Holdings Remain Unchanged, Losses Soar... Tesla's Bitcoin Dilemma

▲ Elon Musk, Tesla, Bitcoin (BTC)/ChatGPT generated image ©

Tesla maintained its Bitcoin holdings, but recorded an unrealized loss of $173 million during the first quarter, drawing market attention once again.

According to crypto media outlet CoinDesk on April 22 (local time), Tesla maintained its Bitcoin (BTC) holdings at 11,509 BTC during the first quarter of 2026, with no separate purchases or sales. This amounts to approximately $880 million based on current market prices.

However, as the price of Bitcoin fell from approximately $90,000 to $68,000 during the first quarter, Tesla reflected an unrealized loss of approximately $173 million after tax from its digital assets. Although holdings remained unchanged, the price decline directly impacted the financial statements.

The earnings themselves were mixed. Tesla's first-quarter revenue was $22.39 billion, slightly below market expectations of $22.71 billion, but its earnings per share were $0.41, exceeding the estimated $0.37. As a result, Tesla's stock price rose by approximately 4% in after-hours trading.

Tesla's history of Bitcoin investment is also drawing renewed attention. The company invested approximately $1.5 billion to purchase 43,200 BTC in February 2021, then reduced its holdings to 9,720 BTC by July 2022 after some sales. After a slight increase in early 2025, it currently maintains a level of 11,509 BTC.

Ultimately, Tesla continues to maintain a structure where it keeps its holding strategy while directly bearing the risk of price fluctuations. Market interest is expected to continue as future performance volatility is likely to be reflected based on Bitcoin price movements.

*Disclaimer: This article is for investment reference only, and we are not responsible for any investment losses based on it. The content should be interpreted for informational purposes only.*