Since June 2025, businesses have been gobbling up Ether at an alarming rate. According to an internal memo from Standard Chartered, corporate firms now hold 1% of the total ETH supply. And this is just the beginning: the bank estimates that this figure could climb to 10%, marking an unprecedented institutional wave on the Ethereum network.
A Recent Appetite Fiercer than for Bitcoin
For the past month, Ethereum has been preferred over Bitcoin in crypto treasury strategies. Companies focusing on ETH are investing twice as fast as their BTC-centric counterparts. The result? ETH outperforms, driven by both these massive purchases and the rise of Ethereum spot ETFs, which are experiencing their best month ever.
A strong signal, as Ethereum approaches its 10th anniversary: the interest of major players is just getting started.
BitMine and Sharplink Lead the Way
Leading this wave is BitMine Immersion Tech, a Nasdaq-listed mining giant, which recently acquired 58,224 ETH ($225 million), bringing its total holdings to 625,000 ETH, equivalent to 0.52% of the total supply. The stated goal is to reach 5% of the supply, which would require acquiring an additional 6 million ETH. A colossal ambition supported by a $1 billion stock buyback plan.
Following suit, Sharplink emerges as the second largest corporate holder, having acquired 438,190 ETH between July 21 and 27, for $290 million. Average price: $3,756 per token. A clear bet on the upcoming rise.
A Strategic Battle around Staking and DeFi
Why this sudden enthusiasm for Ethereum? According to Standard Chartered, companies positioned on ETH benefit from a clear regulatory advantage. Unlike US ETFs, they can access staking revenues and DeFi returns. This can generate superior performance while maintaining direct exposure to the asset.
Simply put: for the British bank, these companies could end up owning 10% of all circulating ETH. That’s a 10-fold increase from their current share.
The Shadow of the Ether Machine
The latest entrant in this accumulation race is the Ether Machine, a newly launched company that plans to acquire over 400,000 ETH, amounting to over $1.5 billion at current prices, to build one of the largest on-chain positions held by a public entity. The company plans to go public on Nasdaq under the symbol ETHM.
The institutional invasion of the Ethereum ecosystem has begun. And this time, it’s not just about announcements: it’s written in billions of dollars, locked tokens, and rapidly consumed market share.
