ARK's Optimistic Move: Crypto Platform Rises While Defense Investments Decline

Cathie Wood's

Invest has notably boosted its investment in Bullish, the digital asset platform that recently began trading on the New York Stock Exchange, purchasing shares valued at more than $5 million across several of its ETFs. The company’s ETF (ARKK) acquired 72,537 shares, while the ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW) picked up 21,354 shares, and the ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) bought 11,122 shares, as detailed in a . This comes after an earlier investment of $8.27 million in mid-October, bringing ARK’s total Bullish holdings to over $172 million since the exchange’s $1.1 billion NYSE listing, according to the report.

This activity aligns with Bullish’s recent expansion in the U.S., highlighted by a launch event in New York where the company obtained both a BitLicense and a money transmission license from state regulators, allowing spot trading in 20 states. Supported by Block.one and led by CEO Tom Farley, Bullish has handled more than $1.5 trillion in trading volume since its global debut in 2021 and is now among the top 10 exchanges for

and trading, Cointelegraph reported. Bullish shares climbed 1.24% to $50.57 on Friday, rebounding from earlier market swings.

Interest in Bullish has also been highlighted by Leverage Shares by Themes, which introduced a 2X leveraged ETF focused on the stock,

Leverage Shares 2X Long BLSH Daily ETF, along with similar leveraged products for Bitmine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), Mp Materials Corp (MP), and Nebius Group (NBIS), according to a . These new ETFs are designed to offer enhanced exposure to companies leading in digital assets, renewable energy, and crypto infrastructure. Themes ETFs emphasized Bullish’s significance in connecting traditional finance with digital assets, describing it as a “next-generation crypto marketplace,” the release stated.

ARK’s approach also involves selective selling. On October 31, the firm divested 41,892 shares of Palantir Technologies for $8.15 million and 42,865 shares of Kratos Defense for $3.78 million through ARKK, indicating a move away from defense and technology stocks, according to an

. At the same time, ARK increased its holdings in Bullish and Intellia Therapeutics, purchasing 38,846 shares of the gene-editing firm for $476,640, the report said. These transactions represent a broader shift toward high-growth sectors like crypto and biotechnology, consistent with ARK’s emphasis on disruptive innovation.

The market’s response to Bullish’s U.S. debut has been cautiously positive. The exchange’s regulatory achievements and partnerships with BitGo and Nonco have enhanced its reputation, though it still faces challenges in scaling and competing with established crypto exchanges. Analysts suggest that ARK’s continued investments may reflect strong long-term faith in Bullish’s potential to thrive in the rapidly changing digital asset sector, Cointelegraph noted.