Institutions Buy 5.6x More Bitcoin Than Miners Produce

Welcome to The Roundup!

This week's Bitcoin insights include 👇

• Institutions buying 545,579 BTC vs just 97,082 mined in 2025

• SEC Commissioner defends financial privacy and Bitcoin's role

• Harvard and Brown add Bitcoin to their endowments

Let's dive in!

1️⃣ The Great Supply Squeeze

Andre Dragosch from Bitwise Europe just dropped data that should make every Bitcoin holder pay attention: institutions have purchased 545,579 BTC so far in 2025, while miners have only produced 97,082 BTC.

That's demand exceeding new supply by 5.6x!

Trump’s executive order allowing 401(k) accounts to invest in Bitcoin just opened a $9 trillion floodgate at the exact moment institutional demand is already overwhelming supply.

Why this matters? The retirement market is 11x larger than the entire crypto market cap. Even a 1% allocation would inject $90 billion—nearly double what all ETFs have accumulated since January 2024.

The supply dynamics tell the story:

• 2020: Institutions bought 446,350 BTC, miners produced 453,318 (balanced)

• 2022: Institutions bought only 86,529 BTC, miners produced 332,425 (oversupply)

• 2024: Post-halving, institutions bought 913,006 BTC, miners produced 217,771 (4x demand)

• 2025 YTD: Institutions buying 545,579 BTC, miners producing 97,082 (5.6x demand)

2️⃣ Bitcoin Is Essential for Financial Freedom

SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce just delivered what industry leaders are calling a "must-read" defense of financial privacy—and Bitcoin's crucial role in protecting it.

Speaking at the Science of Blockchain Conference on August 4th, the "Crypto Mom" didn't mince words stating that "denying people financial privacy undermines the fabric and freedoms of our families, communities, and nation".

Why this matters? Our COO Hector Alvero breaks it down below 👇

3️⃣ Harvard and Brown Stack Sats

Harvard just disclosed a $116.7 million Bitcoin position via BlackRock's IBIT—making it their fifth-largest public holding, ahead of Google's parent company Alphabet.

The details that matter:

• Harvard holds 1.9 million IBIT shares (worth $116.7M)

• Brown University nearly doubled their position to $13M

• Harvard now holds more Bitcoin than gold ($102M in SPDR Gold Trust)

Why this matters? When the world's wealthiest university ($53.2 billion endowment) allocates more to Bitcoin than gold, it signals a fundamental shift in how institutions view digital assets. Harvard doesn't chase returns—they preserve capital across centuries.

Brown's doubling down also adds confirmation to this view. With the top 15 U.S. universities controlling nearly $400 billion in assets, expect more dominoes to fall. The smartest money in the room is quietly accumulating while retail waits for "a better entry."

🎯 The Final Word

While others debate whether Bitcoin is "too expensive," institutions are quietly absorbing every available coin. Fifteen years of history shows patient holders always win. Don't be the person looking back in another 15 years wishing you'd acted today.

That's it for this week's Roundup! Between institutional supply absorption, Harvard's validation, and 401(k) access opening up, we're witnessing Bitcoin's transition from alternative asset to portfolio cornerstone.

The Rhino Bitcoin Team

P.S. - Join the institutions securing their Bitcoin position. Get started with industry-low fees by clicking the link at the top of the newsletter.

⚡ Lightning Round

Tornado Cash Verdict Shocks Privacy Advocates: Developer convicted of running unlicensed money transmitter. The ruling sets dangerous precedent for open-source devs.

Brazil Proposes $17.5B Bitcoin Reserve: Congress to debate allocating 5% of foreign reserves to BTC. Indonesia and Panama already drafting similar bills.

Vanguard Still Blocking Bitcoin ETFs: Despite Trump's 401(k) order, major brokers resist. David Sacks calls it "the last vestige of debanking".