ARK Invest Boosts Coinbase Stake by 50% Amid Tariff Fears

Cathie Wood’s investment firm ARK Invest has made significant adjustments to its portfolio in response to the United States’ latest trade tariffs. The firm has increased its position in Coinbase while simultaneously offloading shares of its spot Bitcoin ETF.

According to trading data, ARK Invest has acquired $26.6 million of Coinbase (COIN) stock since the announcement of new trade tariffs on April 2. This includes a $13.2 million purchase on April 7 and another $13.3 million purchase on April 4. This move indicates a bullish stance on Coinbase, despite the broader market sell-off triggered by the tariffs.

Contrary to its bullish stance on Coinbase, ARK Invest sold $12 million of its ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB) on April 7. This sale is notable as it is one of the largest daily ARKB sales by the firm. The latest dump follows previous sales of $8 million on March 3, $8.6 million in February, and two smaller sales from January totaling $3.5 million.

Despite these sales, ARK’s Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW) still offers indirect exposure to Bitcoin through its ARK Bitcoin ETF Holdco, which holds $142 million in ARKB, accounting for 11% of the fund’s weight. This indicates that ARK remains committed to Bitcoin exposure, albeit through different investment vehicles.

The new trades by ARK Invest came amid a major market sell-off, with Bitcoin briefly sliding following the tariffs announcement. This market reaction highlights the sensitivity of cryptocurrency markets to broader economic policies and trade tensions.

Despite the recent selling pressure, ARK remains one of the few spot Bitcoin ETF issuers with net positive flows year to date. As of April 4, ARK had recorded $146 million in inflows for 2025. Other issuers with positive year-to-date inflows include BlackRock’s iShares and ProShares, indicating a continued interest in Bitcoin ETFs despite market volatility.