Abu Dhabi Sovereign Funds Top $1B in BlackRock BTC ETF

Two Abu Dhabi-linked investment funds have crossed the $1 billion mark in BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF. The new U.S. regulatory filings show these institutions treated the market pullback as a buying opportunity. The disclosures show Mubadala Investment Company and Al Warda Investments holdings. There are more than 20 million shares of the iShares Bitcoin Trust at the end of 2025. 

Mubadala owned about 12.7 million shares worth roughly $631 million. While Al Warda held about 8.2 million shares valued near $408 million. The combined position topped $1 billion at the time. The filings became public in mid-February 2026. It highlights growing sovereign interest in regulated Bitcoin exposure.

Buying the Dip During Market Weakness

Mubadala made the bigger move in the fourth quarter. The fund increased its IBIT stake by about 46% from the previous quarter. It added nearly four million shares even as Bitcoin prices dropped sharply during the period. 

Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth funds invested more than $1 billion in Bitcoin ETFs

Mubadala Investment Company: 12,702,323 shares of iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) worth approximately $631 million

Al Warda Investments: 8,218,712 shares of IBIT worth approximately $408 million… pic.twitter.com/mK5wTVysaJ

— ICO Drops (@ICODrops) February 18, 2026

Al Warda also increased its position, though at a slower pace. The fund added about 255,000 shares, a rise of roughly 3% from the prior quarter. Both funds expanded their exposure during a downturn. That timing suggests a long-term strategy instead of short-term trading. Many institutional investors treat market pullbacks as entry points and these filings show a similar approach.

Part of the UAE’s Broader Crypto Strategy

Mubadala is one of Abu Dhabi’s largest sovereign wealth funds. It manages hundreds of billions of dollars. The fund first disclosed a position in the Bitcoin ETF in late 2024. Since then, it has steadily increased its holdings. Al Warda is linked to the same Abu Dhabi investment ecosystem. It built a large Bitcoin ETF position in 2025 and continued adding shares into year end.

The moves match the UAE’s wider digital asset strategy. The region has pushed forward with crypto regulations, mining projects and blockchain initiatives. Sovereign funds appear to be treating BTC as a diversification tool. Similar to gold or other alternative assets.

Institutional Demand Through ETFs Keeps Growing

The purchases also reflect a larger global trend. Since spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in 2024. Institutions have used them as a simple and regulated entry point into crypto. The structure removes the need for direct custody or wallet management. At the end of 2025, the two Abu Dhabi funds’ combined position was worth more than $1 billion. But falling Bitcoin prices reduced that value to roughly $800 million by mid-February 2026. The shift shows how quickly valuations can change in crypto markets.

Still, the size of the allocation matters more than the short-term price swings. Sovereign wealth funds rarely make small or experimental bets. Their entry signals growing acceptance of Bitcoin as an institutional asset. The filings suggest that large state backed investors now see regulated Bitcoin products as a normal part of global portfolios. If this trend continues, more sovereign funds may follow the same path in the coming years.