Hong Kong Investment Firm Loads Up on BlackRock Bitcoin ETF, Shares Grow to $688M

By: bitcoin ethereum news|2025/05/16 13:00:12
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In brief Hong Kong-based Avenir increased its holdings of BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF to 14.7 million shares, worth $688 million as of March 31, a financial disclosure from the firm shows. The firm’s IBIT shares increased by 30% in the first quarter. Spot Bitcoin ETFs have recorded record-smashing inflows, despite a dip in trading earlier this spring. Hong Kong investment group Avenir snapped up another 3.4 million shares of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) during the first quarter, bringing its holdings of the fund to nearly $700 million, according to a U.S. regulatory filing published Thursday—further evidence that spot Bitcoin ETFs are gaining traction among financial institutions. Avenir held 14.7 million IBIT shares worth $688 million as of March 31, according to its filing,. That marks a 30% increase from the firm’s IBIT holdings for the fourth quarter of 2024. IBIT represents about 86% of Avenir’s portfolio, according to investment research platform Fintel. The firm made clear its commitment to investing in crypto-focused products in February, revealing that it had acquired about 11,300, then worth $599 million in a press release. The company, which said it had “emerged as a major institutional player in the digital asset market,” held about 52,500 shares of the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Trust (FBTC), worth more than $4.2 million, according to Fintel. “This strategic move not only underscores Avenir’s confidence in the future of digital assets but also marks a pivotal moment in its brand evolution and business strategy,” Avenir said in a previous statement on its digital assets-focused initiatives. Decrypt reached out to Avenir for additional comment. Avenir’s 14.7 million IBIT shares are worth $863,478,000 based on recent pricing. IBIT was recently trading at $58.74, Yahoo Finance data shows. Bitcoin ETFs offer investors access to the asset without holding it directly. The firm’s additional investment into IBIT reflects Hong Kong and other Asian hubs’ strong interest in digital assets. It also comes as institutions increasingly embrace cryptocurrencies, particularly Bitcoin, amid the U.S.’s ongoing pro-crypto pivot. Spot Bitcoin ETFs have generated more than $41 billion in net inflows since the first 10 of these products received SEC approvals in January 2024, despite a recent dip in trading, according to data provider Farside. Their recent resurgence follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s issuance of executive orders to protect Bitcoin miners’ rights and authorize the creation of a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve in the U.S. Treasury. The directives underscore President Trump’s continued commitment to transform the U.S. into the “ undisputed Bitcoin superpower and crypto capital of the world”—a pillar of his campaign promises to the crypto community . Meanwhile, pro-Bitcoin initiatives have also gained traction at the local level over the past few months, with more than a dozen states evaluating legislative proposals to add the token to their Treasury reserves. Avenir’s increased Bitcoin ETF investment forms part of its recent push to deepen its engagement with the digital asset market. The firm launched its Crypto Partnership Program last fall, allocating $500 million for its collaborations with digital asset-focused quantitative trading teams across the world. Edited by James Rubin Daily Debrief Newsletter Start every day with the top news stories right now, plus original features, a podcast, videos and more. Source: https://decrypt.co/320300/hong-kong-investment-firm-loads-blackrock-bitcoin-etf-shares-grow-688m

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DDC Enterprise Limited Announces 2025 Unaudited Preliminary Financial Performance: Record Revenue Achieved, Bitcoin Treasury Grows to 2183 Coins

On March 4, 2026, DDC Enterprise Limited (NYSE American: DDC) today announced preliminary, unaudited full-year financial performance for the year ended December 31, 2025. The company expects to achieve record revenue and record positive adjusted EBITDA, primarily driven by continued growth in its core consumer food business and overall margin improvement. The final audited financial report is expected to be released in mid-April 2026.


2025 Full-Year Financial Highlights


Revenue: Expected to be between $39 million and $41 million, reaching a new company high.


Organic Growth: Excluding the impact of the company's strategic contraction of its U.S. operations, core revenue is expected to grow 11% to 17% year over year.


Gross Profit Margin: Expected to be between 28% and 30%, reflecting continued operational efficiency improvements.


Adjusted EBITDA: The company expects to achieve a positive full-year result in 2025, a significant improvement from a $3.5 million loss in 2024, mainly due to rigorous cost controls and a higher-margin sales mix.


Core Consumer Food Business Performance


In 2025, DDC's core consumer food business maintained strong operational performance.


The company also disclosed Core Consumer Food Business Adjusted EBITDA, a metric that further excludes costs related to its Bitcoin reserve strategy and non-cash fair value adjustments related to its Bitcoin holdings from adjusted EBITDA to more accurately reflect the core business performance.


In 2025, Core Consumer Food Business Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be between $5.5 million and $6 million.


Bitcoin Reserve Update


In the first half of 2025, DDC initiated a long-term Bitcoin accumulation strategy, holding Bitcoin as its primary reserve asset.


As of December 31, 2025: The company holds 1,183 BTC.


As of February 28, 2026: Holdings increased to 2,118 BTC


Today's additional purchase of 65 BTC brings the company's total holdings to 2,183 BTC


DDC Founder, Chairman, and CEO Norma Chu stated, "We are proud to have closed 2025 with record revenue and positive adjusted EBITDA, demonstrating the steady growth of the company's consumer food business and the ongoing improvement in profitability. We are building a disciplined, growth-oriented food platform and strategically allocating capital to Bitcoin assets with a long-term view, aligning with our core beliefs. We believe that this dual-track model of 'Steady Consumer Business + Strategic Bitcoin Reserve' will help DDC create lasting long-term value for shareholders."


Adjusted EBITDA Definition
For the full year 2025, the company defines "Adjusted EBITDA" (a non-GAAP financial measure) as: Net income / (loss) excluding the following items:· Interest expense· Taxes· Foreign exchange gains/losses· Long-lived asset impairment· Depreciation and amortization· Non-cash fair value changes related to financial instruments (including Bitcoin holdings)· Stock-based compensation


About DDC Enterprise Limited


DDC Enterprise Limited (NYSE: DDC) is actively implementing its corporate Bitcoin Treasury strategy while continuing to strengthen its position as a leading global Asian food platform.


The company has established Bitcoin as a core reserve asset and is executing a prudent, long-oriented accumulation strategy. While expanding its portfolio of food brands, DDC is gradually becoming one of the public company pioneers in integrating Bitcoin into its corporate financial architecture.


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