Itaú Advises 3% Bitcoin for 2026 Hedge

Itaú Unibanco, the largest private bank in Latin America, has advised its clients to consider allocating between 1% and 3% of their portfolios to Bitcoin by 2026. The bank frames this recommendation not as a move towards speculative investing, but as a strategic measure to hedge against the potential erosion of the Brazilian real and global economic uncertainties. This approach aims to capture returns uncorrelated with domestic market cycles.

The Sao Paulo-based lender's analysts suggest that Bitcoin's global and decentralized nature offers a unique function as a currency hedge. While emphasizing that Bitcoin should not become a core holding, Itaú positions it as a complementary asset. The objective is to achieve diversification benefits and partial protection against currency depreciation, while also maintaining exposure to long-term appreciation possibilities.

This strategic guidance places Itaú in line with major US banks like Morgan Stanley and Bank of America, which have also suggested similar allocation ranges. The bank highlighted Bitcoin's distinct dynamics, return potential, and its hybrid character—part high-risk asset and part global store of value—as reasons for its unique resilience in today's volatile economic landscape.