Professional Bitcoin Holdings Drop 17% as Hedge Funds Cut Exposure

Professional investors reduced their Bitcoin holdings significantly during the first quarter of 2026, according to CoinShares’ analysis of 13F filings. Total reported holdings fell from 313,000 BTC to 261,000 BTC, a decline of 17% quarter over quarter. The reduction was driven primarily by hedge funds and brokerages, which accounted for roughly 95% of the 52,500 BTC decrease. Hedge fund holdings fell 39%, while broker-held positions declined 53%, signaling a broad pullback in institutional trading activity during the quarter. Banks moved in the opposite direction. Total bank-held Bitcoin exposure rose to 15,200 BTC, with JPMorgan and Wells Fargo increasing their positions and Citigroup disclosing a Bitcoin holding for the first time. The divergence suggests that while trading-focused firms reduced risk, some traditional financial institutions continued to expand their exposure to the asset class.