BlackRock’s IBIT Soars to World’s No. 2 Bitcoin Owner, Trailing Only Satoshi
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has climbed the ranks in the exchange-traded fund (ETF) world at an incredible speed. Just 1.4 years into its launch and IBIT has already landed a spot among the top 25 largest ETFs globally when measured by assets. That’s a major accomplishment, especially since it’s more than a decade younger than any other fund on that top-tier list.
To put it in perspective, as noted by Bloomberg Intelligence’s Eric Balchunas, IBIT is like an infant mingling with financial veterans. But this “infant” is growing fast, powered by investor demand for Bitcoin exposure in a regulated and cost-efficient wrapper.
Here\’s a table of the Top 25 biggest ETFs and their age. At 1.4 yrs old $IBIT is youngest on list by NINE times. It\’s like an infant hanging out with teenagers and twenty-somethings. Quite poss the most insane IBIT stat yet (and there are many) via @SirYappityyapp pic.twitter.com/w63XSkD7f6
— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) June 3, 2025
IBIT’s Fast Climb Makes It Second-Largest Bitcoin Holder
Despite being new to the scene, IBIT has quickly pulled in a massive $68.83 billion in net assets. This kind of performance outpaces many ETFs that have been around for much longer. This fast rise isn’t just notable; it’s truly historic in the ETF space.
In just 16 months, IBIT has become the second-largest holder of Bitcoin globally, behind only the elusive founder Satoshi Nakamoto, who holds approximately 1.1 million bitcoins. BlackRock, through its IBIT fund, now manages around 660,842 bitcoins.
If IBIT keeps accumulating Bitcoin at this rate, some analysts project it could actually hold more than Satoshi Nakamoto by the end of 2026.
Chart is from note I wrote today predicting that IBIT likely to pass Satoshi as world\’s biggest holder by end of next year. And how it\’s a testament to the power of convenience, low cost, liq and trust that the ETF brings to table. Paste this into terminal to read full note: NSN… pic.twitter.com/HXqJw6zIFG
— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) June 3, 2025
Why IBIT is Winning: Institutional Trust and Low Fees
This explosive growth for IBIT tells us more than just that people want Bitcoin. It clearly shows a bigger, important trend: big institutional investors are increasingly trusting regulated ways to invest in crypto.
Things like IBIT’s low fees, plenty of liquidity for trading, and, of course, the powerful BlackRock brand name have quickly made this Bitcoin ETF a top choice for many large investors looking to add Bitcoin to their portfolios.
How IBIT Compares to Other Bitcoin ETFs
Besides IBIT, the Bitcoin ETF landscape includes other major players. As per sosovalue data, Fidelity’s FBTC holds $20.64 billion, with a daily trading value of $51.01 million. It charges no management fee and trades at a slight premium.
Meanwhile, Grayscale’s GBTC, once the dominant name in Bitcoin trusts, holds $19.38 billion but has seen $23.23 billion in outflows since converting to an ETF.
ARKB from Ark Invest and Grayscale’s second ETF, BTC, round out the top five. However, neither comes close to IBIT in scale, momentum, or investor confidence. ARKB, despite a strong brand, experienced $73.91 million in outflows in one day.
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