Bitcoin News Today: Norges Bank Boosts Bitcoin Exposure by 84% Through Strategy and Metaplanet Buys

Norway’s $1.7 trillion sovereign wealth fund, Norges Bank, has significantly increased its indirect Bitcoin holdings by 84% in the second quarter of 2025, according to an analysis by Standard Chartered. The fund achieved this increase primarily by purchasing shares in Michael Saylor’s firm Strategy and Japan-based Metaplanet, both of which hold large amounts of Bitcoin in their corporate treasuries. Norges Bank’s exposure to Bitcoin, previously around 6,200 BTC, has now risen to 11,400 BTC as of the end of the quarter [1].

Geoffrey Kendrick, Standard Chartered’s head of digital asset research, described the move as a “proactive position” by the fund, highlighting a broader trend among sovereign wealth funds and government entities to gain indirect exposure to Bitcoin through investments in firms with large crypto holdings. Kendrick’s findings were based on 13F filings submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by companies holding BTC ETFs, Strategy, and Metaplanet [1].

Norges Bank’s strategy has slightly shifted from its earlier focus on Strategy to include Metaplanet as part of its investment approach. According to Kendrick, the fund’s stake in Metaplanet accounts for the equivalent of about 200 BTC, while its exposure through Strategy remains dominant. Strategy (MSTR) holds the largest corporate Bitcoin balance sheet with 628,946 BTC, while Metaplanet ranks seventh with 18,113 BTC [1].

Kendrick also revised his Bitcoin price target, raising it to $200K by the end of the year. This aligns with Steven McClurg, CEO of Canary Capital, who predicts BTC could reach $140K–$150K this year even amid anticipated Federal Reserve rate cuts. McClurg stated that rate cuts should have already occurred and expects them to be announced in September and October 2025 [1].

The increasing appetite for Bitcoin among institutional investors and sovereign funds signals a growing acceptance of the cryptocurrency as a strategic asset. Norges Bank’s move underscores Bitcoin’s evolving role in portfolio diversification and highlights how indirect exposure through corporate treasuries is becoming a preferred method for institutional adoption [1].

Source: [1] Norges Bank Ups Bitcoin Exposure By 84%: Standard Chartered (https://insidebitcoins.com/news/norways-1-7t-sovereign-wealth-fund-boosts-bitcoin-holdings-84-via-strategy-metaplanet-buys)