Cathie Wood makes a major increase the position! Ark Invest invests $19 million in Block, with Bitcoin holdings surpassing $1 billion, becoming the 13th largest publicly traded company whale.

"Bull Market Queen" Cathie Wood's Ark Invest made a significant investment of $19.2 million in financial technology giant Block Inc. this Monday, acquiring a total of 262,463 shares through three ETFs. This increase in position coincides with Block's accelerated push for a corporate Bitcoin strategy – with an additional 108 BTC (valued at approximately $12.58 million) added in the second quarter, bringing its total holdings to 8,692 BTC (over $1 billion), ranking 13th among publicly traded companies in coin holdings. Coupled with Block's better-than-expected Q2 earnings report (revenue of $6.05 billion, net profit doubling) and an upward revision of its full-year profit guidance to $10.17 billion, the market is paying attention to whether its "payment ecosystem + Bitcoin accumulation" dual-engine model can replicate MicroStrategy's successful path.

[ARK's three major ETFs are synchronously buying, counter-trend layout for Block at a low position] According to the latest trading disclosure, Cathie Wood's ARK Invest significantly increased its holdings in Block shares through its three major ETFs on Monday (date to be supplemented based on actual information):

• ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK): Purchased 152,980 shares
• ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW): Purchased 69,526 shares
• ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF): Purchase of 39,957 shares In total, increased the position by 262,463 shares, valued at approximately $19.2 million. This increase in position coincides with Block's stock price falling to a nearly three-week low (closing price on Monday was $73.03, down 0.49%). Despite a 4% drop in recent weeks, it still holds a 12% increase over the past month. Ark's move demonstrates its confidence in Block's long-term value.

[Bitcoin strategy accelerates, the "Saylorization" trend spreads] The increase in holdings by Ark resonates with the corporate Bitcoin strategy strongly advocated by Block founder Jack Dorsey. SEC filings show that Block increased its holdings by 108 BTC (approximately valued at 12.58 million USD at current prices) in the second quarter of 2024. According to Bitcoin Treasuries data, Block's total Bitcoin holdings currently reach 8,692 BTC, valued at over 1 billion USD, making it the 13th largest publicly traded company holding Bitcoin in the world. Block's holding of Bitcoin serves the dual purpose of long-term investment and supporting its Cash App platform users' transactions. Notable Bitcoin advocate Max Keiser recently emphasized that companies need to emulate MicroStrategy's coin accumulation strategy for survival: "Companies must replicate this strategy process, they must 'Saylorize', or they will perish." He even predicted that widespread adoption could push Bitcoin to $2.2 million per coin.

[Ecosystem Deep Integration: Payment, Merchants, Hardware Wallets All Covered] Block's Bitcoin layout spans its business lines:

1. Cash App: Bitcoin-related revenue in 2024 will reach 10 billion USD, and integrate Lightning Network payments.
2. Square: Supports U.S. merchants to accept Bitcoin payments.
3. Bitkey: A self-custody hardware wallet solution aimed at regular users. This full ecosystem integration enhances its ability to implement the Bitcoin strategy.

[Q2 performance exceeded expectations, full-year profit guidance upgraded] At the time of Ark's increase the position, Block just delivered an impressive second quarter report:

• Total revenue reached 6.05 billion USD
• Gross profit increased by 14% year-on-year to $2.54 billion (with significant contributions from Cash App's Bitcoin business)
• Net profit attributable to common shareholders surged to $538.46 million (compared to $195.27 million in the same period last year), far exceeding Wall Street expectations. Based on strong performance, Block has raised its full-year gross profit forecast from $9.96 billion to $10.17 billion. Bloomberg pointed out that the stable payment processing volume of Square's merchant network and the growth of the Cash App lending product are key to the better-than-expected profits. The expansion of the payment ecosystem and the positive Bitcoin strategy have boosted investor confidence. Note: The financial report also shows that due to the decline in the fair market value of Bitcoin, Block recorded a $212.17 million paper loss in holdings. Analysts believe this reflects the accounting impact of Bitcoin's volatility, not a strategic shift.

Conclusion: Cathie Wood's significant investment in Block is not only a recognition of its fintech ecosystem and exceptional financial reports but also an endorsement of Bitcoin's long-term value as a corporate asset allocation. With its unique "payment + Bitcoin" dual-driven model, Block is deeply integrated into the Bitcoin ecosystem (from trading and applications to custody), becoming a core benchmark in the wave of corporate "Saylorization." As funds continue to flow into the spot Bitcoin ETF and a potential interest rate cut environment takes shape, the market is watching whether Block can leverage this momentum to break through the recent stock price consolidation range (73-75 USD) and initiate a new round of value reassessment.