Bitcoin ETFs Set to Surpass Satoshi's Holdings by Year-End

US spot Bitcoin ETFs are on track to achieve a remarkable milestone by year-end, potentially surpassing Satoshi Nakamoto’s legendary Bitcoin holdings of around 1.1 million BTC. With strong price performance and rising institutional interest, Bitcoin ETFs are rapidly becoming major players in the cryptocurrency market, nearing the title of the largest Bitcoin holders globally. At the same time, these funds are closing in on gold ETFs in terms of assets under management (AUM).

Since their launch in January, US spot Bitcoin ETFs have witnessed substantial growth. According to crypto analyst HODL15Capital, they currently hold approximately 1.081 million BTC, just shy of Nakamoto's estimated stash. Satoshi Nakamoto, Bitcoin’s anonymous creator, is believed to hold about 5.68% of the total Bitcoin supply, worth over $100 billion. If the current growth trend continues, analysts predict ETFs could surpass Nakamoto’s holdings by Thanksgiving.

Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas highlighted the rapid pace of inflows into these ETFs. He stated that they are now 98% of the way to surpassing Nakamoto’s Bitcoin holdings. “At this rate, the milestone could be reached within days if inflows remain consistent,” Balchunas noted.

Over the past week, these ETFs experienced a significant surge in inflows, with a 97% week-on-week increase to $3.3 billion. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust alone accounted for $2 billion of these inflows. Many attribute this spike to the introduction of options trading for these ETFs, which is drawing more institutional investors into the space. This growing interest reflects a shift in mainstream adoption of Bitcoin as a key investment asset.

In addition to surpassing Nakamoto, Bitcoin ETFs are steadily catching up to gold ETFs in AUM. Currently, gold ETFs manage $120 billion, while Bitcoin ETFs are not far behind at $107 billion. Analysts believe that Bitcoin ETFs could overtake gold ETFs by Christmas, marking another major milestone in the crypto industry.

Bitcoin’s exceptional performance this year has played a pivotal role in this growth. The cryptocurrency has surged nearly 160% since January, trading close to $100,000 and reaching a market capitalization of $1.91 trillion. This makes Bitcoin more valuable than silver and even larger than companies like Saudi Aramco. However, Bitcoin still trails behind gold, which boasts a market capitalization exceeding $18 trillion.

These developments underline Bitcoin’s growing appeal among institutional investors and its increasing role as a competitor to traditional assets like gold. As Bitcoin ETFs continue to gain traction, their impact on the broader financial landscape is becoming undeniable.