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- Polymarket puts shutdown probability at 80%.
- The last shutdown in October-November caused lasting damage.
- That’s not stopping Wall Street from digging deeper into crypto.
The threat of a US government shutdown isn’t scaring Michael Saylor.
Strategy purchased another $264 million in Bitcoin, the firm announced Monday. The digital asset treasury led by Saylor now holds about $63 billion worth of the top crypto, at an average purchase price of $76,037 per Bitcoin.
Strategy’s latest haul comes as investors brace for a likely US federal government shutdown. Democrats threaten their Republican peers with a national gridlock in response to multiple deadly shootings in Minneapolis by federal agents.
Following nationwide protests and international condemnation, Senate Democrats have vowed to block a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security.
Prediction market Polymarket now shows an 80% chance for a federal shutdown, which is bad news for asset markets like crypto and stocks.
The record 43-day government shutdown in October and November severely damaged investor sentiment as key US agencies responsible for data and oversight were left “flying blind,” the White House said.
Bitcoin and other cryptos are still down over $1 trillion since peaking in October.
Double jeopardy
The looming shutdown also lands as President Donald Trump’s abrasive strategies that target key American allies and trade partners have driven investors to dump exposure to the US. The greenback is down about 15% against the euro over the past year.
Meanwhile, safe-haven asset gold has enjoyed a meteoric rise, breaching $5,100 per ounce on Monday. Bitcoin, often dubbed “digital gold” by Saylor, isn’t enjoying the same shine.
To be sure, the uncertainty is not stopping Wall Street from pushing deeper into the digital assets industry.
On Monday, BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, filed to launch a second Bitcoin-focused exchange-traded fund that would give investors exposure to the cryptocurrency — along with a little yield.
BlackRock’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF has seen massive success since its launch in 2024. It is the largest crypto-focused ETF, holding Bitcoin worth nearly $70 billion, according to DefiLlama data.
Strategy shareholders are encouraged to tune into the firm’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings call on 5 February.
Lance Datskoluo is DL News’ Europe-based markets correspondent. Got a tip? Email at lance@dlnews.com.
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