BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) just posted one of its biggest days since launch, pulling in nearly $1 billion in a single day. The $970 million inflow on Monday marks a powerful comeback in investor interest, particularly among institutions looking to add Bitcoin to their portfolios.
Selective Appetite for Bitcoin ETFs
While IBIT saw massive gains, other Bitcoin ETFs struggled. Fidelity’s FBTC posted about $87 million in outflows, while Grayscale’s GBTC lost $42 million. Ark Invest’s ARKB had the roughest day, seeing over $226 million in outflows.
This growing divergence suggests that while investors are returning to crypto, they are being highly selective — and BlackRock seems to be winning their trust.
The spike in BlackRock Bitcoin ETF inflow also comes alongside a broader uptick in Bitcoin sentiment. As stock markets wobble and economic uncertainty builds, many are turning to Bitcoin again — viewing it as a hedge much like gold. Supporters argue that Bitcoin’s relatively steady performance in recent weeks makes it an attractive place to park capital during turbulent times.
Politics, Fed Policy, and Market Mood
Adding to the improving market sentiment, Unity Wallet’s COO James Toledano noted that easing fears around tariffs and a more optimistic Federal Reserve outlook have helped lift investor confidence.
Interestingly, he also pointed out that former President Trump’s recent silence on crypto, a departure from his typically market-moving comments, may have helped calm nerves — though he acknowledged it’s hard to directly connect the two.
BlackRock’s IBIT belongs to a new generation of spot Bitcoin ETFs that debuted in January, allowing both regular and institutional investors to access Bitcoin through traditional market channels.
While the broader spot ETF market is still stabilizing, BlackRock’s overwhelming inflows show where momentum is clearly building.
Adding more perspective, a crypto analyst highlighted that the gap between BlackRock’s IBIT holdings and MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin stash is narrowing rapidly.Currently, IBIT holds 573,869 BTC, compared to MicroStrategy’s 553,555 BTC. With only a 20,000 BTC difference now, the competition between the two for the largest institutional Bitcoin treasury is heating up.
