Italian financial titan, Intesa Sanpaolo, acquires 11 units of Bitcoin
In the rapidly evolving world of finance, Bitcoin has proven to be a significant player. As we move towards the midpoint of 2025, Bitcoin adoption by corporations is accelerating significantly, with a notable surge in both the number of companies holding Bitcoin and the volume of their holdings.
The number of publicly traded companies holding at least 1,000 BTC increased by 46% in 2025, reaching 35 firms by mid-Q3, up from 24 at the start of the year. This trend reflects a growing confidence in Bitcoin among institutions, with more companies—especially medium-sized firms—entering Bitcoin accumulation rather than just a few large buyers dominating.
Overall, corporate Bitcoin holdings rose 35% quarter-over-quarter in Q2 2025. By March 2025, 80 public companies held Bitcoin on their balance sheets, a 142% increase from 33 in 2023. Total Bitcoin purchases by public companies jumped from about 99,857 BTC in Q1 2025 to 134,456 BTC in Q2 2025.
This corporate trend is part of a larger shift toward Bitcoin being seen not just as an investment but also as a strategic hedge and a factor in global economic realignment. The United States leads with 94 public entities holding Bitcoin, followed by Canada and the UK with 40 and 19 entities respectively.
The recent U.S. executive order aiming to establish a federal Bitcoin reserve has also fueled institutional demand among public companies, reflecting governments’ gradual move to diversify reserves with digital assets.
Notable companies making headlines include MicroStrategy, which maintains the largest Bitcoin holdings among corporations with 450,000 BTC (~$43.4 billion). Thumzup Media is requesting board approval to hold up to 90% of its liquid assets in Bitcoin, while Heritage Distilling plans to allow online purchases in Bitcoin and begin acquiring the crypto as a strategic reserve.
In the realm of country-level adoption, the U.S. President-elect Donald Trump proposed forming a national Bitcoin reserve in his campaign. Analysts at Fidelity predict more countries will adopt official Bitcoin policies in 2025.
In individual transactions, on January 13, Intesa Sanpaolo, an Italian banking institution, purchased 11 BTC for approximately €1 million, and Ming Shing, a Hong Kong-based construction firm, purchased 500 BTC for around $47 million.
As Bitcoin continues to gain traction, it is becoming increasingly viewed as a mainstream corporate treasury asset, with expanding adoption both at the corporate level and among governments internationally.
1) The significant increase in Bitcoin adoption by corporations, as seen by the 46% rise in the number of public companies holding at least 1,000 BTC, is indicative of a broader shift in the finance sector, where Bitcoin is increasingly viewed as a strategic hedge and a factor in global economic realignment.
2) As more companies, like Thumzup Media and Heritage Distilling, are moving towards holding Bitcoin as part of their strategic reserves and allowing transactions in Bitcoin, the technology behind Bitcoin is playing an increasingly important role in corporate finance and investing.
