Blackrock’s Ishares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has rapidly ascended to the upper ranks of the exchange-traded funds (ETFs) market, landing among the top five in terms of 2024 inflows in just 17 days, showcasing the burgeoning investor interest in cryptocurrency as a legitimate asset class.
Blackrock’s Bitcoin ETF Inflows Greater Than 99.98% of ETFs This Year
Blackrock’s Ishares Bitcoin Trust has ascended to the upper echelons of ETFs based on year-to-date inflows, landing a spot among the top five just 17 days post-launch.
Eric Balchunas, a senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg, highlighted this achievement on X, noting that IBIT had attracted more cash than 99.98% of ETFs, a staggering feat for a fund that’s barely over two weeks old. Some of this influx of investment can be attributed to a strategic shift among asset managers. Balchunas gives the example of Canadian asset manager Redwood, which transitioned from the Canadian Purpose Bitcoin ETF with fees greater than 1%, to the more cost-effective IBIT, which offers free management for the first $5 billion in assets and a modest 25 basis points fee thereafter.
Also $IBIT now in Top 5 in YTD flows, which means it’s taken in more cash than 99.98% of ETFs. Not bad for 17 days old. pic.twitter.com/ehAsZWRoqK
— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) February 6, 2024
IBIT has amassed $3.2 billion in inflows, outpaced only by heavyweight index ETFs like the Ishares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV) and the Vanguard 500 Index Fund ETF (VOO), which cater to traditional equity markets. This places IBIT in an elite group, not just within the realm of cryptocurrency funds but across the broader ETF market.
Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) also makes an appearance in the top 10 of ETF asset gatherers this year, securing the eighth position with $2.7 billion in inflows. However, despite the impressive start for these bitcoin-centric funds, the overall investment pace into new spot bitcoin ETFs has shown signs of deceleration.
Yet, Blackrock’s IBIT and Fidelity’s FBTC distinguish themselves as the only funds among their peers to have maintained a consistent positive flow of investment since their market debut. This achievement underscores the growing investor appetite for bitcoin as a legitimate asset class within diversified investment portfolios.
The performance of Blackrock’s ETF is particularly noteworthy, with Bloomberg’s Balchunas reporting a top 0.02% placement against an estimated 10,000 ETFs worldwide, a testament to the robust demand for cryptocurrency investment products.
The competitive landscape among spot bitcoin ETFs is becoming increasingly clear, with ARK 21shares and Bitwise trailing behind Blackrock and Fidelity in terms of accumulated flows. Meanwhile, Grayscale’s converted spot bitcoin ETF is experiencing a gradual reduction in outflows, suggesting a potential stabilization in the market.
As the landscape of cryptocurrency funds continues to evolve, the success of IBIT and its peers will likely serve as a bellwether for the future of digital asset investment.
Do you think that inflows into spot bitcoin ETFs will continue throughout this year? Share your thoughts and opinions about this subject in the comments section below.