Large, low-activity "conviction buyers" have expanded their Bitcoin holdings by nearly 300% year-to-date in 2026, reaching about 4 million BTC. The group added roughly 3 million BTC this year after gradually taking profits from February 2023 through October 2025, valuing the 2026 additions at around $243 billion at the time of analysis.

Strategy is estimated to have added about 2,110 BTC on May 13, with the purchase funded by new proceeds from its STRC perpetual preferred stock program. The company previously said it raised $206 million by selling 2.12 million STRC shares, and its bitcoin holdings would climb to roughly 820,979 BTC if the estimate is confirmed.

On May 12, the U.S. Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in a 51-45 vote, with a separate chairmanship vote expected Wednesday. Bitcoin stayed above $80,000 after the news, and as of May 13, 2026 at 07:00 UTC it traded at $80,955, down 0.1% over 24 hours. Warsh has previously called Bitcoin "the new gold for people under 40" and said he plans to divest most crypto-related holdings.

BitMEX co-founder Arthur Hayes argued on May 12 that heavy AI infrastructure spending and growing fiat liquidity are setting up conditions for another Bitcoin rally. He said BTC could retake $126,000 and highlighted $90,000 as a key zone, while BTC traded at $81,028.52 at press time on May 13.

Crypto exchange MEXC said it plans to expand its Guardian Fund to $500 million over the next two years and add 1,000 bitcoin to its reserves. The company described the move as a risk-management upgrade built around a dual reserve system using BTC and USDT to support liquidity and longer-term backing.

Strategy disclosed a 535 BTC purchase worth $43 million at an average price of $80,340 per coin, lifting the largest Bitcoin digital asset treasury total to 818,869 BTC. The firm said its 2026 BTC yield stands at 9.4%, while its average cost across holdings is $75,540, implying about $4.30 billion in unrealized gains at current levels. MSTR also rose to $195.94 after a 4.45% daily jump, as traders increasingly treat it as a high-beta, leveraged proxy for Bitcoin.

A Bitcoin wallet inactive since November 2013 moved its full balance on Sunday, sending 500 BTC to a new bech32 address. Whale Alert flagged the transfer at about 19:16 UTC, valuing the coins at roughly $40,717,094 at current prices and noting they were worth $482,898 in 2013. The receiving wallet was not identified as an exchange address, leaving the motive unconfirmed.

Bitcoin (BTC) is currently navigating a high-stakes tug-of-war between worsening macroeconomic headwinds and relentless institutional accumulation. After a brief surge toward $83,000, the premier digital asset has settled around the $81,000 mark, as markets digest a hotter-than-expected U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) report.