The Texas state government has taken a significant step into the cryptocurrency space by purchasing $5 million worth of shares in BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), with plans to allocate an additional $5 million toward a self-custodied Bitcoin holding. The move underscores Texas’s evolving approach to digital assets, signaling increased institutional interest and potential for broader adoption within state governance.
The initial purchase was executed on November 20, and the details were announced on Tuesday via X by Lee Bratcher, president of the Texas Blockchain Council. Bratcher stated that while the government aims to eventually self-custody Bitcoin, the current allocation was directed through BlackRock’s IBIT ETF as the state finalizes the transitional process.
He added, “$10 million is allocated from general revenue, but not all of it has been committed yet.” This development marks a notable shift in how states are engaging with digital assets, moving beyond mere speculative investment to potentially building a strategic Bitcoin reserve. Recent remarks also suggest that Texas has intentions of expanding its Bitcoin holdings with a long-term perspective.
Commenting on the move, Pierre Rochard, CEO of The Bitcoin Bond Company, emphasized the significance of Texas’s actions, noting:
"In five years, we went from ‘governments will ban bitcoin’ to ‘governments are only buying a small amount of bitcoin’. Hyperbitcoinization has happened, is happening, and will continue to happen.”
While it remains unclear if this particular investment is directly part of Texas’s broader Bitcoin reserve plan, recent legislative developments demonstrate the state’s increasing commitment. In June, Governor Greg Abbott authorized creating a state-managed Bitcoin fund to hold BTC as part of its long-term financial assets, utilizing public funds to build the treasury. The legislation stipulates that assets with a market capitalization over $500 billion—such as Bitcoin—are eligible for inclusion, unlike BlackRock’s ETF which currently falls short of this threshold.
Furthermore, Texas has hinted at broader crypto asset inclusivity. Mid-October, State Senator Charles Schwertner, one of the architects behind the Bitcoin reserve bill, indicated that Ethereum could also be considered for inclusion if its market cap remains above $500 billion over a continued period.
Broader Adoption and Institutional Moves
It’s worth noting that Texas isn’t the only state involved. In May last year, Wisconsin’s investment board purchased nearly $100 million worth of BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, IBIT, as filings reveal. This indicates a growing trend among US states to leverage institutional Bitcoin products for strategic reserve and investment purposes.
Recent commentary from Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balachunas highlighted that Texas, Harvard, and Abu Dhabi collectively hold IBIT ETF shares—an exceptional footprint for such a young fund. Despite the broader institutional interest, IBIT has experienced a slight decline of about 10% year-to-date, currently trading around $49.56, with marginal after-hours gains.