Tesla Maintains Bitcoin Holdings in Q1 2026 Amid Loss

Tesla reported on Wednesday that it maintained its Bitcoin holdings unchanged at 11,509 coins during the first quarter of 2026, despite a significant market downturn that led to a $173 million accounting loss on its digital assets. The electric vehicle manufacturer, led by CEO Elon Musk, neither bought nor sold any Bitcoin, continuing a strategy of long-term retention that has held steady since early 2025.

The loss stemmed from accounting rules requiring companies to mark digital assets to their current market value. Bitcoin's price fell approximately 22 percent over the quarter, dropping from around $90,000 at the start of January to about $68,000 by the end of March. This decline, driven by geopolitical tensions, a hawkish Federal Reserve policy, and broader risk-off sentiment in financial markets, reduced the value of Tesla's holdings from roughly $1 billion to $786 million at quarter's end. By late April, with Bitcoin recovering to around $78,000, the position was valued at approximately $900 million.

Tesla's Bitcoin exposure dates back to February 2021, when the company purchased 43,200 coins for about $1.5 billion. It later sold roughly 75 percent of that stake in 2022...