Institutional Bitcoin Exposure Grows Through ETFs in 2025

According to PANews, institutional investors have significantly increased their exposure to Bitcoin through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the second quarter of 2025, reaching a total of $33.6 billion. Data shared by Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart reveals that institutions have collectively added 57,375 Bitcoins across all tracked categories. Currently, investment advisors hold Bitcoin ETF positions valued at $17.4 billion, nearly double the $9 billion exposure held by hedge fund managers. Among new investors, Brevan Howard Capital Management has emerged as the largest institutional shareholder, with its BlackRock iShares Bitcoin Trust shares increasing to 37.5 million, valued at $2.3 billion. Harvard Management Company has also entered the market with a position worth $117 million, aligning its allocation with the largest publicly traded U.S. stocks, and its endowment fund's Bitcoin holdings now exceed gold in dollar terms. Seyffart notes that investment advisors are the largest holders of spot Bitcoin ETFs, having increased their holdings by 37,156 Bitcoins in the second quarter, bringing their total to 161,909 Bitcoins. Among 15 categories, nearly all saw increased holdings, except for pension funds, which remained unchanged. Brokerage firms and banks ranked second and third in institutional increases. The scale of investment advisor allocations surpasses the combined total of other institutions, indicating a rapid integration of professional wealth management. However, the $33.6 billion institutional allocation is based on 13F form filing data and represents only 25% of the total Bitcoin ETF shares. The remaining 75% is held by investors who are not required to file, most of whom are retail investors.