Wisconsin Investment Board Becomes First State Pension To Buy Spot Bitcoin ETFs, Holds Over $162 Million

SWIB announced in a new SEC filing that it invested in BlackRock and Grayscale's Bitcoin ETF.

May 14, 2024 - 21:30
 0
Wisconsin Investment Board Becomes First State Pension To Buy Spot Bitcoin ETFs, Holds Over $162 Million

Today, the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) has revealed its substantial investments in Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) through a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). According to the filing, SWIB holds nearly $100 million worth of BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT).

This disclosure marks SWIB as the first state-level institution to publicly announce its holdings in spot Bitcoin ETFs, signaling a notable step in the integration of Bitcoin into traditional investment portfolios. 

"Wow, a state pension bought $IBIT in first quarter. Normally you don't get these big fish institutions in the 13Fs for a year or so (when the ETF gets more liquidity) but as we've seen these are no ordinary launches," Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas commented on the news. "Good sign, expect more, as institutions tend to move in herds."

SWIB also disclosed in the filing that it holds over $63 million of Grayscale's spot Bitcoin ETF (GBTC), totaling over $162 million between these two holdings.

The recent wave of 13F filings by institutions disclosing their Bitcoin ETF holdings highlights the increasing institutional interest in Bitcoin. These filings not only include prominent institutional investors like SWIB but also major traditional firms such as the largest bank in America, JPMorgan Chase, which has disclosed its spot Bitcoin ETF holdings as it serves as a market maker for these ETFs.

"This is a small part of a massive public investment fund (total value of all positions in the 13F filing is $37.8 billion). But the long-term importance cannot be overstated," stated market researcher and analyst, MacroScope. "Wisconsin is now the second-largest reporting holder of IBIT globally. This will be closely analyzed and widely discussed by other state investment boards. Watch for others to follow in coming quarters."

What's Your Reaction?

like

dislike

love

funny

angry

sad

wow

Viral News Code whisperer by profession, narrative alchemist by passion. With 6 years of tech expertise under my belt, I bring a unique blend of logic and imagination to ViralNews360. Expect everything from tech explainers that melt your brain (but not your circuits) to heartwarming tales that tug at your heartstrings. Come on in, the virtual coffee's always brewing!