From decrypt by Vismaya V

Electric vehicle company Tesla’s strategic bet on Bitcoin is proving lucrative, with the company now holding over $1 billion worth of the world's largest crypto.

The automaker currently holds 11,509 BTC, which has appreciated significantly in value as Bitcoin hit an all-time high of $89,560, as per data from blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence.

In February 2021, Tesla announced it bought $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin for “more flexibility to further diversify and maximize returns on our cash” in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. 

The value of Telsa's Bitcoin holdings has more than doubled since the start of this year amid a heady resurgence in crypto, climbing to $495 million in profit by early November, Arkham data shows.

The increase in Tesla’s Bitcoin value is driven by soaring crypto prices rather than new acquisitions.

The top crypto pushed its market capitalization to $1.75 trillion amid broader market fervor, overtaking silver in global rankings. 

Amid heightened institutional interest, optimism is swirling around U.S. spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, and market confidence is high following the re-election of pro-crypto President Donald Trump.

That bullish momentum has also bled over to Tesla’s stock, which jumped 8% in after-hours trading, to $350, according to Google Finance.

Over the past month, as the election season intensified, Bitcoin swelled by more than 40%. It is currently trading at $88,768.81, up over 9% in the last 24 hours, per CoinGecko data.

Since Trump’s victory, Tesla’s market cap has jumped by nearly 39%, pushing CEO Musk’s personal wealth to an estimated $320 billion, according to Forbes.

The Austin-based company moved its entire Bitcoin holdings last month, but analysts believe this was merely a wallet rotation rather than a proposition to sell.

Arkham Intelligence revealed Tesla’s Bitcoin had been inactive for nearly two years until October 15. In a series of transactions, Tesla moved approximately $765 million worth of Bitcoin into seven new wallets, which are still believed to be under the company’s control. 

While Tesla’s strategy focuses on securing its current Bitcoin holdings, companies like MicroStrategy continue to expand aggressively. 

Under CEO Michael Saylor, MicroStrategy recently acquired an additional 27,200 BTC, bringing its total reserves to 279,420 BTC, valued at over $24 billion. Unlike Tesla, MicroStrategy’s strategy reflects a full-throttle belief in Bitcoin as a core treasury asset.