Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest executed a curious bit of financial choreography this week, unloading approximately $12.3 million in shares of Coinbase and Robinhood—two of the most prominent crypto-adjacent fintech darlings—precisely as Bitcoin carved out a fresh all-time high near $118,080 and the broader cryptocurrency market surged with the kind of euphoric momentum that typically has growth investors salivating.
Ark Invest’s $12.3 million crypto-fintech exodus amid Bitcoin’s euphoric surge to new highs defies conventional growth investing wisdom.
The timing proves particularly intriguing given that both Coinbase and Robinhood shares were themselves riding the crypto wave higher, with Coinbase climbing 4% to close near $388.96 and Robinhood advancing 4.4% to $98.70 on the day of Ark’s sales.
Yet Wood’s team methodically offloaded 16,627 Coinbase shares worth $6.5 million and 58,504 Robinhood shares valued at $5.8 million through the ARK Innovation ETF, adding another $1.7 million in Block Inc. disposals for good measure.
This counterintuitive move—selling into strength while Ethereum simultaneously surged 8.5% to approximately $3,011—suggests either masterful profit-taking or an abundance of caution that borders on the contrarian. The sales represent significant but partial liquidation of holdings in companies that should theoretically benefit from crypto market exuberance, raising questions about whether Ark’s team spotted something others missed or simply decided to harvest gains amid peak market enthusiasm.
The broader context adds layers of complexity to this strategic repositioning. Robinhood continues maneuvering regulatory scrutiny while simultaneously planning blockchain-based stock token launches in Europe, creating a fascinating tension between domestic compliance challenges and international crypto ambitions. The company’s European expansion plans come as Florida’s attorney general launched an investigation into Robinhood Crypto.
Coinbase, meanwhile, stands as the preeminent cryptocurrency exchange directly benefiting from the digital asset rally that prompted Ark’s selling spree. The current market resilience reflects the transition from reactionary fluctuations to more sustainable growth patterns observed throughout 2025.
Perhaps most tellingly, the market barely blinked at Ark’s disposals, with crypto-linked fintech stocks maintaining their upward trajectory despite the fund’s retreat. This resilience suggests either robust underlying demand or the kind of momentum-driven buying that often characterizes market peaks—precisely the conditions that might justify Wood’s seemingly paradoxical decision to step back from the crypto-fintech dance just as the music reached its crescendo.
