Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Goes All-In on Bitcoin, Boosts Stake in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust

Holy smokes, Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Investment Company isn't messing around! They've seriously upped their game in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust, showing the world that they're all about that crypto life. We're talking one of the biggest sovereign wealth funds out there diving deeper into the wild world of digital currency.

Mubadala's Bitcoin Bet: The Numbers Don't Lie

Get this: according to a juicy filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 15, as of March 31, Mubadala was holding a whopping 8.7 million IBIT shares, clocking in at a cool $408.5 million. That's a serious jump from the 8.2 million shares they had at the end of 2024. These guys are not playing around!

Now, sure, the total value took a bit of a dip from $436 million, thanks to some rollercoaster action in IBIT's price, which was hanging out at $58.86 on May 15. But hey, that's just part of the thrill of the crypto ride, right?

Why IBIT? It's All About That Crypto Convenience

So, you might be wondering, why go for IBIT? Well, it's just a tiny slice of Mubadala's massive $300 billion pie, but it's one of the biggest Bitcoin ETF moves a sovereign wealth fund has ever made. And here's the kicker: investing in IBIT lets them get in on the Bitcoin action without the hassle of actually holding the crypto themselves. No private keys, no custody headaches, no compliance nightmares—just pure, simple exposure to Bitcoin's wild ride.

Plus, IBIT is like the rockstar of spot Bitcoin ETFs since its launch in early 2024, with over 33 million shares traded every single day. That's some serious action!

While Mubadala Goes Big, Others Step Back

But hold up, it's not all smooth sailing in the world of crypto investing. In Q1 of 2025, the State of Wisconsin Investment Board totally bailed on IBIT, dumping all 6 million of their shares, which were worth a hefty $355.6 million. Talk about a sharp U-turn from their previous all-in strategy!

Crypto Fever Spreads: Governments Get on Board

Meanwhile, the crypto fever is spreading like wildfire, even among governments. In the U.S., President Donald Trump is all about creating a national Strategic Bitcoin Reserve. And on the regulatory side, U.S. banks are now finding it way easier to custody crypto, thanks to some slick policy changes. Plus, the state of Missouri is working to kill off those pesky capital gains taxes on digital assets like Bitcoin. It's like the whole world is waking up to the crypto revolution!