ARK Invest increased its exposure to two major crypto-linked financial companies on Aug. 31, buying more than $40 million worth of Block and Circle shares. The purchases came as Cathie Wood’s investment firm continued to reposition its actively managed ETFs toward companies tied to digital payments, Bitcoin and stablecoins.
The firm bought 456,059 shares of Block, worth about $37.4 million based on the stock’s Aug. 31 closing price of $82.02. ARK also purchased 35,192 shares of Circle Internet Group, valued at roughly $3.36 million after Circle closed at $95.55. Multiple reports confirmed the transactions through ARK’s daily trading disclosures.
Block strengthens Bitcoin exposure
Block shares fell 1.85% during Monday’s session, giving ARK an opportunity to increase its position. The purchase followed Block’s second-quarter results, which showed stronger-than-expected earnings and revenue.
Block also raised its 2026 gross profit outlook to $12.51 billion, representing expected growth of about 21% from the prior year. The company remains closely connected to the cryptocurrency market through Cash App and its Bitcoin operations.
ARK’s Block purchase also continues a buying trend that began earlier in August. The firm previously added hundreds of thousands of Block shares following the company’s earnings report.
Circle remains a stablecoin bet
ARK’s Circle purchase adds to Wood’s longer-term investment in the stablecoin sector. Circle issues USDC, one of the largest dollar-pegged cryptocurrencies, and has increasingly positioned itself around stablecoin payments and blockchain-based financial infrastructure.
Circle shares jumped 9.65% on Aug. 31. The stock’s gains came as investor attention remained focused on USDC adoption and Circle’s expansion into mainstream financial markets.
The latest purchases also came alongside broader portfolio changes. ARK sold shares of several technology companies, including Palantir and AMD, while adding to other growth-oriented positions.
The transactions suggest ARK continues to view crypto-related financial infrastructure as a major long-term growth opportunity. Block provides exposure to Bitcoin and digital payments, while Circle offers a direct public-market connection to the expanding stablecoin economy.
