- Riot Platforms sold 3,778 BTC in Q1 2026 for $289.5 million.
- Average selling price was $76,626 per Bitcoin.
- Total holdings dropped to 15,680 BTC, down 18% year-over-year.
- Bitcoin demand turned negative, falling to -63,000 BTC.
Riot Platforms (RIOT), a Bitcoin mining and digital infrastructure company, reported that it sold 3,778 Bitcoin during the first quarter of 2026. The transaction generated $289.5 million in net proceeds at an average price of $76,626 per coin, according to the company’s production and operations update. The sale reduced Riot’s total Bitcoin holdings to 15,680 BTC as of March 31, representing an 18% decline from 19,223 BTC held a year earlier. According from data, Riot sold another 500 BTC in early April, further lowering its reserves. During the same quarter, Riot produced 1,473 BTC, marking a 4% decrease compared to Q1 2025.
Broader Miner Sell-Off and Market Pressure
Riot’s Bitcoin liquidation reflects a broader trend among mining firms and other entities. MARA Holdings also sold 15,133 BTC during Q1, generating approximately $1.1 billion. On-chain analytics from CryptoQuant showed that Bitcoin’s apparent demand declined significantly, reaching negative 63,000 coins by late March. This data indicates increased selling pressure across the market.
Institutional Buying Remains Concentrated: Despite the decline in demand, accumulation activity has not stopped entirely. okyo-listed Metaplanet acquired 5,075 BTC for approximately $398 million in Q1, increasing its total holdings to 40,177 BTC. The divergence between firms selling Bitcoin and those continuing to accumulate highlights a market where buying activity persists but is concentrated among a smaller group of institutional participants.
