Written by Sam Bourgistaff writerReviewed by Robert Lakinstaff editor

Written by Sam Bourgistaff writer

Reviewed by Robert Lakinstaff editor

Bitmine nears 5% of Ethereum supply despite $8.4B in unrealized losses

Latest NewsPublishedAug 17, 2026

Tom Lee’s Ethereum treasury company keeps buying the second-biggest crypto through the downturn, while more than 5 million staked ETH is projected to generate $287 million in annual rewards.

Tom Lee’s Bitmine Immersion Technologies, an Ethereum treasury company, resumed its Ether purchases last week, bringing it closer to a key business target of owning 5% of the second-biggest cryptocurrency’s supply despite challenging market conditions.

The company disclosed Monday that it acquired 9,926 Ether (ETH) during the week ending Aug. 16, bringing its total holdings to roughly 5.82 million ETH, or about 4.8% of Ethereum’s circulating supply. At an ETH reference price of $1,893, Bitmine’s Ether holdings were valued at roughly $11 billion. nevertheless, much of the company’s ETH was acquired at significantly higher prices.

Ether’s price was little changed on Monday, sitting just above $1,900.

The latest purchase puts Bitmine within striking distance of its long-term “Alchemy of 5%” target of holding 5% of the total ETH supply.

Bitmine’s conviction has been tested by a prolonged bear market for Ether, which has sharply eroded the value of its digital asset treasury. The company is sitting on more than $8.4 billion in unrealized losses on its ETH holdings, as reported by industry data.

With a portfolio value of more than $11 billion, BitMine’s unrealized losses are around 43%. Source: DropsTab

Still, Bitmine has continued accumulating Ether, making purchases every week since launching its ETH treasury strategy in June 2025.

Related: Ethereum devs to narrow 66 proposals tied to Hegotá upgrade

Bitmine’s staked Ether approaches $10 billion in value

Although Bitmine is sitting on large unrealized losses on its Ether holdings, its staking operations continue to generate yield. The company stated it is staking more than 5 million ETH, worth roughly $9.6 billion at current prices.

That staking has enabled Bitmine to earn protocol rewards for helping secure the Ethereum network, providing a predictable source of yield regardless of short-term ETH price movements. Based on a seven-day staking yield of 2.61%, Bitmine projects annualized staking rewards of roughly $287 million, as reported by Lee.

Related: Crypto Biz: Bitcoin’s $116M self-custody wake-up call

Cointelegraph is committed to independent, transparent journalism. This news article is produced in accordance with Cointelegraph’s Editorial Policy and aims to provide accurate and timely information. Readers are encouraged to verify information independently.

• Ether Price
• Staking
• Companies
• Ethereum

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