Apple CEO Tim Cook Discloses Bitcoin Holdings, But Company Stays Away from Crypto Market

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently made headlines after disclosing that he has been holding Bitcoin for about three years. In an interview with DealBook’s Andrew Ross Sorkin, Cook stated that he believes holding Bitcoin is a “reasonable” part of a diversified portfolio, although he made it clear that Apple as a company has no plans to venture into the cryptocurrency market in the near future.

Cook’s revelation comes at a time when Bitcoin’s price has been surging, nearing $82,000. While companies like Tesla have embraced Bitcoin by accepting it for payments and holding significant amounts in their treasury, Cook emphasized that Apple will not be following suit. He confirmed that Apple has no immediate plans to use cryptocurrency in its payment systems or invest its substantial cash reserves, which amount to around $200 billion, in digital assets.

The CEO highlighted that people do not buy Apple stock to gain exposure to crypto, suggesting that investments in cryptocurrency should remain a personal choice for individual investors. While Apple allows crypto wallet apps on its App Store, Cook mentioned that the company is exploring other avenues, although he did not provide specifics on what these might entail.

In addition to his interest in Bitcoin, Cook also expressed a mild interest in NFTs but dismissed any labels as a “crypto bull.” His statements reflect Apple’s more conservative approach to cryptocurrency, contrasting with the more aggressive stances taken by some of its competitors.

Meanwhile, market analysts have noted a surge in Bitcoin whale activity during the recent rally. Large transactions from high-net-worth investors have signaled significant interest in the cryptocurrency. Vivek Sen, founder of Bitgrow Lab, pointed out that whale transactions have been unusually high, with some attributing this trend to renewed interest following Trump’s re-election.

Recent data from Arkham’s on-chain analytics revealed intense Bitcoin activity among large investors, with multiple high-value transactions recorded over the past week. Notably, one investor purchased $92 million worth of Bitcoin on November 7th, followed by four others acquiring over $145 million the next day. Additionally, two major transfers totaling over 62,000 BTC valued at $2 billion each were moved from Mt. Gox to an unknown wallet recently.

In the last seven days alone, Arkham tracked 144 transactions, each exceeding $100 million, indicating strong interest among Bitcoin whales. The cryptocurrency market continues to attract attention from both individual investors and institutional players, with developments like Tim Cook’s Bitcoin holdings and the surge in whale activity shaping the narrative around digital assets.