Based on 1418 hedge funds · latest filing: 2025 Q4 · updated quarterly
📈
Buying streak — 1 quarter in a row
For 1 consecutive quarter, more hedge funds added MELI than sold it. That's a consistent pattern of professional buying — not a one-time trade. When institutions keep buying quarter after quarter, it usually means they see a multi-year opportunity, not just a short-term momentum flip.
🏔️
At the ownership peak (99% of max)
99% of all-time peak
1,418 hedge funds hold MELI right now — the highest count in 3.0 years. When ownership is this concentrated, any bad news can trigger a chain reaction: one big fund sells, others follow. This is a classic 'crowded trade' — high popularity doesn't equal safety.
📶
Steady growth — +17% more funds vs a year ago
fund count last 6Q
+204 new funds entered over the past year (+17% YoY). Gradual, steady growth in institutional ownership is generally a healthy signal — not a speculative rush, but consistent conviction.
🟡
Slight buying edge — 55% buying
786 buying652 selling
Last quarter: 786 funds bought or added vs 652 that reduced or exited. It's nearly a 50/50 split — some institutions are convinced, others are taking profits. This mixed picture is normal near price highs.
📈
More new buyers each quarter (+102 vs last Q)
new funds entering per quarter
Funds opening a new MELI position: 195 → 216 → 115 → 217. A growing influx of new institutional buyers means the asset is still gathering momentum — the consensus hasn't fully saturated yet.
🔒
60% of holders stayed for 2+ years
■ 60% conviction (2yr+)
■ 22% medium
■ 17% new
857 out of 1,418 hedge funds have held MELI for over 2 years without selling. Long-term investors are generally harder to shake out during market stress, creating a stable ownership base that limits the risk of sudden capitulation.
💎
Buying through price weakness — shares +1%, value -16%
Last quarter: funds added +1% more shares while total portfolio value only changed -16%. Institutions were buying while the price was falling — a high-conviction accumulation signal. They're deliberately loading up on the dip.
📊
Peak discovery — momentum slowing
154 → 195 → 216 → 115 → 217 new funds/Q
New funds entering each quarter: 195 → 216 → 115 → 217. MELI is well-known in the hedge fund world, but fresh entries are gradually declining. The explosive phase of institutional discovery is likely behind us.
🏛️
Deep conviction — 63% of holders stayed 2+ years
■ 63% veterans
■ 14% 1-2yr
■ 23% new
Of 1,477 current holders: 929 (63%) have held for over 2 years without selling. These are not momentum buyers — they have lived through drawdowns and stayed. A large veteran base acts as a stabilizing force during selloffs.
🏆
Elite ownership — 42% AUM from top-100 funds
42% from top-100 AUM funds
47 of 1418 holders are among the 100 largest funds by AUM, controlling 42% of total institutional value in MELI. When the biggest players dominate the cap table, it signifies deep institutional support — since mega-funds deploy the most rigorous due diligence and capital.
Exit risk score 3.5/10 — low institutional crowding. Ownership is below peak levels, holder base is relatively sticky, and buying momentum is positive.