Tesla’s (NASDAQ: TSLA) $1.5 billion purchase of Bitcoin, a move announced yesterday in a 10-K document filed with the SEC, was the most popular news surrounding the electric automaker on Monday. While some TSLA investors saw it as their time to get out of being shareholders, others look at it as an advantage in several ways. One person looking at the move from a bullish perspective is ARK Invest’s Tasha Keeney, who believes Tesla’s Bitcoin purchase has heavy advantages as the company moves toward a broader consumer base, especially in international markets.
Tesla’s BTC Purchase
In a 10-K filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Tesla announced it had purchased $1.5 billion in Bitcoin, a cryptocurrency that has massive value, trading at over $46,600 at the time of writing. Tesla added that it “may acquire and hold digital assets from time to time or long-term,” and that it anticipates the purchase of its cars and other products by using the cryptocurrency in the near future.
The move follows CEO Elon Musk’s vocal support of both Bitcoin and Dogecoin, two cryptocurrencies that have maintained huge upside potential over the past several months. Among the ever-growing list of digital currencies, Bitcoin and Dogecoin are among the most popular in 2021, mainly because of ongoing celebrity support.
In the past several years, Bitcoin has become widely popular, especially after a meteoric rise in value in 2017 and 2018 that made it a household name. Early investors used Bitcoin to purchase goods from the internet in an untraceable manner. Now, more retail companies are working on accepting the crypto as a form of payment for everything from a pizza to a Rolex watch.
“It is a very serious move from [Tesla] – Keeney
Tasha Keeney, an analyst for Ark Invest, stated that Tesla’s move to purchase Bitcoin is one that aligns with the company’s recent Big Ideas Report. One of the most significant advantages to purchasing Bitcoin for Tesla is the versatility of the cryptocurrency, especially when doing business internationally. “Using Bitcoin as corporate cash, especially if you’re doing business in many different countries with many different foreign currencies…instead of dealing with the complication and the treasury risk, you can instead do this with Bitcoin,” Keeney said. “We think it makes sense from a corporate cash standpoint, and actually, we’ve done some analysts to say that if 1% of all the cash from the companies in the S&P 500 were to be converted into Bitcoin for corporate treasury purposes, this could actually increase the price by a meaningful amount, by about $40,000.”
Additionally, when operational in other countries, Tesla’s planned ride-hailing Robotaxi service could avoid hurdles and complications in payment by using a universal currency instead of multiple different foreign currencies. Keeney says the payment function could be void of conversion issues if customers used a single form of payment instead of dealing with various currencies in each region.
Tesla bull ARK Invest estimates autonomous ride-hailing to generate over $1T in revenue by 2030
A Publicity Move? ARK doesn’t think so
Bitcoin is no longer a risky or unusual form of payment. Many large companies accept the crypto as a form of currency, and Tesla just plans to be the latest one to accept it. “[Their move] is validated by other firms doing the same thing,” Keeney added during an interview with CNBC.
With Tesla focused on a widespread and quickly accelerating rollout of its products in foreign countries, Bitcoin’s international usage seems to be an advantage that the automaker can use. From a treasury perspective, it doesn’t make sense to deal with so many different foreign currencies, and Bitcoin’s universal acceptance across the world gives Tesla versatility as it expands. With plans to enter the highly elusive Indian market shortly, and expansions in Singapore, Israel, among several other countries, Tesla is technically making a move that supports its goal: accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.
Tesla’s somewhat early adoption of Bitcoin as a payment method and as an internal investment also holds other benefits, Keeney says. With Tesla joining the Bitcoin movement, it, along with other companies, could experience a tailwind in growth from its influence. Other companies are bound to either invest or accept Bitcoin as a currency later on. The entities that got in before it was widely-accepted could benefit from a surge in valuation after it continues to be looked at as a payment method.
“Being one of the first companies to invest in Bitcoin, to transact in Bitcoin, actually gives them sort of an advantage to really lay that infrastructure as it becomes increasingly important. And again, as other firms might do it, because we feel there will be the need for the infrastructure to be set up. So, [Tesla] will be one of the first players to figure this out,” Keeney stated.
Check out Keeney’s interview with CNBC below.
Disclosure: Joey Klender is a TSLA shareholder. He does not hold any BTC and has no intentions to open any positions within 72 hours.
Investor's Corner
Tesla welcomes Chipotle President Jack Hartung to its Board of Directors
Tesla announced the addition of its new director in a post on social media platform X.

Tesla has welcomed Chipotle president Jack Hartung to its Board of Directors. Hartung will officially start his tenure at the electric vehicle maker on June 1, 2025.
Tesla announced the addition of its new director in a post on social media platform X.
Jack Hartung’s Role
With Hartung’s addition, the Tesla Board will now have nine members. It’s been a while since the company added a new director. Prior to Hartung, the last addition to the Tesla Board was Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia back in 2022. As noted in a Reuters report, Hartung will serve on the Tesla Board’s audit committee. He will also retire from his position as president and chief strategy officer at Chipotle, and transition into a senior advisor’s role at the restaurant chain, next month.
Hartung has had a long career in the Mexican grill, joining Chipotle in 2002. He held several positions in the company, most recently serving as Chipotle’s President and Chief Strategy Officer. Tesla highlighted Hartung’s accomplishments in a post on its official account on X.
“Over the past 20+ years under Jack’s financial leadership, Chipotle has seen significant growth with over 3,700 restaurants today across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Jack was named ‘CFO of the Year’ by Orange County Business Journal and Best CFO in the restaurant category by Institutional Investor,” Tesla wrote in its post on X.
Tesla Board and Musk
Tesla is a controversial company with a controversial CEO, so it is no surprise that the Board of Directors tend to get flak as well. Two weeks ago, for example, Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm slammed The Wall Street Journal for publishing an article alleging that company directors had considered a search for a potential successor to Elon Musk. Denholm herself has also been criticized for offloading her TSLA shares.
More recently, news emerged suggesting that the Tesla Board of Directors had formed a special committee aimed at exploring a new pay package for CEO Elon Musk. The committee is reportedly comprised of Tesla board Chair Robyn Denholm and independent director Kathleen Wilson-Thompson, and they would be exploring alternative compensation methods for Musk’s contributions to the company.
Investor's Corner
Rivian stock rises as analysts boost price targets post Q1 earnings
Rivian impressed with smaller-than-expected losses & strong revenue, pushing analysts to raise price targets.

Rivian stock is gaining traction as Wall Street analysts raise price targets following the electric vehicle (EV) maker’s first-quarter earnings report. Despite a dip after the announcement, optimism surrounds Rivian’s cost control and upcoming lower-priced cars.
Last week, Rivian reported a better-than-expected Q1 gross profit, surpassing Wall Street’s forecasts with adjusted losses of $0.48 per share against expectations of $0.92 per share. The company also reported a revenue of $1.24 billion compared to the $1.01 billion anticipated.
However, the EV automaker cut its 2025 delivery forecast and capital spending due to President Donald Trump’s tariffs. It explained that it is “not immune to the impacts of the global trade and economic environment.” RIVN stock dropped nearly 6% post-earnings, closing at $12.72 per share.
Wall Street remains upbeat about Rivian, citing progress toward launching lower-priced vehicles in 2026 and effective cost management. On Monday, Stifel analyst Stephen Gengaro raised his RIVN price target to $18 from $16, maintaining a “Buy” rating. He highlighted Rivian’s “solid progress” toward key milestones.
Conversely, Bernstein’s Daniel Roeska gave RIVN a “Sell” rating. However, Roeska also lifted his Rivian price target to $7.05 from $6.10, acknowledging “better” Q1 results. He warned that profitability remains distant and hinges on multiple product launches by the decade’s end.
Overall, Wall Street’s average price target for RIVN climbed from $14.18 to $14.31, a modest 13-cent increase reflecting positive sentiment. About one-third of analysts covering Rivian rate it a Buy, compared to the S&P 500’s average Buy-rating ratio of 55%.
On Monday, Rivian stock rose 2.7% to $14.64, slightly trailing the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average, which gained 3.3% and 2.8%, respectively. The uptick may also stem from broader market gains tied to news of a temporary U.S.-China tariff suspension.
As Rivian navigates trade challenges and scales production at its Illinois factory, its Q1 performance and analyst support signal resilience. With lower-priced EVs on the horizon, Rivian’s strategic moves could bolster its position in the competitive EV market, offering investors cautious optimism for long-term growth.
Investor's Corner
Tesla (TSLA) poised to hit $1 trillion valuation again amid reports of Trump China deal
TSLA stock was up about 8% at $322.56 per share on Monday’s premarket.

Tesla shares (NASDAQ:TSLA) are on a tear on Monday’s premarket amidst reports that the United States and China have agreed to significantly roll back tariffs on each other’s goods for an initial 90-day period.
As of writing, the premarket price of TSLA shares suggests that the electric vehicle maker might end Monday with a $1 trillion valuation once more.
Tesla and China
TSLA stock was up about 8% at $322.56 per share on Monday’s premarket. As noted in a report from Barron’s, these prices suggest that the company could achieve a trillion-dollar valuation again, a level not seen since late February. Similar to Tesla, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average were also up 2.8% and 2.1%, respectively, on Monday’s premarket.
The United States and China’s decision to roll back its tariffs would likely be appreciated by CEO Elon Musk. Despite working for the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and despite Tesla being least affected by the Trump administration’s tariffs due to its strong domestic supply chains in the United States, China, and Europe, Musk has noted that he is a supporter of non-predatory tariffs.
The United States and China’s Agreement
In a joint statement from the United States and China posted on the White House’s official website, the two countries agreed to lower reciprocal tariffs on each other by 115% for 90 days. This means that the United States will temporarily lower its overall tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%, as noted in an ABC 12 report. China, on the other hand, will also lower its tariffs on American goods from 125% to 10%.
The talks were led by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, as per the joint statement. Bessent shared his thoughts about the matter in a comment in Geneva. “The consensus from both delegations is neither side wants to be decoupled, and what have occurred with these very high tariffs … was an equivalent of an embargo, and neither side wants that. We do want trade. We want more balance in trade. And I think both sides are committed to achieving that,” he said.
A spokesperson from China’s Commerce Ministry also shared a statement about the matter. As per the spokesperson, the deal was an “important step by both sides to resolve differences through equal-footing dialogue and consultation, laying the groundwork and creating conditions for further bridging gaps and deepening cooperation.”
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Cybertruck Range Extender gets canceled
-
Elon Musk6 days ago
Tesla seems to have fixed one of Full Self-Driving’s most annoying features
-
Lifestyle2 weeks ago
Anti-Elon Musk group crushes Tesla Model 3 with Sherman tank–with unexpected results
-
News2 weeks ago
Starlink to launch on United Airlines planes by May 15
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Semi gets new adoptee in latest sighting
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla launches its most inexpensive trim of new Model Y
-
News2 weeks ago
US’ base Tesla Model Y has an edge vs Shanghai and Berlin’s entry-level Model Ys
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Cybertruck owners get amazing year-long freebie