Data indicates that the total Bitcoin 
$78,415 holdings of U.S.-based spot Bitcoin ETFs have surpassed the estimated 1.1 million BTC owned by the pseudonymous creator of the cryptocurrency, Satoshi Nakamoto. This milestone highlights a significant shift in Bitcoin ownership dynamics, as reported by the crypto analytics platform CoinGlass.
Bitcoin Holdings of ETFs
U.S.-based Bitcoin ETFs have emerged as the largest sources of Bitcoin holdings worldwide. BlackRock’s IBIT ETF leads the pack with approximately 521,000 BTC, making it the largest holder among U.S. ETFs. Grayscale’s GBTC and Fidelity’s FBTC ETFs rank second and third, respectively.
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Last Thursday, the cumulative Bitcoin held by the ETFs exceeded Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated ownership, signaling a significant influx of capital into these funds. Bloomberg’s senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas noted on social media that U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs are now the largest BTC holders.
Eric Balchunas stated, “U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have now surpassed Satoshi, holding over 1.1 million BTC. They are the largest in the world and have existed for less than a year. Incredible.”
Satoshi’s Bitcoin Holdings
Satoshi Nakamoto is estimated to hold around 1.1 million BTC, based on research analyzing early Bitcoin mining patterns, particularly a specific behavior known as the “Patoshi Pattern.” Researchers suggest that Satoshi may have mined at least 22,000 blocks, each yielding a reward of 50 BTC, leading to the estimated total of approximately 1.1 million BTC.
Importantly, none of the BTC attributed to Satoshi has been spent, providing additional evidence that these coins indeed belong to him.
Other Major Bitcoin Holders
Beyond ETFs, other significant Bitcoin holders include the cryptocurrency exchange Binance with 633,103 BTC, Michael Saylor’s MicroStrategy with 402,100 BTC, and the U.S. Government with 198,109 BTC. Despite the overall downturn in crypto markets throughout most of 2024, it is noteworthy that Bitcoin ETFs have grown with total investments exceeding $33 billion (51.5 billion AUD) since January. Last week alone saw nearly $2.4 billion (3.7 billion AUD) added.
These developments illustrate a growing interest in Bitcoin and a trend of increased institutional adoption of ETFs. The fact that the combined Bitcoin holdings of ETFs now surpass Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated ownership may indicate a broader acceptance of cryptocurrency assets.
