In a significant move highlighting growing institutional interest in cryptocurrencies, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund reportedly invested $200 million in Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) in 2023, just as talk of Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) approval was gaining momentum in the United States.
Thiel's Crypto Foray
Sources familiar with the venture capital fund's crypto investment strategy revealed that Founders Fund allocated $100 million each to Bitcoin and Ethereum amid escalating anticipation surrounding the approval of Bitcoin ETFs in 2023. Notably, Founders Fund has been actively involved in Bitcoin investments since 2014, with previous reports indicating a notable BTC investment in 2018.
Institutional Demand Soars
The timing of Founders Fund's sizable crypto investment coincided with a period of surging institutional demand for Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. The growing accessibility of digital assets through spot ETFs has spurred institutional participation, with Bitcoin's price surpassing the $50,000 mark on Feb. 12, a milestone not seen since December 2021.
Bitcoin ETF Inflows Surge
Spot Bitcoin ETFs witnessed a staggering $1.1 billion in inflows in early February, according to a CoinShares report, marking a significant shift in institutional capital allocation. Since their approval on Jan. 12, Bitcoin ETFs have attracted a total of $2.8 billion in capital inflows, signaling heightened institutional confidence in the asset class.
Bitcoin ETF Holdings
Excluding Grayscale's GBTC, Bitcoin ETFs now hold over 192,000 BTC, with combined assets under management reaching $59 billion, the highest since early 2022. Despite the substantial holdings, analysts note that they pose no significant threat to Bitcoin's decentralized nature.
Thiel's Perspective
MicroStrategy founder Michael Saylor echoed sentiments of increasing institutional interest in Bitcoin, emphasizing its unique value proposition as a novel, digital, and uncorrelated asset. Saylor highlighted the pent-up demand for Bitcoin among institutional investors, which is now being channeled through Bitcoin ETFs.
Market Dynamics
Market analysts attribute Bitcoin's recent surge to various macroeconomic factors, including the long-awaited Bitcoin halving and the approval of Bitcoin ETFs in the U.S. These developments reflect a broader trend of institutional adoption and acceptance of cryptocurrencies as viable investment assets.
Peter Thiel's substantial crypto investment underscores the growing institutional confidence in Bitcoin and Ethereum, signaling a significant milestone in the mainstream adoption of digital assets.
#Bitcoin is the world’s most popular investment asset. It is novel, digital, global, unique, and uncorrelated to traditional risk assets. That makes it a natural addition to the portfolio of a responsible investor. pic.twitter.com/ZOEVkKDh0T
— Michael Saylor⚡️ (@saylor) February 12, 2024
