Digital assets investment firm Bitwise has donated $150,000 to Bitcoin open-source developers. In an announcement on X, the firm said three Bitcoin non-profits, Brink, Open Sats, and Human Rights Foundation (HRF), will be responsible for allocating the funds.
The contribution fulfills the company’s earlier pledge to donate 10% of the gross profits from its Bitwise Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETF) BITB annually. According to the firm, this is the first annual donation based on that commitment.
It said:
“Today, Bitwise is donating $150,000 to support Bitcoin open-source developers, who work tirelessly to secure and maintain the network.”
Meanwhile, the firm thanked the investors of its Bitcoin ETF product, noting that the donation was possible because they chose BITB instead of the several other Bitcoin ETFs available.
Bitwise BITB is among the top Bitcoin ETFs by assets, with $3.962 billion in assets under management (AUM). While this is only a small fraction of the $56.53 billion in BlackRock’s IBIT, the ETF is the fourth largest behind IBIT, Fidelity FBTC, and Ark 21Shares ARKB.
The firm added that its contributions will continue to grow as BITB attracts more investment, noting that it will “strive to do our part to be a good steward of this incredible ecosystem alongside you.”
Bitwise donations show it made $1.5 million in gross profits on its Bitcoin ETF in 2024. This is not completely surprising, given that the firm charges one of the lowest fees, 0.2%. Compared to it, BlackRock and Fidelity, which charge a 0.25% fee and have far higher AUM, likely made way more money.
ETFs boost institutional Bitcoin adoption
Meanwhile, Bitcoin ETFs have contributed significantly to the institutional adoption of Bitcoin according to the latest data on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 13F filings. A 13F filing is filed quarterly by institutional investment managers to show securities holdings that exceed $100 million.
According to Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, the value of Bitcoin ETF holdings disclosed through 13F filings reached $38.7 billion in Q4, a threefold increase from the $12.4 billion in Q3. Overall, professional investors now own 28% of the Bitcoin ETF assets and Hougan predicted this could surpass 40% by the end of 2025.
Bloomberg senior analyst Eric Balchunas also noted that IBIT alone has 1,100 holders who filed 13Fs, showing massive institutional adoption towards the end of the year.
Signs of the growing ETF adoption are already evident even among retail holders. Popular Bitcoin maximalist Plan B disclosed that he had transferred all his Bitcoin to ETFs because it helped him better manage his BTC.
He said:
“Yes I know, not your keys not your coins. But it is just easier for me to manage bitcoin the same way as equities and bonds. Also, not having to hassle with keys gives me peace of mind. I guess I am not a maxi anymore.”
Another way institutional investors have been gaining exposure to Bitcoin is through the MSTR stock. The number of 13F filings for MSTR has grown substantially since the company adopted a Bitcoin treasury strategy, reaching 1,051 in Q4 of 2024.
Analysts predict Bitcoin will see a resurgence
Meanwhile, industry stakeholders believe Bitcoin is poised to see its value rise despite recent struggles. Crypto analyst James Van Straten noted that Bitcoin will reach new highs as financial conditions loosen.
He noted the significance of BTC institutional adoption to all these, stating:
“Bitcoin became even further entrenched into the financial system with the addition of ETFs and options”
However, Van Straten does not expect Bitcoin to see a major price spike this month and believes a new high will not come until mid-March. BTC is currently trading at $95,000 and has fallen 10% in the past 30 days.
