Strategy Inc., a front-runner in the cryptocurrency markets, has reached a historic milestone in institutional Bitcoin holdings. Since the beginning of 2026, the company has acquired a total of 171,238 BTC, nearly triple the approximately 62,000 BTC mined globally over the same period.
Record purchases and record reserves
The company’s most recent weekly purchase amounted to 24,869 BTC, marking its second-largest weekly acquisition ever. Strategy Inc. spent a total of $2.01 billion on this purchase, paying an average of $80,985 per Bitcoin.
An official filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission confirmed that, with this latest buy, Strategy Inc.’s total Bitcoin holdings have reached 843,738 BTC. This move places the company ahead of BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, which previously held approximately 817,000 BTC, making Strategy Inc. the new institutional leader in Bitcoin reserves.
In the past week alone, Strategy Inc. acquired ten times more Bitcoin than was collectively mined. Industry observers see this as clear evidence that demand is vastly outpacing new supply in the market.
Glossary: Strategy Inc. is a US-based financial firm drawing attention through large-scale Bitcoin investments in recent years. The company has raised significant capital through the issuance of preferred shares under the ticker STRC, using these funds to consistently purchase Bitcoin.
According to Mark Palmer of StoneX Group, most of this year’s institutional Bitcoin accumulation, including ETF-related purchases, has been spearheaded by Strategy Inc.
BTC price hits three-week low
Despite its systematic acquisition strategy, Strategy Inc.’s purchases have not prevented recent price declines. Last week, Bitcoin dipped back below the $80,000 threshold to reach its lowest point in three weeks.
On Wednesday, May 20, Bitcoin saw daily losses between 4 and 6 percent, with the price falling to approximately $76,593. At one point, the $77,000 level was also breached on the downside. According to updated data from CryptoAppsy, Bitcoin began trading around the $77,000 level during this period.
Inflation and ETF outflows add pressure
Macroeconomic indicators and persistent expectations of high interest rates in the United States have dampened demand for Bitcoin in the short term. High inflation and the Federal Reserve’s reluctance to cut rates have diminished investors’ risk appetite.
Yields on US 30-year government bonds rose to 5.18 percent, their highest since 2007, while 10-year yields hovered around 4.6 percent. These developments have pushed investors towards safer assets like bonds and cash, intensifying selling pressure on riskier options such as Bitcoin.
Institutional investors have also quickly scaled back their Bitcoin exposure during this period. In the last week of May, Bitcoin-linked exchange-traded funds (ETFs) experienced net outflows totaling $1 billion. On a single day in the spot Bitcoin ETF market, sell-offs reached $331 million.
Min Jung, a researcher at Presto Research, indicated that these outflows signal institutional investors’ pivot away from short-term risk as expectations for interest rate cuts wane.
Market seeks signs of recovery
Despite these challenges, the Bitcoin market is occasionally showing signs of recovery. Following the selloff, the BTC price climbed back above $77,000. Analysts note that if the yield on US 10-year Treasuries falls into the 3.75 to 4.0 percent range, pressure on the dollar could ease, sparking renewed investment in risk assets like Bitcoin.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s network fundamentals remain robust. However, shaken confidence among small investors means the market continues to watch the $74,000 support level closely as a critical threshold.
Investors await either a noticeable slowdown in inflation or reduced volatility in the US bond market for a new bullish move. Without these, ongoing ETF withdrawals are expected to keep Bitcoin price activity choppy in the short term.
