Corporate Ethereum Treasury Firms Accelerate Accumulation, Signaling Growing Institutional Interest

Ethereum Treasury Accumulation Trends

Corporate treasury firms have made significant strides in accumulating Ethereum (ETH), with 1% of the cryptocurrency's circulating supply now under institutional control. This surge in ETH acquisitions within a two-month period demonstrates a growing interest from institutions in Ethereum compared to Bitcoin. According to a report from Standard Chartered, treasury companies have purchased 1.26 million ETH since June, nearly matching the 2 million ETH acquired by spot exchange-traded funds during the same timeframe. BitMine Immersion Technologies, backed by Peter Thiel, stands as the largest corporate Ethereum holder, controlling 0.52% of the total supply, with plans to acquire up to 5% of Ether.

Ethereum's Appeal to Institutions

Standard Chartered analysts highlighted Ethereum's structural advantages over Bitcoin treasuries, citing regulatory inefficiencies, staking rewards, and decentralized finance (DeFi) utility as key drivers for institutional demand. The report forecasts that strategic reserves of ETH could ultimately reach 10% of the total supply, representing a significant shift in institutional allocation. The price performance of Ethereum has also reflected this momentum, with the ETH/BTC ratio rising from 0.018 in April to 0.032 in July. The bank maintained its $4,000 year-end price target for ETH.

ETHZilla's Strategic Pivot to DeFi

In a strategic pivot from biotech to decentralized finance (DeFi), ETHZilla Corporation, formerly 180 Life Sciences Corp., has confirmed its rebranding following a $425 million investment in Ethereum. The firm plans to allocate 95% of its cash reserves to ETH, engaging in on-chain yield strategies such as staking, liquidity provisioning, and private lending. This move positions ETHZilla as a major player in Ethereum's ecosystem, leveraging institutional-grade risk management to optimize returns while navigating smart contract and regulatory risks. The funding round attracted over 60 institutional and crypto-native entities, signaling confidence in ETHZilla's active corporate engagement with blockchain ecosystems.