Andrew Grant
While most of the crypto world was busy watching charts and memecoins, one of the biggest sovereign wealth funds on the planet made a serious move. We’re not talking about small players here. The Abu Dhabi Bitcoin investment is coming from a $300 billion fund, that’s a serious signal. Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Investment Company invested over $408 million into Bitcoin, but not by buying Bitcoin directly.
Instead, they did it through BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), one of the fastest-growing spot Bitcoin ETFs out there. No headlines, no Twitter threads, just a quiet, calculated entry into the world of digital assets.
$408.5 Million Worth of IBIT Shares
During the first quarter of 2025, Mubadala picked up another 491,000 shares of IBIT, bringing their total to around 8.7 million shares. That adds up to $408.5 million in Bitcoin exposure as of March 31.
ABU DHABI SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND JUST DISCLOSED BUYING $511,799,977.26 WORTH OF #BITCOIN ETF
THIS IS WILD!!! pic.twitter.com/1vXKlZfRgV
— Vivek
(@Vivek4real_) May 15, 2025
Now, to put it in perspective, Mubadala manages around $302 billion in total. So this isn’t a massive slice of their pie, but it’s still one of the largest known ETF-based Bitcoin allocations by any sovereign wealth fund to date. And it tells us a lot about how institutions are starting to treat crypto.
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Why Go Through IBIT Instead of Buying Bitcoin?
Because it’s simpler and safer from an institutional point of view.
Managing real Bitcoin means figuring out custody, private keys, and compliance headaches. For a fund like Mubadala, that’s a logistical nightmare. But buying into IBIT? It’s just like buying shares of any other stock or ETF. You get Bitcoin exposure without touching the stuff directly.
BlackRock launched IBIT in early 2024, and since then, it’s exploded in popularity. It trades like a regular stock, has over 33 million shares moving daily, and sits at around $58.67 a share. That kind of liquidity makes it an easy fit for institutions that want in, but on their terms.
Sovereign Wealth Funds Are Warming Up to Bitcoin
Mubadala isn’t alone. Sovereign funds around the world, from Singapore to Norway, have been cautiously exploring the crypto space for a while now. But most of that has been behind closed doors, in the form of venture bets or indirect exposure.
Mubadala’s IBIT investment is different. It’s large, it’s on paper, and it’s easy to track. That level of transparency is rare and shows a change in how governments and large institutions are thinking about Bitcoin.
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Some Are Still Stepping Back
Interestingly, as Mubadala moved in, Wisconsin’s State Investment Board moved out. They sold off their IBIT shares during the same quarter. It’s a good reminder that not everyone’s sold on Bitcoin yet. Some funds still see it as too volatile, too risky, or just not aligned with their mandates.
But that’s the landscape right now, divided. Some lean in. Others pull back. Everyone’s watching.
Abu Dhabi Bitcoin Investment: What This Really Means
This move won’t send Bitcoin flying tomorrow. But it does show that crypto isn’t just for startups and retail investors anymore. When a $300 billion fund quietly buys $400 million worth of Bitcoin exposure, it sends a message: digital assets are officially on the table.
Maybe not front and center, but definitely no longer on the sidelines.
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Key Takeaways
- Abu Dhabi’s $300B Mubadala fund invested $408.5 million into Bitcoin via BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), showing a serious institutional move.
- Instead of buying Bitcoin directly, Mubadala opted for IBIT to simplify custody, compliance, and exposure, a cleaner fit for institutional portfolios.
- Mubadala’s stake now totals 8.7 million IBIT shares, one of the largest known sovereign wealth fund allocations to Bitcoin exposure.
- The move shows growing interest from sovereign wealth funds globally, with Mubadala’s transparency contrasting earlier private or venture crypto plays.
- While Mubadala bought in, Wisconsin’s state fund sold out, showing the divide among institutions on whether Bitcoin is a bet worth taking.
The post Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Quietly Bets $408M on Bitcoin via BlackRock appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
