Share this article

World’s Largest Sovereign Wealth Fund Has Indirect Bitcoin Exposure of More Than $355M

Norway’s sovereign wealth fund saw a 153% year-over-year increase in indirect bitcoin exposure in 2024, according to K33 Research.

Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) sees non direct bitcoin exposure soar past $350 million (Shutterstock)
Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM) sees indirect bitcoin exposure soar past $350 million. (Shutterstock)

What to know:

  • Norway's sovereign wealth fund had indirect exposure to more than $355 million worth of bitcoin as of end-2024.
  • The exposure grew by 153% over the course of the year, according to K33 Research.
  • The wealth fund also has investments in bitcoin-related companies such as MicroStrategy and Coinbase.

The world’s largest sovereign wealth fund, Norway’s Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM), has amassed $356.7 million in indirect bitcoin (BTC) exposure, according to K33 Research.

At the end of 2024, the fund indirectly held 3,821 BTC, reflecting a 153% year-over-year increase from 1,507 BTC, according to K33. The data highlight the fund’s evolving indirect bitcoin exposure, growing from just 796 BTC in in 2020.

NBIM year-end indirect exposure (K33 Research)
NBIM year-end indirect exposure (K33 Research)
Story continues
Don't miss another story.Subscribe to the Crypto for Advisors Newsletter today. See all newsletters

NBIM also maintains stakes in a number of crypto-related public companies. As of year-end 2024, its holdings included a 0.72% stake in MicroStrategy (MSTR), equivalent of $500 million, 1.1% of Tesla (TSLA) and investments in Coinbase (COIN), Metaplanet (3350) and MARA Holdings (MARA).

NBIM crypto-related company exposure (K33 Research)
NBIM crypto-related company exposure (K33 Research)

NBIM, which invests revenue from Norway’s oil and gas resources and is officially known as the Government Pension Fund Global, reported record annual profit of $222.4 billion, driven primarily by the artificial intelligence (AI) boom.

K33 analyst Vetle Lunde makes the point that NBIM's indirect bitcoin exposure is likely a result of sector-weighted portfolios. As crypto proxies appreciate in value, their portfolio weightings increase.

NBIM declined to comment.

James Van Straten

James Van Straten is a Senior Analyst at CoinDesk, specializing in Bitcoin and its interplay with the macroeconomic environment. Previously, James worked as a Research Analyst at Saidler & Co., a Swiss hedge fund, where he developed expertise in on-chain analytics. His work focuses on monitoring flows to analyze Bitcoin's role within the broader financial system. In addition to his professional endeavors, James serves as an advisor to Coinsilium, a UK publicly traded company, where he provides guidance on their Bitcoin treasury strategy. He also holds investments in Bitcoin, MicroStrategy (MSTR), and Semler Scientific (SMLR).

James Van Straten