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BlackRock has named its Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) as one of its biggest investment themes for 2025. The world’s largest asset manager shared this in its 2025 Investing Wrapped.
On its iShares page, the $11 trillion AUM firm listed its funds with exposure to the year’s biggest investment themes. Those themes were Bitcoin, treasury bills, and the Magnificent Seven stocks. The three ETFs with exposure to these products were IBIT, SGOV, and TOPT.
BlackRock Endorses IBIT Despite Year-to-Date Decline
Unsurprisingly. BlackRock’s inclusion of Bitcoin and IBIT in the spotlight for 2025 has been seen by many as an endorsement of Bitcoin. This has happened despite the IBIT underperforming in 2025, as it is down by 9.45% year to date.
Experts such as Novadius Wealth President Nate Geraci were quick to point this out. Geraci observed that this move indicates BlackRock is not concerned about the short-term performance of the flagship asset.
He wrote:
Interestingly, the asset manager’s decision to bull post Bitcoin happened despite its Gold ETF having a better performance in 2025. According to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, the Gold ETF has seen a 64% increase this year. Also, it has attracted over $10 billion in inflows.
He said:
However, some people believe that BlackRock is hyping the Bitcoin ETF because of the management fee. IBIT has been the most profitable ETF for the asset manager since its launch.
In response to this, Geraci believes that while that might be a factor, BlackRock is still staking its reputation on the line. He noted that the asset manager has several other ETFs with higher fees.
What to Expect from IBIT in 2026
Meanwhile, BlackRock’s decision to spotlight IBIT adds to speculation about its potential performance in 2026. Despite underperforming in 2025, IBIT still managed to pull in $25 billion in inflows. That’s enough to rank sixth among the top ETFs this year.
However, Bitcoin’s recent decline suggests potential struggles for the IBIT and other Bitcoin ETFs. Bitcoin has dropped over 30% from its recent peak. ETFs mirrored the slump as investors pulled out funds.
In November, BlackRock IBIT experienced $2.34 billion in net outflows. It was marked by two major withdrawals during the month. The outflows have continued into December, although at a more stable level.
With some analysts predicting a possible bear market in 2026, concerns are growing that further decline could lead to increased outflows. Nevertheless, outflows so far are less than 5% of the Bitcoin ETFs’ AUM.
