Tether Starts 2026 With an $800M Bitcoin Buy, Quietly Joins Top Holders — Here's How Much They Hold

Core Insights - Tether has added 8,888 Bitcoin to its reserves, amounting to nearly $800 million, highlighting its position as a significant institutional holder of Bitcoin [1][2] - This acquisition brings Tether's total Bitcoin holdings to over 96,000 coins, reinforcing its strategy of systematic accumulation despite a cooling crypto market [2][7] Company Strategy - Tether's strategy, formalized in May 2023, involves allocating up to 15% of its realized quarterly operating profits to Bitcoin as a long-term store of value [4][7] - The latest purchase aligns with this policy, as Tether transferred approximately 8,888.8 BTC to its treasury wallet as part of Q4 2025 profit allocation [7] Financial Performance - Tether's average acquisition cost for Bitcoin is estimated at around $51,100 per BTC, resulting in over $3.5 billion in unrealized profits as of early 2026 [5] - The total spending for Q4 is estimated at roughly $876 million, or about 9,850 BTC, indicating a consistent investment approach [3][4] Market Context - Corporate adoption of Bitcoin as a treasury asset has slowed, with new adopters dropping from around 53 in Q3 to just nine in Q4 2025 [6] - By year-end, an estimated 117 to 145 public companies and institutions held Bitcoin, collectively controlling approximately 1.5 million BTC, valued between $90 billion and $150 billion [8]