National Bank of Canada Buys MicroStrategy Stock: How Institutions Are Indirectly Betting on Bitcoin

1. Background Overview: What Is MicroStrategy?

Source: https://www.strategysoftware.com/

MicroStrategy, now rebranded as Strategy, is a publicly listed US company renowned for its enterprise intelligence and software services. Since 2020, the company has adopted Bitcoin as its primary treasury asset. As a result, its stock is widely viewed as a Bitcoin proxy, rather than a conventional software company.

As one of the largest corporate holders of Bitcoin globally—owning hundreds of thousands of BTC—MicroStrategy’s share price is closely correlated with Bitcoin’s price movements. This correlation is a key reason why institutional investors track its stock.

2. Latest Developments: National Bank of Canada Investment Disclosure

Recent market reports indicate that National Bank of Canada has acquired approximately 1.47 million shares of MicroStrategy, with an investment totaling around $270 million. This move is seen as a significant step by the bank to gain Bitcoin exposure through equity investment.

Notably, neither MicroStrategy nor National Bank of Canada has issued an official statement confirming the transaction. Some reports suggest the information is based on third-party data or remains unverified. This issue will be further examined later in the article.

3. Investment Scale and Details

Multiple market news sources report that the purchase of approximately 1.47 million MSTR shares is valued at $270 million to $273 million. This figure is significantly lower than some higher estimates circulated on social or secondary media (such as ~$659 million).

For a major bank, this investment may not be considered “explosive,” but its significance lies in the strategic use of public equity to gain Bitcoin exposure, rather than direct acquisition of digital assets.

4. Investment Motivation: Why Gain Bitcoin Exposure Indirectly Through Equities?

Traditional banks operate under stringent regulatory and compliance requirements. Compared to directly holding Bitcoin—which presents challenges in accounting, risk management, and custody—owning shares in companies like MicroStrategy enables banks to:

• Gain indirect exposure to Bitcoin price movements;
• Avoid the complexities of direct digital asset custody and related regulatory hurdles;
• Pursue long-term asset allocation strategies via the stock market.

This approach has become increasingly common among institutional investors, with some asset managers preferring listed company stocks or ETFs to capture digital asset returns.

5. Market Impact and Price Performance

Following the news, MicroStrategy’s share price and the Bitcoin market both experienced a short-term surge in attention. Despite recent volatility in Bitcoin’s price, institutional inflows are still regarded as a sign of market confidence.

However, it’s important to note that MicroStrategy’s stock does not move in lockstep with Bitcoin. Its price is influenced by company performance, Bitcoin price trends, macroeconomic conditions, and other factors—not solely by the underlying asset.

6. Risk Warnings and Unconfirmed Factors

Several key points should be considered when analyzing this investment event:

• Most sources rely on third-party holdings data or media reports, with no official confirmation to date;
• Overinterpreting the stock purchase could lead readers to mistakenly believe the bank “directly bought Bitcoin,” when exposure is actually gained through equity;
• Stock investments still carry traditional financial risks, including market liquidity, valuation volatility, and regulatory changes.

Accordingly, it is advisable to await official SEC or regulatory disclosures from MicroStrategy and National Bank of Canada before drawing conclusions.

7. Conclusion: The Convergence of Traditional Finance and Digital Assets

If ultimately confirmed, National Bank of Canada’s large-scale purchase of MicroStrategy stock highlights a key trend: traditional financial institutions are increasingly seeking to participate in the digital asset ecosystem through compliant, familiar public market instruments.

This strategy preserves the regulatory rigor of equity markets while leveraging MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin-centric approach to capture potential crypto asset growth—a development drawing significant institutional interest at present.

In summary, this event underscores the ongoing construction of a bridge between traditional and emerging asset classes. As regulations become clearer and markets mature, similar cross-sector investments are likely to become more prevalent.