- Trending
- Comments
- Latest
BlackRock has named its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) one of three flagship investment themes for 2025, placing the bitcoin ETF alongside US Treasury bills and mega-cap technology stocks in a signal that the world’s largest asset manager views crypto as a core holding rather than a speculative asset.
The designation, announced this week, comes despite bitcoin’s roughly 30% decline from its October peak of $108,000 to current levels near $95,000, and despite IBIT posting a 9.6% loss year-to-date.
BlackRock confirmed that IBIT now sits in elite company with an ETF tracking short-term Treasurys and another tied to the “Magnificent 7” US tech giants—Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, Nvidia, and Tesla.
The conviction is backed by hard numbers. The Spot Bitcoin ETF has attracted more than $25 billion in net inflows in 2025, even as Bitcoin slid roughly 30% from its October peak.
IBIT currently ranks sixth among all ETFs by year-to-date inflows, an extraordinary feat given it has posted a negative return of roughly 9.6% this year.
That contrast makes IBIT a rare outlier. It is the only ETF among the top flow leaders showing a year-to-date loss—yet investors keep buying.
Market observers say BlackRock’s move underscores long-term conviction rather than short-term price chasing.
“BlackRock spotlighting IBIT as a top theme shows they remain comfortable backing Bitcoin through full market cycles,” said Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth Management.
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas echoed that view, suggesting the real upside for the Spot Bitcoin ETF may still lie ahead.
“If IBIT can pull in $25 billion during a weaker year for Bitcoin, the inflows during a strong bull market could be significantly larger,” Balchunas noted.
The numbers confirm IBIT’s dominance in the Spot Bitcoin ETF race.
According to Farside Investors, IBIT attracted roughly $37 billion in 2024, bringing total net inflows since launch to approximately $62.5 billion.
That figure places BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF more than five times ahead of its closest competitor, the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund.
For institutional allocators, liquidity, scale, and brand trust matter—and IBIT has checked all three boxes.
While the Spot Bitcoin ETF remains the flagship product, BlackRock is expanding deeper into crypto-linked strategies.
In September, the firm filed to launch a Bitcoin Premium Income ETF, designed to generate yield by selling covered call options on Bitcoin futures.
The move signals a shift toward income-focused crypto products, catering to more conservative investors.
This layered approach positions BlackRock to capture both growth-driven and yield-seeking demand across digital assets.
The firm’s crypto ambitions extend beyond the Spot Bitcoin ETF. BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) has attracted over $9.1 billion in inflows in 2025, pushing total inflows close to $12.7 billion.
In November, BlackRock also filed to launch an iShares Staked Ethereum ETF, taking advantage of regulatory shifts that allow staking features within ETF structures.
Notably, BlackRock has avoided jumping into altcoin ETFs tied to Solana, XRP, or Litecoin—for now—signaling a cautious, blue-chip approach to crypto exposure.
By elevating IBIT to a top 2025 investment theme, BlackRock has reframed the Spot Bitcoin ETF narrative—from volatile experiment to institutional mainstay.
Despite Bitcoin’s price drawdown, investor demand remains resilient, suggesting that the Spot Bitcoin ETF is increasingly viewed as a long-term allocation rather than a short-term trade.
As capital continues to flow during downturns, BlackRock’s message is clear: volatility may persist, but the Spot Bitcoin ETF is here to stay.
