Blockworks reports that BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has become one of the largest single holders of bitcoin, rapidly accumulating a stash that is approaching 4% of all circulating BTC. According to on‑chain and ETF holdings trackers cited in coverage, IBIT’s holdings have overtaken MicroStrategy’s well‑known corporate treasury position, making the ETF a larger bitcoin holder than Michael Saylor’s firm, which for years was the most prominent public‑market proxy for direct bitcoin exposure. The article notes that IBIT’s growth has been driven by persistent net inflows since its January 2024 launch, reflecting strong demand from traditional investors who prefer regulated, exchange‑traded vehicles over self‑custody or offshore platforms. This shift matters because it underscores how quickly U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs—and BlackRock’s product in particular—are concentrating ownership of the asset and reshaping how institutional and retail capital access bitcoin. By surpassing MicroStrategy and moving toward a mid‑single‑digit share of total supply, IBIT is increasingly central to market liquidity, price discovery, and bitcoin’s investor base, tying the asset more closely to mainstream financial infrastructure and custody arrangements operated by large TradFi institutions.

AI-generated background, compiled from web sources — not editorial content.

More coverage

Explore the topic

Loading related coverage…

Explore the full feed

Comments

Loading comments…