Bitcoin self-custody holdings dwarf ETFs and treasuries by nearly 3x, River report finds

For all the fanfare around spot Bitcoin ETFs and corporate treasury strategies, the biggest whale in the room has been hiding in plain sight: regular people holding their own keys. River Financial’s custody report reveals that self-custodied Bitcoin holdings now exceed $800 billion, nearly three times the roughly $300 billion held collectively by spot Bitcoin ETFs and corporate and government Bitcoin treasuries. Individuals control approximately 65.9% of the circulating supply, or about 13.83 million BTC sitting in non-custodial wallets. The numbers behind the narrative The report also highlights a declining share of Bitcoin held on exchanges, meaning that even among individuals who initially buy through centralized platforms, many are choosing to withdraw to personal wallets. River’s own positioning River Financial isn’t just observing these trends from the sidelines. The company, which focuses exclusively on Bitcoin services, disclosed that it custodies over 25,000 BTC on behalf of clients. That figure places it among the top exchanges and ETFs ranked by held assets. The firm also maintains a corporate treasury of 437 BTC, which as of May 2026 ranks it ninth among tracked private...