Bitcoin April 23, 2026

BlackRock Fires Back With $900M Bitcoin Buy to Reclaim Top Spot From Saylor

Bitcoin’s price is holding near recent highs, but the bigger movement is happening behind the scenes. Over the past week, BlackRock’s Bitcoin exposure increased as the asset manager added around $900 million worth of the king coin. The move helped it regain the top spot among institutional Bitcoin holders, just days after briefly losing it.

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BlackRock IBIT Now Holds 806,700 BTC After Saylor Briefly Took the Lead Last Week

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) now holds 806,700 BTC. This is valued at about $63.7 billion. The total marks a new high for the fund and follows consistent inflows over the past few weeks.

The latest update comes shortly after MicroStrategy, now Strategy, moved ahead with 815,061 BTC on its balance sheet. The firm, led by Michael Saylor, has been buying aggressively in 2026. The company was seen adding close to 80,000 BTC this year.

Strategy has acquired 34,164 BTC for ~$2.54 billion at ~$74,395 per bitcoin and has achieved BTC Yield of 9.5% YTD 2026. As of 4/19/2026, we hodl 815,061 $BTC acquired for ~$61.56 billion at ~$75,527 per bitcoin. $MSTR $STRC https://t.co/ifGXjMeIZH
— Michael Saylor (@saylor) April 20, 2026

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ETF Inflows vs Treasury Accumulation

The difference between the two is in how they accumulate Bitcoin. IBIT shows investor demand through ETF inflows, offering regulated exposure to Bitcoin’s price. Strategy, on the other hand, continues to use debt and equity financing to fund direct purchases.

IBIT’s recent growth has been driven by steady inflows. The fund added about 21,500 BTC across nine consecutive trading days and has seen inflows on most trading sessions this quarter. US-listed Bitcoin ETFs as a group have also seen a reversal in flows, bringing in roughly $2 billion over the past month.

BlackRock’s ETF currently accounts for nearly 49% of total US spot Bitcoin ETF assets. This is keeping it well ahead of competitors. The gap between IBIT and Strategy remains small, and both continue to add BTC. BlackRock has moved back into the lead. But the ongoing accumulation on both sides suggests the competition among institutional Bitcoin holders is likely to continue.

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