Anchorage Digital kicked off its day with a massive bitcoin haul. In the early hours of July 30, the federally chartered bank quietly added 10,141 BTC—worth about $1.19 billion—to its wallets. The move happened over a nine‑hour window.Bitcoin’s market price barely budged, slipping just 0.25% in the past week even though it hit an all‑time high of $123,140 on July 14 and sits around $118,606 when this report was written.Based on reports from blockchain analytics firm Arkham Intelligence, the scale and pace of these purchases point to a carefully planned operation.Anchorage Makes A Bold MoveAccording to Arkham Intelligence data, Anchorage Digital spread its orders across multiple wallets and counterparties. That approach helped avoid sudden price swings.Anchorage Digital has accumulated 10,141 $BTC($1.19B) from multiple wallets over the past 9 hours.https://t.co/zdNKM8YyQk pic.twitter.com/KCibu3t62l— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) July 30, 2025By using over‑the‑counter trades, the bank could buy large blocks of bitcoin without alerting the broader market. Spreading out orders over nine hours meant each hour saw roughly 1,126 BTC join Anchorage’s holdings.In a market that’s up 10% over the past month, acting during a slight dip suggests the bank sees even more upside ahead.Institutional Buyers Step InSeveral big names are now treating bitcoin as a mainstream asset. Just this month, Strategy announced it would pour $2.46 billion into crypto.Anchorage’s move sits alongside these mega allocations. Once acquired, the coins get locked away in cold storage protected by multi‑signature wallets.That’s in line with Anchorage’s role as a regulated custodian for banks, asset managers, and fintech firms seeking safe harbor for digital assets.Quiet Trades Behind The ScenesWhile Anchorage hasn’t made a public statement on the buy, the trading patterns tell the story. Breaking up orders across different times and providers is textbook for institutions that want to hide their footprint.It keeps slippage low and prices steady. It also buys time for the bank to build a reserve before jumping into the stablecoin market.Stablecoin Play Heats UpLast week, Anchorage struck a deal with Ethena Labs to bring the USDtb stablecoin to the US under the new GENIUS Act.That law lays out clear rules for issuing dollar‑pegged tokens. Ethena’s USDtb currently circulates offshore. Anchorage plans to issue it domestically through its newly chartered bank. If all goes to plan, it could be the first stablecoin with a solid path to federal compliance.Featured image from Pexels, chart from TradingView