Skip to content

CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money. CFDs are complex financial instruments and come with a high risk of losing money rapidly due to leverage. You should consider whether you understand how CFDs work, and whether you can afford to take the high risk of losing your money.

Tesla share price: Where next following $1.5 billion Bitcoin buy?

We look at the impact and rationale behind the automaker’s decision to buy more than $1 billion worth of Bitcoin.

Tesla share price: Where next following $1.5 billion Bitcoin buy? Source: Bloomberg

Tesla’s bitcoin purchases triggers ‘buying overload’

For investors and traders, it seems unlikely that ‘Tesla buys $1.5 billion dollars’ worth of Bitcoin’ was on their 2021 predictions list.

Despite that, news that the automaker had been snapping up the mainstay cryptocurrency at a rapid click in January 2021, saw the Tesla share price creep higher on Monday, 8 February, while itself broke Bitcoin fresh highs off the back of this news.

At the time of writing Bitcoin traded at US$47,550 per coin, up more than 20% in the last 24-hours alone, as hype around the future of cryptocurrencies reaches fever pitch.

Indeed, news that Tesla (TSLA) now had $1.5 billion worth of the crypto on its balance sheet whipped retail traders into a buying frenzy, with various crypto exchanges reporting service issues as a result of this ‘buying overload.’

Crypto exchanges such as Coinbase, Binance, Gemini all reported technical difficulties as a result of elevated demand levels, while cryptocurrency exchange Kraken said it had disabled signups.

Where next for the automaker?

Following approval from the Audit Committee of Tesla's Board of Directors in January 2021, Tesla said it had updated its investment policy as a means of diversifying and maximising the returns from the cash held on its balance sheet.

By the close of CY20, Tesla said it had $19.38 billion of cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet.

So what does this updated investment policy entail? A few key things.

For one, the company said it would now be able to:

‘Invest a portion of [its cash reserves] in certain alternative reserve assets including digital assets, gold bullion, gold exchange-traded funds and other assets as specified in the future.’

It was under this updated policy that the company said it had made the $1.5 billion crypto purchase, assumedly with the intention to ‘further diversify and maximize returns’ on the company’s cash balance. Beyond those initial purchases, and what likely contributed more broadly to the excitement felt by the crypto market in the last 24-hours, Tesla made two further important points, saying it;

‘May acquire and hold digital assets from time to time or long-term. Moreover, we expect to begin accepting bitcoin as a form of payment for our products in the near future, subject to applicable laws and initially on a limited basis, which we may or may not liquidate upon receipt.’

While Bitcoin rallied strongly off the back of this news, the Tesla share price was more subdued, finishing out Monday's session up $1.31% at $863.42.

For reference, this announcement was made via Tesla’s just-released 2020 annual report, where the company provided audited financial data for the year ending 30 December. Here, much of what the market already knew was restated, with Tesla reporting 2020 total revenues of $31,536 million, gross profits of $6,630 million, and net income of $862 million.

Expectations around the automaker remain elevated, with TSLA last trading on a 1,365X earnings multiple.


This information has been prepared by IG, a trading name of IG Limited. In addition to the disclaimer below, the material on this page does not contain a record of our trading prices, or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instrument. IG accepts no responsibility for any use that may be made of these comments and for any consequences that result. No representation or warranty is given as to the accuracy or completeness of this information. Consequently any person acting on it does so entirely at their own risk. Any research provided does not have regard to the specific investment objectives, financial situation and needs of any specific person who may receive it. It has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such is considered to be a marketing communication. Although we are not specifically constrained from dealing ahead of our recommendations we do not seek to take advantage of them before they are provided to our clients.
CFDs are a leveraged products. CFD trading may not be suitable for everyone and can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved.

Live prices on most popular markets

  • Forex
  • Shares
  • Indices

Prices above are subject to our website terms and agreements. Prices are indicative only. All shares prices are delayed by at least 15 mins.

Plan your trading week

Get the week’s market-moving news sent directly to your inbox every Friday. The Week Ahead gives you a full calendar of upcoming economic events, as well as commentary from our expert analysts on the key markets to watch.

For more info on how we might use your data, see our privacy notice and access policy and privacy webpage.

You might be interested in…

Find out what charges your trades could incur with our transparent fee structure.

Discover why so many clients choose us, and what makes us a world-leading provider of CFDs.

Stay on top of upcoming market-moving events with our customisable economic calendar.