Vigilare Loads Up on iShares Bitcoin ETF — Here's What This Big Crypto Buy Means for Long-Term Investors

Key Points

• Vigilare Wealth Management added 41,625 shares of IBIT to its holdings in the third quarter.

• The transaction's estimated value was approximately $2.7 million based on average prices during the third quarter.

• The firm now holds 137,311 IBIT shares valued at about $8.9 million as of Tuesday.

• The resulting position represents 3.1% of the firm's reported assets as of Tuesday, placing it outside the fund's top five holdings.

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On Wednesday, Vigilare Wealth Management disclosed that it added 41,625 shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:IBIT) to its holdings in the third quarter, according to an SEC filing.

What happened

According to an SEC filing released on Wednesday, Arizona-based Vigilare Wealth Management increased its holding in IBIT by 41,625 shares during the third quarter. The estimated transaction value was about $2.7 million, based on the average unadjusted closing price for the quarter. The position was valued at more than $8.9 million as of closing prices on Tuesday, with total shares held increasing to 137,311.

What else to know

The fund increased its IBIT position to 3.1% of its reportable assets as of Tuesday.

Top holdings after the filing:

• PYLD: $36,308,000 (12.6% of AUM)
• UNK:GLD: $28,290,000 (9.8% of AUM)
• VB: $14,617,685 (5.1% of AUM)
• SPMO: $14,511,549 (5.0% of AUM)
• SGOV: $14,185,918 (4.9% of AUM)

As of market close on Tuesday, IBIT shares were priced at $65.00, up about 80% for the year and outperforming the S&P 500 by 57 percentage points over the same period.

Company overview

Company snapshot

The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF offers a regulated, exchange-traded vehicle for investors seeking exposure to bitcoin price movements. The Nasdaq-listed fund is designed for both institutional and retail investors who want access to bitcoin without managing the underlying asset directly, and it seeks to provide investment results corresponding to the performance of bitcoin by holding physical bitcoin.

Foolish take

Vigilare Wealth Management’s decision to add more than 41,000 shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) highlights a growing trend: Institutional investors have been warming up to the world's first and largest cryptocurrency. Bitcoin's market cap has swelled to nearly $2.4 trillion since its launch in 2009, and it set a fresh all-time high of almost $125,000 in mid-August. Against that backdrop, IBIT, which launched in January 2024, has surged about 21% this year, handily outpacing the S&P 500’s 14% gain. Vigilare itself first reported a position in the fund at the end of the June quarter, and that position now represents just over 3% of Vigilare's portfolio.

For investors, the long-term story is less about short-term price swings and more about bitcoin’s role in portfolios. The ETF format makes it easier to gain exposure without managing custody or dealing with the complexities of crypto exchanges. Still, owning IBIT is not the same as owning bitcoin outright—you’re buying a regulated vehicle designed to track the asset’s price, not the coin itself.

The key takeaway is that bitcoin’s appeal has broadened beyond retail speculation. With institutions like Vigilare adding exposure, the case for bitcoin as a legitimate, long-term asset class is gaining strength. But as with any high-growth investment, volatility will be part of the ride.

Glossary

ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund): An investment fund traded on stock exchanges, holding assets like stocks, bonds, or commodities.

Assets under management (AUM): The total market value of assets a fund or investment firm manages on behalf of clients.

Expense ratio: The annual fee, expressed as a percentage of assets, that funds charge to cover operating expenses.

13F reportable assets: Securities that institutional investment managers must disclose quarterly to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) via Form 13F.

Physical bitcoin: Actual bitcoin held by a fund, rather than derivatives or synthetic exposure, to back investor shares.

One-year total return: The percentage gain or loss of an investment over a one-year period, including price changes and income.

Outperforming: Achieving a higher return than a specified benchmark or index over a given period.

Regulated exchange-traded product: A financial product traded on an exchange and subject to oversight by financial regulators.

Custody: The safekeeping and management of financial assets on behalf of investors by a third party.

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Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.