Abu Dhabi Investment Council Triples Bitcoin ETF Holdings, Boosting Crypto Confidence

B. Ali
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In Q3 2025, the Abu Dhabi Investment Council (ADIC) significantly expanded its crypto portfolio by more than tripling its stake in BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). Regulatory filings on November 19 reveal ADIC increased its holdings from roughly 2.4 million shares at the end of Q2 to nearly 8 million shares (7,963,393) by the end of Q3.

These shares were worth around $518 million at the end of September, meaning ADIC more than tripled its Bitcoin ETF investment. This shows that ADIC is strongly pushing into digital assets despite the recent ups and downs in the crypto market.

ADIC’s Strategic Bitcoin Expansion Amid Market Volatility

This expansion came during a quarter when Bitcoin experienced significant gains, peaking above $126,000 in early October. However, subsequent price corrections pulled Bitcoin down by around 20% to 25% in October and November, leading to heavy outflows from U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs. For instance, IBIT experienced a record single-day redemption of $523 million in November.

Despite this, ADIC’s move appears strategic rather than speculative, aligning with Abu Dhabi’s long-term diversification plans and showing confidence in Bitcoin as a digital store of value.

Abu Dhabi Strengthens Its Institutional Presence

In addition to ADIC, Mubadala Investment Company, Abu Dhabi’s flagship sovereign wealth fund, maintained its 8.7 million-share IBIT position during the same period. Together, these two entities hold roughly 16.7 million to 16.96 million shares, representing over $1 billion in exposure. As a result, the UAE has become one of the largest sovereign holders of Bitcoin through regulated U.S. ETFs.

In fact, ADIC’s ETF allocation complements Abu Dhabi’s growing direct Bitcoin exposure, including mining operations tied to Citadel Mining and the Marathon Digital–Zero Two joint venture, which have added thousands of mined Bitcoins to the emirate’s broader digital asset footprint.

Long-Term Confidence and Investor Sentiment

Notably, a representative from ADIC told Bloomberg that the fund sees Bitcoin as a digital store of value, similar to gold. The ETF allocation is a small but meaningful part of Abu Dhabi’s long-term plan to reduce reliance on oil revenue. This shows that Abu Dhabi is actively participating in the digital asset market, even during periods of short-term price swings.

This move is likely to boost investor confidence and attract careful investors, as ADIC’s actions show strong institutional support for Bitcoin. Unlike recent market drops, strategic investments like this can help stabilize prices and make Bitcoin more appealing as a long-term hedge against traditional assets.

Looking forward, actions by institutions and sovereign investors are expected to influence the crypto market, shaping both short-term trading and the long-term adoption of digital assets.

About B. Ali PRO INVESTOR

Live webinar speaker and derivatives (Forex, Crypto, and Indices) analyst with a broad range of skills for evaluating financial data, investment trends, technical analysis, fundamental analysis, and the best ways to strategies investment selection.  Expertise: Trading Psychology; Speculative Positioning & Market Sentiment; Technical & Fundamental Analysis.