In a historic move, the government of Alberta disclosed today that its Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) — which manages roughly $142 billion in public funds and pensions — has acquired 1.38 million shares of Strategy (MSTR) worth approximately $219 million.
This marks AIMCo’s first reported Bitcoin-linked allocation and the first time any Canadian province has taken exposure to Bitcoin through the world’s largest corporate Bitcoin holder.
Many institutional investors still cannot touch Bitcoin directly due to regulatory or mandate restrictions and therefore turn to Strategy as a legal and compliant way to gain Bitcoin exposure. MSTR functions as a leveraged proxy, allowing public funds and pensions to participate in Bitcoin’s upside without holding the asset outright.
The move contrasts with the federal government’s more negative stance in recent years, including actions during the 2022 Freedom Convoy protests where authorities directed the freezing of Bitcoin-related accounts.
However, Alberta has taken a notably pro-Bitcoin position. Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally has called Bitcoin a “freedom currency,” while Premier Danielle Smith has actively promoted the province as a hub for Bitcoin mining, citing its energy resources, low taxes, and innovation-friendly policies.
Federally, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been vocal: “Government is ruining the Canadian dollar, so Canadians should have the freedom to use other money, such as Bitcoin.”
Vancouver’s mayor also previously advocated for city-level Bitcoin adoption, though that effort did not pass.
AIMCo has not publicly commented on its rationale for the investment. The stake signals growing institutional comfort with Bitcoin exposure via MSTR stock, especially for entities restricted from holding the asset directly. It could pave the way for further Canadian governmental interest in the space.
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