Tesla Sold 75% of Its Bitcoin at $29,000. Bitcoin Is Now $84,000. Sam Daodu Wed, October 7, 2026 at 8:00 AM EDT 5 min read BTC-USD -3.49% TSLA +0.51% Trade BTC on Coinbase Trading disclosure Trading disclosure The above button links to Coinbase. Yahoo Finance is not a broker-dealer or investment adviser and does not offer securities or cryptocurrencies for sale or facilitate trading. Coinbase pays us for certain activity generated through this link. Prices displayed are informational.
Tesla sold 75% of its Bitcoin in 2022 for $936 million at $29,000 per coin; those coins would be worth $2.7 billion today.
Bitcoin dropped below $16,000 just months after Tesla's sale, meaning holding it would have posed serious financial risk during factory shutdowns.
Tesla still holds 11,509 Bitcoin worth roughly $970 million, placing it among the top public companies with significant crypto holdings.
Building a portfolio and living off one are two completely different skills, and almost nobody teaches the second. This problem is what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income helps, and it is free today. Read more here. (Sponsor)
In the second quarter of 2022, Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) sold approximately 75% of its Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) for $936 million, when Bitcoin was trading around $29,000. Fast forward to October 7, 2026, and Bitcoin is priced near $84,000—nearly three times its previous value. This substantial increase makes Tesla's Bitcoin sale one of the decade's most significant financial missteps.
However, investors judging Tesla's decision today have the benefit of hindsight—an insight the company didn't have in 2022. So, did Tesla make an error, or was their decision a prudent move that simply didn't age well?
Tesla originally purchased $1.5 billion worth of Bitcoin in early 2021. A year later, in 2022, COVID lockdowns in China significantly affected its Shanghai factory, which remained shut for several weeks. Elon Musk told investors Tesla was uncertain when the lockdowns would ease.
To ensure financial stability during this unpredictable period, the company decided to sell most of its Bitcoin to "maximize our cash position," emphasizing that the sale was not a negative assessment of Bitcoin itself.
Many successful investors eventually reach the same moment. The saving is done, the portfolio is built, and the question quietly changes from how much can I grow this to how much can I take out? Get that second question wrong and decades of good investing can come apart in a handful of years.
That is exactly what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income helps answer. It covers what your retirement could actually cost, which income sources are worth using, and the withdrawal math that decides whether the money lasts. It is free today from Fisher Investments. Read More Here ›
A corporate treasury is crucial for managing a company's financial needs, covering expenses like payroll, suppliers, and new investments. Cash is stable and maintains its value week to week, while Bitcoin is known for its volatility, which can swing by 20% in a month. By converting a volatile asset into cash, Tesla ensured it had the funds necessary to navigate the uncertainties brought on by the lockdowns.
Tesla continues to manage its treasury with an eye on spending. In its July 22, 2026, earnings call, Musk indicated that Tesla was willing to be "a little less capital efficient" if it meant advancing projects more quickly.
Since Tesla sold its Bitcoin near $29,000, the cryptocurrency has surged by about 190%. At today's price, the Bitcoins Tesla converted into $936 million would now be worth approximately $2.7 billion—an increase of roughly $1.8 billion.
However, this figure is speculative and assumes Tesla could have held onto its Bitcoin through all fluctuations. Just months after the sale, Bitcoin fell below $16,000 in November 2022. If Tesla had retained billions in Bitcoin during that downturn, it would have faced significant losses, especially while its factories were still trying to recover.
So the estimated $1.8 billion gap represents the opportunity cost rather than a reflection of Tesla's foresight in making the sale. If Bitcoin had continued to decline after 2022, this decision could very well have been viewed as a careful risk-management strategy—a challenge any company holding Bitcoin on its balance sheet faces.
Despite the sale, Tesla retained a significant portion of its crypto assets. As of March 31, 2026, the company's filings showed that it still held 11,509 Bitcoin, which it initially acquired for $386 million. Notably, Tesla recorded no further Bitcoin sales in the second quarter of 2026.
The value of Tesla's remaining Bitcoin has also grown. As of June 30, 2026, these digital assets were valued at $674 million, even after a $112 million paper loss that quarter. At $84,000 per coin, Tesla's remaining Bitcoin is now worth around $970 million, about 2.5 times its initial purchase price.
Even after selling 75% of its Bitcoin, Tesla's holdings still place it among the top public companies with substantial Bitcoin investments.
In summary, Tesla's decision to sell a significant portion of Bitcoin in 2022 was a reasonable strategy given the circumstances—though it cost the company about $1.8 billion in hindsight. The need for cash amid factory shutdowns warranted their choice, and by retaining 11,509 Bitcoin valued at around $970 million, Tesla still benefits from the robust Bitcoin rally.
Looking ahead, Tesla's next quarterly filing will show whether the company remains committed to holding Bitcoin. A decrease in its Bitcoin count would indicate sales, whereas an increase might suggest renewed purchasing in the crypto market.
(Sponsor) Most people spend their entire working lives focusing on one thing: growing a pile of money. Then they retire and discover the skill they actually need is close to the opposite. Turning that pile into steady income, year after year, through good markets and bad, without ever running out.
It may be the least discussed and most consequential transition in personal finance, and plenty of otherwise careful investors walk into it with no real plan. That is exactly what The Definitive Guide to Retirement Income helps answer. It is a free guide from Fisher Investments covering what your retirement will really cost, where the cash flow should come from, and how much you can safely withdraw each year. Learn more here. Learn More Here ›
Contact editorial@247wallst.com for any questions or corrections.
