Ethereum News Today: ARK Invest Bets Big on Ether’s Future with $31M Crypto Treasury Play

ARK Invest, the investment firm led by Cathie Wood, has significantly increased its stake in BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR) and Bullish, a crypto exchange and parent company of CoinDesk, signaling a continued bet on the crypto sector. On Friday, trade disclosures revealed that ARK’s Innovation ETF (ARKK), Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW), and Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) collectively purchased 387,000 shares of BitMine and 144,000 shares of Bullish. The purchases amounted to over $23.5 million in BitMine and $7.5 million in Bullish stock as of Friday’s closing prices. ARKK was the largest single buyer, acquiring 257,108 shares of BitMine and 81,811 shares of Bullish. These moves mark a continuation of ARK’s strategy to deepen its exposure to the crypto ecosystem while simultaneously trimming positions in non-crypto-related stocks such as DraftKings, Roku, Roblox, and Teradyne.

BitMine, which has positioned itself as the largest corporate holder of ether (ETH), is currently holding 2.069 million ETH, valued at over $9 billion. This represents a significant increase from its earlier holdings of 1.87 million ETH reported in late August. The firm’s treasury strategy, which aims to accumulate 5% of the total ether supply, is gaining traction as centralized exchanges experience a 38% decline in ether reserves since 2022. In a notable move, BitMine also announced a $20 million strategic investment in Eightco Holdings (OCTO), an e-commerce firm planning to adopt Worldcoin (WLD) as its primary treasury asset. The investment is part of BitMine’s broader “Moonshot” strategy to back projects that enhance the Ethereum ecosystem. This has already driven a more than 1,000% surge in OCTO’s stock price in pre-market trading, highlighting the potential for cross-sector synergies.

The growing institutional accumulation of ether is reshaping the dynamics of the crypto market, particularly in terms of liquidity and supply distribution. BitMine’s recent $65 million acquisition of ether through over-the-counter (OTC) transactions via Galaxy Digital underscores the firm’s aggressive approach to expanding its holdings. At current market prices, BitMine’s ether holdings account for more than 1.5% of Ethereum’s circulating supply, all acquired without leverage and entirely in cash. This strategy has positioned BitMine as the second-largest crypto treasury firm globally, behind Marathon Digital Holdings (MSTR), which holds $71 billion worth of Bitcoin. BitMine’s leadership in ether accumulation has also translated into increased trading volume; according to Fundstrat data, the firm’s stock has an average daily dollar volume of $1.7 billion, ranking it among the top 30 most-traded stocks in the U.S.

ARK’s recent investments in BitMine and Bullish are part of a broader trend of institutional investors seeking exposure to the crypto sector through equities rather than direct crypto holdings. The firm has been a consistent buyer of BitMine since its initial public offering (IPO), including a $172 million investment on its first trading day in August. The continued support from ARK and other institutional investors, including Founders Fund, Pantera, and Galaxy Digital, reflects growing confidence in BitMine’s ability to execute its long-term strategy. This confidence is further reinforced by the firm’s recent pivot to Ethereum-focused operations and its strategic partnerships in both traditional finance and decentralized technology sectors.

The broader crypto market has also seen notable movement, with Bullish’s stock gaining 6% on Friday following its $1.1 billion IPO. The exchange, which operates in jurisdictions including the UK and Singapore, has seen increased interest from Wall Street, particularly in the wake of the SEC’s Project Crypto and the passing of the GENIUS Act. These developments are shaping a regulatory and market environment that may lead to further institutional adoption of crypto assets, particularly those with strong on-chain and institutional backing. As BitMine continues to expand its Ethereum treasury and explore innovative investment strategies, it is reinforcing the idea that Ethereum is becoming a core asset for the future of digital finance.

Source:

[1] ARK Invest Snaps Up $23.5M in BitMine, Bullish Shares Across Flagship ETFs (https://www.coindesk.com/markets/2025/09/06/ark-invest-snaps-up-usd23-5m-in-bitmine-and-bullish-shares-across-flagship-etfs)

[2] ARK Invest Buys BitMine and Bullish Stock Across Flagship ETFs (https://cointelegraph.com/news/ark-invest-crypto-bitmine-bullish-stock-buys)

[3] BitMine Immersion (BMNR) ETH Holdings Exceed 2.069 Million, Reigning as the 1 ETH Treasury in the World (https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bitmine-immersion-bmnr-eth-holdings-exceed-2-069-million-reigning-as-the-1-eth-treasury-in-the-world-2nd-largest-crypto-treasury-globally-302548699.html)

[4] BitMine Now Holds $9B in Crypto Treasury, Fuels 1,000% Surge in WLD-Linked Stock (https://www.coindesk.com/business/2025/09/08/bitmine-now-holds-usd9b-in-crypto-treasury-fuels-1-000-surge-in-wld-linked-stock)

[5] BitMine Widens Ethereum Treasury Lead as ETH Stash Hits 2 Million (https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bitmine-widens-ethereum-treasury-lead-144750614.html)