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Tesla’s Bitcoin investment has been a rollercoaster ride of gains and losses

The next-generation Tesla Roadster at the Grand Basel Auto Show.

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One of the ultimate joyrides as a human is riding a rollercoaster. The anticipation of sitting in the train, waiting for dispatch as you slowly climb up the first gigantic hill, all for the anticipation to break. Suddenly, you’re falling down a 200+ foot drop, awaiting the next rise, which will unequivocally result in another slight drop. A short time later, you’re right back to where you started, in a pavilion, waiting to get off of the ride.

Tesla’s Bitcoin investment has been a comparable scenario described above: a meteoric climb, succeeded by a sharp drop, followed by tiny peaks and valleys. Ultimately, Tesla is right back to where it started.

In the company’s 10-Q filing with the SEC earlier today, the electric car company based out of Northern California detailed its tumultuous experience with Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency that could likely be attributed to most of the ranting and raving regarding digital assets. It allowed anyone who can access the document a peek into what kind of swings Tesla has been experiencing through its investment into Bitcoin, which was detailed in the 10-K filing after Q4 2020 results.

Climbing up the first hill

Tesla’s $1.5 billion investment started in the gate and quickly took off up the first hill of gains like a launch rollercoaster. The first hill lasted quite some time, as Bitcoin eclipsed $64,000 and put Tesla up a substantial sum. It is not known how many BTC Tesla received when it initially invested the $1.5 billion, but it is estimated that the price of the crypto was between $29,333 and $37,020. This would put Tesla’s potential holdings at between 37,020 to 51,137 BTC.

It was estimated that Tesla made close to or more than $1 billion as Bitcoin continued to rise in value through the early portion of 2021. According to an April report from Teslarati, “Even if Tesla only acquired the minimal amount of 37,020 Bitcoin in January, the company’s $1.5 billion investment would still be worth $2.3 billion today, hinting at a healthy profit of $800 million,” and that’s figure originates from the possibility of their lowest BTC investment. Tesla said it realized gains of $128 million from its digital assets in March 2021 alone.

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After reaching all-time highs of over $64,829, Bitcoin started to tumble, bringing Tesla’s rollercoaster ride down its first and largest hill.

The Big Drop

The big drop occurred as Bitcoin began to slide in mid-May. From May 8th to the 22nd, Bitcoin slid from $58,788 to under $37,500. At one point, BTC even struck the $30,000 range before recovering to $38,000.

The slide was met with uncertainty, worry, and anxiety by many investors. But Musk solidified the fact that Tesla would keep its “diamond hands” and continue holding BTC, despite the volatility experienced during its epic fall.

The company wrote:

“During the three and six months ended June 30, 2021, we recorded $23 million and $50 million, respectively, of impairment losses on such digital assets.”

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The Ride: Back to the Beginning

Through the tumultuous ride of the BTC rollercoaster through the first half of 2021, Tesla rode the hills, the turns, and loops and ended up right back where it started (basically). As of June 30, Tesla says the fair market value of such digital assets “was $1.47 billion.” Additionally, the company said that “as of June 30, 2021, the carrying value of our digital assets held was $1.31 billion, which reflects cumulative impairments of $50 million.”

It has been exciting, and it has been uncertain, but Tesla, like the rest of investors, is just along for the ride. Bitcoin’s volatility over the past few months may not have been expected by the diehard cryptocurrency supporters that have vocally supported it since its early days. Still, like anything else, it is an investment. Tesla is banking on a wider adoption of crypto in the coming months and years, something it has dabbled with in the past.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report

Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.

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Credit: Starlink/X

Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.

SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.

Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress

Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.

Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.

Starlink Direct to Cell

Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.

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This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.

starlinkProgressReport_2025 by Simon Alvarez

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Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit

To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo. 

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Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.

To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo. 

6 million drive units

The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote. 

The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.

Giga Nevada’s essential role

Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.

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Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.

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Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025

The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide. 

To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.

Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025

The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream. 

Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.

This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.

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Resilience after Supercharger team changes

2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”

Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.

Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible. 

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