Author:Zhou, ChainCatcher
2025 Q4, as Bitcoin soared to a historic high of over $120,000, crypto tycoons have quietly shifted to traditional real estate for hedging.
According to Bloomberg, DeFi platform Aave founder Stani Kulechov purchased a five-story Victorian-style mansion in London's Notting Hill for £22 million (approximately $30 million). The transaction was completed in November 2025, when Bitcoin's price was fluctuating within a high range.
Against the backdrop of the UK Labour government raising stamp duty and canceling tax benefits for ultra-high-net-worth foreign residents, London's luxury housing market has continued to face pressure. In December 2025, transactions for homes priced above £5 million fell by approximately 40% year-on-year, making this deal one of the highest-priced cases in London's high-end residential market in nearly a year.
The report stated that Kulechov's transaction occurred one week before the UK budget announcement,恰逢 policy adjustments加剧 market weakness. The final price was about £2 million lower than the agent's initial guide price. It is reported that, as a pioneer of the DeFi lending platform, he manages over $50 billion in locked assets on Aave.
Previously, several crypto executives or founders have also been曝出 buying mansions. In March 2025, Vaulta (formerly EOS Network) parent company Block.one CEO and Bullish Chairman Brendan Blumer purchased Villa Romazzino in Italy's Costa Smeralda for nearly €170 million. This mansion is one of the most luxurious properties on the Emerald Coast and was previously owned by former Saudi Oil Minister Ahmed Zaki Yamani.
Earlier, in 2022, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong purchased a top-tier mansion in Los Angeles' Bel Air for $133 million. The property was transferred from a Japanese entrepreneur and was considered one of the most expensive real estate cases among crypto executives at the time.
Sam Bankman-Fried used platform funds to purchase over 30 mansions in the Bahamas before the collapse of FTX, with a total value exceeding $240 million. These included the Albany Orchid penthouse and land in Old Fort Bay, which were exposed during the bankruptcy liquidation process in 2023 through creditor reports.
Stake.com co-founder Bijan Tehrani purchased a historic mansion in Manhattan, New York, for approximately $47 million in 2023. It was previously owned by Chase Bank legend David Rockefeller.
Ed Craven , another co-founder of Stake.com, acquired multiple high-end properties in Melbourne, Australia, including a mansion on St George's Road in Toorak worth over $80 million, and land on Orrong Road valued at $38.5 million.
NFT collector and crypto whale Huang Licheng purchased a mansion in Los Angeles' Bird Streets community for $25 million in 2023.
Additionally, there are cases of crypto-related individuals selling mansions. In September 2025, American entrepreneur Grant Cardone listed his waterfront mansion in Miami's Golden Beach for 400 Bitcoins (approximately $43 million). The property was originally purchased from Tommy Hilfiger, and the transaction was completed within 72 hours of listing.
It is not difficult to see that these transactions are mostly concentrated in global high-end areas such as London, Los Angeles, New York, the Italian coast, and Miami. Moreover, the timing of these曝出的 mansion acquisitions often occurs at the peak or尾声 of bull markets, where the wealthy tend to lock in部分 profits at the peak of their wealth and turn to physical assets for hedging.
Recently, Sotheby's International Realty released its 2026 Luxury Outlook Report, pointing out that cryptocurrency is increasingly influencing luxury purchases, especially in markets like Dubai, New York, and California. Sellers in these regions already accept crypto payments directly, and the proportion of high-net-worth individuals holding crypto assets has risen significantly.
The report also mentioned that regulatory changes may allow crypto assets to be counted towards mortgage qualification, further facilitating financing for home purchases by holders. It is预计 that by 2030, the scale of loans collateralized by Bitcoin will grow substantially.
The mansion acquisitions by crypto entrepreneurs are not only personal wealth choices but also reflect the ongoing penetration of digital assets into traditional sectors.
This trend is also evident beyond real estate.
At the end of January, the price of physical gold续创 a decades-long新高, breaking through the $5,600 per ounce mark. The massive gold-buying行动 by crypto industry leader Tether has also attracted much attention. As the issuer of the world's largest stablecoin, USDT, it has accumulated approximately 140 tons of physical gold, worth about $24 billion, becoming one of the largest gold holders among non-governmental institutions.
The company purchased over 70 tons of gold in the past year, adding 27 tons in Q4 2025. It continues to buy at a rate of 1 to 2 tons per week, equivalent to about $1 billion per month. This gold is primarily stored in high-security vaults in Switzerland and is used to back its reserves and the gold-pegged token XAUT.
Tether CEO Paolo Ardoino stated that the company plans to allocate 10% to 15% of its investment portfolio to physical gold and will maintain this purchasing pace in the coming months.
In essence, Tether's gold strategy, along with the move by crypto entrepreneurs towards mansions, reflects the logic of digital wealth holders seeking more stable, physical assets. The penetration of digital assets into traditional fields may have become an irreversible trend.
