BlackRock and several major banks are quietly building BTC positions while retail activity declines, suggesting consolidation into more durable holders. Strategist DaVinci Jeremie says this leaves little room for short-term “crypto tourists” and points to a sturdier market structure.
BlackRock’s 2026 Global Outlook warns that AI is not just software but a new form of energy demand, with electricity emerging as a critical bottleneck. The firm says this could trigger an energy competition with Bitcoin miners and prompt market repricing.
BlackRock started 2026 with roughly 774,000 BTC under management, about 674,000 of which are effectively locked up, while Fidelity and other asset managers further concentrate supply through regulated ETFs and corporate treasuries. This growing institutional grip is tightening liquid bitcoin availability and shaping market dynamics.
BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF saw its biggest three-month inflow as the crypto rally continued, with analysts saying institutional rebalancing reflects expectations of another three years under Trump’s “America First” agenda.
BlackRock transferred 1,134 BTC ($101.4M) and 7,255 ETH ($22.1M) to Binance on Jan. 2, 2026, continuing institutional outflows into the new year, according to Lookonchain.
BlackRock shifted Bitcoin and Ethereum holdings to Coinbase as more than $27 billion in crypto options expired, fueling concerns of a major sell-off. Markets slipped today amid heightened volatility and thinner liquidity.
On-chain data shows BlackRock resumed selling activity, moving Bitcoin and Ethereum to Coinbase on Dec. 26 after a brief Christmas Day pause. The flows could signal portfolio rebalancing and may add short-term pressure and volatility to crypto markets.
BlackRock has placed Bitcoin alongside Treasury bills and mega-cap U.S. stocks as a core investment theme for 2025 and is prominently featuring its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) on the firm’s website.
The SEC has issued an order on BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF application after previously postponing a decision on Nasdaq’s listing proposal. The move represents a fresh regulatory step in the long-running review of bitcoin-linked ETF structures.
BlackRock has hired seven senior staff across the U.S. and Asia to expand its digital asset ETF business, advance tokenization initiatives, and pursue 'first‑mover' opportunities in Asia.