Home South Korea’s public pension acquires $34M MicroStrategy stake

South Korea’s public pension acquires $34M MicroStrategy stake

tl;dr

  • South Korea's Public Pension Fund acquired 245,000 MicroStrategy shares, a $33.75 million investment in Q2 2024.
  • The fund also sold 23,956 Coinbase shares, currently valued at $4.86 million, to secure profits.
  • This acquisition reflects a growing trend of public pension funds investing in Bitcoin-related assets.

South Korea’s Public Pension Fund acquired 245,000 shares in MicroStrategy during the second quarter of 2024.

According to a recent 13F filing, the investment worth $33.75 million represents 0.04% of the assets held by South Korea’s Public Pension Fund. The investment follows a previous acquisition of 282,673 Coinbase shares, which was the first investment by the fund in a crypto-related company.

This quarter the fund also sold 23,956 Coinbase shares to rake in profits following their increase in value. At their current price of $202.84, those shares are worth about $4.86 million.

What is MicroStrategy?

MicroStrategy is a United States company whose primary purpose is accumulating capital to buy Bitcoin (BTC) to keep in its coffers. According to an Aug. 1 press release, the company held 226,500 BTC — worth almost $13.4 billion as of press time.

The company’s chief executive, Michael Saylor, is now a household name among Bitcoin proponents. He led MicroStrategy to its current status of the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, owning about 1% of all Bitcoin since late March.

The report follows Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund taking Bitcoin into consideration as a potential investment diversification tool amidst economic and technological changes back in March. Founded in 2006 by the Japanese government, the GPIF’s investment strategy has traditionally focused on core infrastructure funds, which support essential social and economic activities.

This fund is particularly notable because as of December 2023, GPIF managed assets totaling ¥225 trillion ($1.54 trillion), securing its position as the largest pension fund globally.

Last month, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop announced that the city’s municipal pension plan will soon invest in Bitcoin spot ETFs. The move follows a similar investment by a Wisconsin pension fund earlier this year, signaling a growing trend among public retirement systems. He wrote at the time:

“The question on whether crypto/Bitcoin is here to stay is largely over and crypto/Bitcoin won.”

Featured image via Ideogram

About ReadWrite’s Editorial Process

The ReadWrite Editorial policy involves closely monitoring the tech industry for major developments, new product launches, AI breakthroughs, video game releases and other newsworthy events. Editors assign relevant stories to staff writers or freelance contributors with expertise in each particular topic area. Before publication, articles go through a rigorous round of editing for accuracy, clarity, and to ensure adherence to ReadWrite's style guidelines.

Radek Zielinski
Tech Journalist

Radek Zielinski is an experienced technology and financial journalist with a passion for cybersecurity and futurology.

Get the biggest tech headlines of the day delivered to your inbox

    By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Unsubscribe anytime.

    Tech News

    Explore the latest in tech with our Tech News. We cut through the noise for concise, relevant updates, keeping you informed about the rapidly evolving tech landscape with curated content that separates signal from noise.

    In-Depth Tech Stories

    Explore tech impact in In-Depth Stories. Narrative data journalism offers comprehensive analyses, revealing stories behind data. Understand industry trends for a deeper perspective on tech's intricate relationships with society.

    Expert Reviews

    Empower decisions with Expert Reviews, merging industry expertise and insightful analysis. Delve into tech intricacies, get the best deals, and stay ahead with our trustworthy guide to navigating the ever-changing tech market.