UAE Sovereign Funds Hold $763M in BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF Amid Crypto Winter

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) continues to show its confidence in Bitcoin, with its sovereign wealth funds holding significant stakes in BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin ETF.

According to recent 13F filings with the U.S. SEC, Mubadala reported owning 14.7 million shares of IBIT, worth $490M. Abu Dhabi Investment Council also held 8.2 million shares of the same ETF, valued at $273.6M.

Combined, these two funds hold a total of $763.6M in BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF, making it their second-largest holding by value for Mubadala and the largest holding for Abu Dhabi Investment Council.

This investment has not changed since Q1 reporting, but it does demonstrate the UAE's unwavering faith in Bitcoin despite the prolonged crypto winter. In fact, at the end of Q4 2025, UAE wealth funds held a cumulative value of over $1B in BTC exposure via BlackRock's IBIT.

The renewed institutional appetite for BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF may offer hope to BTC bulls, as it breaks the decline trend observed in 2026. The ETF has seen improved demand in August, with institutional ownership increasing to 374 million shares from a low of 361M in July, a 16% increase.