On January 1, 2026, Tether, a prominent player in the stablecoin market, announced a significant addition to its Bitcoin reserves, transferring approximately 8,888 BTC—equivalent to around $778 million—into its treasury wallet. This acquisition aligns with Tether’s established strategy of investing 15% of its quarterly profits in Bitcoin, a policy that has been in place since 2023. The recent purchase has boosted Tether’s total Bitcoin holdings to over 96,000 BTC, valued at about $8.4 billion, solidifying its position as one of the largest institutional holders of Bitcoin globally.
While much of the cryptocurrency market approached the new year with caution, Tether made its intentions clear with this substantial investment. The addition of the 8,888 Bitcoins not only underscores Tether’s commitment to its investment strategy but also reflects a broader trend of institutional accumulation amidst a cooling market.
Tether’s CEO, Paolo Ardoino, confirmed the specific figure of 8,888.8888888 BTC, which continues the company’s pattern of making symbolic purchases of the number 8888. According to analyses from Arkham Intelligence, Tether’s spending for the fourth quarter is estimated to be around $876 million, which equates to about 9,850 BTC. The slight difference in the figures is attributed to timing and consolidation discrepancies.
This continued accumulation reflects a formalized strategy that began in May 2023, when Tether committed to allocating a portion of its realized quarterly operating profits to Bitcoin as a long-term reserve diversification tool. Prior to this policy, Tether had been holding Bitcoin, but the new approach marks a significant shift towards systematic accumulation.
As the crypto markets cooled down, Bitcoin prices stabilized below $90,000 after strong gains earlier in 2025. However, Tether’s average acquisition cost remains around $51,100 per BTC, resulting in unrealized profits exceeding $3.5 billion as of early 2026. Typically, Tether increases its Bitcoin positions gradually throughout each quarter, often through withdrawals from related exchanges like Bitfinex, before consolidating the funds into its primary reserve wallet toward the end of the quarter.
Despite the overall slowdown in corporate adoption of Bitcoin as a treasury asset—where new adopters fell from 53 in the third quarter to only nine in the fourth quarter—Tether and other leading firms continue to bolster their Bitcoin holdings. At year-end, an estimated 117 to 145 public companies and institutions were holding Bitcoin, controlling a collective total of roughly 1.5 million BTC, valued between $90 billion and $150 billion.
Challenges contributing to this slowdown include market volatility, elevated Bitcoin prices that deter new entrants, and competitive pressures from emerging spot Bitcoin ETFs. Some companies have even been forced to retract their positions or scale back their investments. Nonetheless, established accumulators like Tether and others demonstrate resilience, maintaining their commitment to building their Bitcoin reserves.
For instance, Strategy, another notable entity, has significantly increased its holdings to 672,497 BTC, representing over 3.2% of the total supply, at an average acquisition cost around $75,000 per coin. Despite recent market fluctuations, Strategy’s leadership continues to advocate for Bitcoin as a superior alternative to cash, emphasizing a long-term vision for asset accumulation. This ongoing strategy of investment in Bitcoin among key market players suggests a sustained confidence in the cryptocurrency’s future potential, even in turbulent market conditions.
