Anti-Bitcoin Vanguard May End Up ‘Buying’ BTC—Here’s Why

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• Vanguard may indirectly gain Bitcoin exposure through its stake in GameStop, which now holds BTC in its treasury.
• GameStop’s Bitcoin adoption and institutional buying signal a potential rally, with BTC nearing $90K.

Vanguard Group, a vocal opponent of cryptocurrency, may soon gain indirect exposure to Bitcoin. The investment giant holds the largest institutional stake in GameStop, which just added Bitcoin to its treasury reserves. 

GameStop’s move comes as part of a broader corporate strategy shift amid revenue declines. As Bitcoin nears $90,000, institutional involvement continues to grow, signaling broader market acceptance.

GameStop Adds Bitcoin to Treasury, Mimicking Saylor’s Strategy

GameStop, the Grapevine, Texas-based retailer, has formally changed its investment strategy, adopting Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset. This decision mirrors the approach used by Strategy co-founder Michael Saylor, who led his firm to purchase large amounts of BTC. 

Following this change, GameStop’s board approved a $1.3 billion convertible note offering. These funds will support the company’s Bitcoin acquisition as reported by ETHNews.

I know why, but the fact that Vanguard is the #1 holder of $GME is funny. pic.twitter.com/iXMRXstQoD

— Matt Hougan (@Matt_Hougan) March 26, 2025

Despite recent financial setbacks and declining revenue, GameStop’s stock price rose 8.3% in after-hours trading after the announcement. The retailer’s move reflects a broader trend of corporate diversification through crypto asset holdings. 

Bitwise Invest’s CIO, Matt Hougan, highlighted that Vanguard holds 8.76% of GameStop shares, with BlackRock following at 7.79%.

Vanguard’s Indirect Bitcoin Exposure Draws Attention

Vanguard’s large GameStop stake has drawn renewed attention due to the retailer’s Bitcoin plans. Ryan Rasmussen, head of research at Bitwise, commented that “Vanguard buying bitcoin via GameStop is amazing.” Vanguard, which manages over $10.4 trillion in assets, has publicly maintained a firm stance against cryptocurrencies. 

The firm has notably refused to participate in the current wave of Bitcoin ETF adoption despite BlackRock’s success with its ETF launch.

With GameStop converting a sizable portion of its capital into Bitcoin, institutional holders like Vanguard may inadvertently gain exposure to BTC. This situation places Vanguard in a unique position where its anti-crypto stance clashes with its financial interests. 

Meanwhile, institutional players such as Binance and Metaplanet are continuing to add Bitcoin to their holdings, signaling broad investor confidence.

Bitcoin Nears $90K Amid Institutional Momentum 

Bitcoin’s price has surged past $88,000, sparking predictions of a new all-time high. Over the past 24 hours, BTC has fluctuated between $86,997 and $88,542. As discussed in our recent analysis, experts suggest the $90,000 mark may be reached within weeks. 

This momentum is fueled by increased institutional interest and accumulation by large investors, often referred to as “whales.”

According to ETHNews, Standard Chartered has replaced Tesla with Bitcoin in its modified “Mag 7B” index, underlining Bitcoin’s growing financial influence. Bitcoin’s market cap now stands at $1.7 trillion, more than double Tesla’s valuation. Reduced selling pressure since March and institutional accumulation support the bullish trajectory.

Additionally, Binance’s recent $250 million Bitcoin purchase and Metaplanet’s 150 BTC acquisition further confirm sustained buying interest. As these trends develop, even crypto-skeptic institutions may gain exposure indirectly—intentionally or not.