Bitcoin ETF, making it one of the top five shareholders. Additionally, Morgan Stanley has acquired 26,222 shares of the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF, valued around $1.57 million, down from $2.3 million at the end of Q1 2024.
The filing also shows a significant decrease in Morgan Stanley’s position in the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, which has dropped to approximately $148,000 from nearly $270 million previously, suggesting a near-total divestment from GBTC.
Form 13F reports, required by the SEC from institutional managers with at least $100 million in assets, provide insights into stock holdings but exclude short positions.
The iShares Bitcoin Trust remains the largest spot Bitcoin ETF by market cap, managing $20 billion in assets. Goldman Sachs recently disclosed a notable investment in the same ETF, with 6.9 million shares worth $238.6 million.
Overall, Morgan Stanley’s total investment in spot Bitcoin ETFs reached around $190 million by the end of Q2 2024, indicating a shift in its cryptocurrency investment strategy.
Commerzbank, one of Germany’s largest financial institutions, is making a significant move into cryptocurrency by offering Bitcoin and Ethereum trading services to its corporate clients.
For the first time in 4 years, Fed cut the rates for the first time in 4 years, which lead to a notable surge in cryptocurrency prices.
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, made headlines by becoming the first former U.S. president to make a Bitcoin transaction.
Under President Nayib Bukele, El Salvador remains committed to its daily Bitcoin acquisition strategy, currently holding assets worth approximately $354.6 million.