ARK Invest Bets Big on Crypto's Institutional Turn With Bullish and Robinhood Buys

ARK Invest, led by Cathie Wood, has further expanded its positions in crypto-related equities, purchasing $21.2 million in shares of Bullish and $16.2 million in Robinhood on August 19. These acquisitions were made through the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), bringing the firm’s total holdings in Bullish to 1,165,397 shares valued at approximately $73.85 million. This latest buy builds on an earlier $172 million investment in Bullish made across three ETFs following the company’s debut on the New York Stock Exchange [1].

The move reflects Ark Invest’s continued strategic interest in the evolving crypto ecosystem. Bullish, a Cayman-based exchange that recently completed a $1.1 billion IPO, has seen significant institutional backing and was valued at 83.8% above its IPO price in its first trading session. The firm also owns CoinDesk, a major crypto news and data provider. Bullish’s CEO, Tom Farley, has highlighted the beginning of a new institutional wave in crypto, which the firm believes could mark a pivotal moment for the sector [4].

Robinhood, a key component of Ark’s crypto-adjacent portfolio, has also benefited from sustained investment. On Tuesday, the firm added to its position for the third consecutive trading day, following purchases of $14 million on Monday and $9 million on Friday. Robinhood has become a recurring target of Ark’s investment strategy, with the ARK Innovation ETF increasing its exposure to the stock to 4.09% of total holdings [6]. Despite these inflows, both Bullish and Robinhood experienced declines in Tuesday’s trading session, with Bullish closing at $59.51 and Robinhood at $107.50 [7].

The broader crypto sector was under pressure on the day, with other major players also seeing their shares fall. Coinbase dropped 5.82%, Galaxy Digital fell 10.06%, and Circle declined 4.49%. The Nasdaq Composite also declined by 1.46%, reflecting broader market jitters and a shift in investor sentiment following recent rate-cut optimism. Investors are now looking ahead to the Federal Reserve’s Jackson Hole symposium for potential policy signals that could influence the market’s direction [7].

The firm’s recent strategy also highlights its long-term vision for the growth of digital assets and related sectors. According to ARK Invest’s projections, the autonomous ride-hailing sector could reach a $10 trillion market value by 2030, reinforcing the firm’s commitment to disruptive themes such as blockchain and decentralized finance [2]. Ark’s recent investments come amid a broader trend of institutional interest in the crypto space, with other firms including Circle and Galaxy Digital also making public market moves.

Source: [1] Ark Invest Buys $21.2M of Bullish Shares and $16.2M (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ark-invest-buys-21-2m-041250425.html) [2] Why Cathie Wood's ARK Invest And Others Are Betting On (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-cathie-woods-ark-invest-161813691.html) [3] Ark Invest buys $21M Bullish, $16M Robinhood shares (https://cointelegraph.com/news/ark-invest-buys-21m-bullish-16m-robinhood) [4] Bullish stock soars 83% in NYSE debut after crypto IPO (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/13/crypto-exchange-bullish-more-than-doubles-in-nyse-debut-after-pricing-ipo-above-expected-range.html) [5] Ark Invest Buys $21.2M of Bullish Shares and $16.2M (https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/08/20/ark-invest-buys-usd21-2m-of-bullish-shares-and-usd16-2m-robinhood-shares) [6] Ark Invest buys $14 million worth of Robinhood shares (https://www.theblock.co/post/367370/ark-invest-14-million-robinhood) [7] Ark Invest buys $21 million in Bullish and $16 (https://www.theblock.co/amp/post/367564/ark-invest-buys-bullish-robinhood)