The central banks of Switzerland and Norway have revealed that they hold significant amounts of Bitcoin through their investments in MicroStrategy, the largest holding company of the cryptocurrency.
According to a post by Collin Brown on X, the Swiss National Bank holds approximately 500 BTC, while Norges Bank, which is responsible for Norway's Government Pension Fund, holds around 1.400 BTC.
The data published by Brown highlights a broader trend of institutional adoption of Bitcoin, where central banks are looking for alternatives to diversify their reserves and benefit from the growing popularity of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin around the world.
The indirect investment in Bitcoin by these financial institutions not only reflects a change in the perception of the digital asset, but also demonstrates an intention to be at the forefront of financial innovation.
MicroStrategy, an indirect link to Bitcoin
MicroStrategy, the business intelligence company co-founded by Michael Saylor, has emerged as a key player in institutional investment in Bitcoin, amassing a total of 226.500 BTC, valued at over $13.450 billion to date. The company has maintained a strong investment strategy in Bitcoin over the past 4 years, attracting the attention of several pension funds and central banks, which, although they do not invest directly in the cryptocurrency, gain exposure to it indirectly through their MSTR shares.
El Norges Bank owns 1.123 billion MicroStrategy shares, giving him a significant stake in the company and therefore his exposure to Bitcoin.
Similarly, the Swiss National Bank has increased its stake in MicroStrategy by 60%, reaching around 466.000 sharesThis strategy allows central banks to benefit from Bitcoin's price growth without having to deal with the regulatory and custodial challenges that come with directly holding this cryptocurrency.
On the other hand, investing in MicroStrategy stock is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative for central banks looking to diversify their assets. By doing so, they can benefit from fluctuations in the price of Bitcoin while maintaining the traditional structure of stock investments, which is more familiar and less volatile in terms of regulation.
Institutional adoption of Bitcoin continues
The decision by central banks to indirectly invest in Bitcoin through MicroStrategy reflects the key future that cryptocurrencies have in the financial arena. The growing participation of financial institutions in the Bitcoin market may be an indication that the cryptocurrency is gaining acceptance as a legitimate and safe asset, which could pave the way for more institutions to feel comfortable integrating it into their investment strategies.
Moreover, the trend of central banks diversifying their reserves with digital assets may lead to greater stability in the cryptocurrency market. With more institutions investing in Bitcoin, the volatility of this market could decrease over time, which in turn could attract more retail investors and increase market liquidity.
In this way, the revelation that the central banks of Switzerland and Norway hold Bitcoin through MicroStrategy represents a significant milestone in the institutional adoption of cryptoassets. As more financial institutions consider investing in Bitcoin, either directly or indirectly, one can anticipate a shift in the perception of the digital asset in the financial sphere, which will reinforce the legitimacy of Bitcoin as an emerging asset class and one of the greatest innovations of our times.
