Will Tesla Add More Bitcoins Ahead of Spot Bitcoin ETF Approval?

On Wednesday, February 18, EV giant Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) filed its quarterly financial report which shows that the company continues to hold its Bitcoins firmly. Currently, Tesla holds 9,720 Bitcoins on its balance sheet worth over $275 million as of the current price. Over the past few quarters, Tesla has kept its Bitcoin holdings unchanged.

Tesla’s Bitcoin Bet

The development can give confidence to long-term investors looking to add more to the kitty. The macro developments and the current Bitcoin price movements have kept investors on the edge thinking about the next directional movement.

Tesla added a staggering $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoins back in February 2021, when the BTC price was trading at $34,000. Later, after Tesla’s purchase, the Bitcoin price surged all the way to hitting its all-time high of $69,000 by the same year-end.

However, Musk’s stance appeared to shift shortly after, expressing concerns about the environmental impact of bitcoin mining powered by fossil fuels. Consequently, Tesla sold a portion of its treasury holding, consisting of 4,320 BTC, in the first quarter of 2021. Subsequently, in the second quarter of 2022, the company divested approximately 75% of its remaining bitcoin at a 48% price loss.

Will Tesla Add More?

Tesla is currently the third-largest public holder of Bitcoins in the globe. On the other hand, Tesla CEO Elon Musk is also optimistic about the future of BTC and sees it as a potential hedge against fiat currencies.

However, the current report doesn’t make it clear regarding the conviction of Tesla holding the crypto. But considering the developments around spot Bitcoin ETF, more institutional money is likely to flow in, and Tesla wouldn’t want to miss the bus.

On the other hand, the stick inflation, rising interest rates, etc. bring a lot of uncertainty into the US economy with growing anticipation of a possible recession and slowdown ahead. In such a case, holding more BTC on the balance sheet could provide companies with a hedge against the concerning macros.

Investors closely monitor Tesla’s actions regarding its bitcoin holdings, well aware that Musk’s involvement in cryptocurrencies has a documented history of influencing the market. Thus, any positive commentary on adding Bitcoins by Tesla could propel the cryptocurrency to a new all-time high.