Ark Invest has been putting its real money where its mouth is. In just one day (February 12th), the company bought shares in three separate companies connected to the cryptocurrency industry.
According to the deal disclosure, Ark purchased 212,314 shares of Bitmine stock worth about $4.2 million, 74,323 shares of Bullish stock worth about $2.4 million, and 174,767 shares of Robinhood stock worth a total of $12.4 million.
This was not a small, cautious move. This was a deliberate bet made while Bitcoin was in a downward trend.
Image: FXEmpire
Numbers tell an inconvenient truth
Bitcoin is down 26% so far this year. By comparison, gold rose 19% over the same period. At the time of this writing, Bitcoin was trading at $63,200 and gold was trading at around $3,180 per troy ounce.
These numbers don’t exactly support the argument for abandoning existing safe havens in favor of new ones. At least not now. The gap between what Cathie Wood believes and what the market is actually doing has never been clearer.
Wood isn’t backing down. In a recent Bloomberg interview, the Ark Invest founder said Bitcoin is better than gold. That’s a strong argument for an asset that has been in decline for most of the year.
Cathie Wood: Bitcoin is “absolutely” better than gold. pic.twitter.com/38LYF4IcaF
— Altcoin Daily (@AltcoinDaily) February 23, 2026
Her argument is not based on this month’s price chart. This is built around where she thinks money will be headed over the next decade. According to the report, she sees Bitcoin as a hedge that works in both inflationary and deflationary conditions, with flexibility that she believes gold cannot match in the same way.
Young money is moving differently.
What Wood is certain about will depend on who buys and who doesn’t. She noted that while institutional exposure to Bitcoin is still building, younger investors are increasingly choosing the digital asset over physical bullion.
BTCUSD trading at $63,634 on the 24-hour chart: TradingView
Gold’s buyer base is mature and well established. Bitcoin is still forming. This distinction is important to Wood because it suggests that most of Bitcoin demand has not yet arrived. In her reading, early adoption means there is still a long way to go.
Ark’s portfolio reflects that perspective. Bullish rose to become the ninth-largest holding in the firm’s ARKF fund, accounting for a 3.4% share with a value of nearly $30 million.
Ark also holds positions at Block, Circle, and Coinbase. This is a collection of bets that together paint a picture of a company fully committed to the idea that companies linked to cryptocurrencies will be worth much more in the coming years.
Long term play in short term markets
The tensions Wood is exploring are real. Gold has won in 2025 so far. Bitcoin isn’t like that. But Ark’s buying activity suggests the company sees the gap as a window, not a reason for a pullout.
According to the report, Wood and her team continue to focus on adoption curves and structural changes rather than quarterly returns.
Kanchanara Featured Image on Unsplash, TradingView Chart
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