- BlackRock’s Global Allocation Fund increases Bitcoin ETF holdings to $47.4M in 2025.
- BlackRock adds 390,894 IBIT shares boosting Bitcoin exposure by 91% since Q3 2024.
- Bitcoin ETF interest grows as BlackRock’s fund raises its Bitcoin allocation to 0.25%.
BlackRock’s Global Allocation Fund now holds $47.4 million in Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) shares, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) submitted on Thursday. The fund increased its stake in the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) by 91%, adding 390,894 shares between November 2024 and January 2025. Bitcoin price increases in 2025 have driven institutional interest in cryptocurrency to become more prominent.
Based on data from January 31, 2025, the fund possessed 821,664 shares of IBIT equity. The holdings increased notably from 430,770 shares totaling $17 million on October 31, 2024. The $11 trillion asset manager BlackRock controls the Global Allocation Fund, which invests in U.S. and international equities, debt, and money market securities.
Growth in Bitcoin Exposure
Since its launch in January 2024, the fund’s Bitcoin ETF holdings have increased by 1,810%. In its early stages, the fund possessed 43,000 shares significantly fewer than its current holdings. The share count at IBIT reached 198,874 by July 2024 and has quadrupled its initial holdings, according to the SEC filing.
This increase aligns with broader market shifts. Research from A River shows that hedge funds and investment advisors increased their Bitcoin ETF investments by 357% in 2024 to $34.3 billion. BlackRock’s fund allocated 0.25% of its $15.8 billion portfolio to IBIT up from 0.1% in October signaling the embrace of digital assets within traditional investment frameworks.
Institutional Adoption Fuels Bitcoin ETF Trend
As BlackRock makes this strategic move Bitcoin’s acceptance among financial institutions has grown stronger. The firm introduced IBIT to its $150 billion model portfolio this year, targeting a 1% to 2% allocation. Market analysts state this represents a significant turning point for crypto in multi-asset strategies.
According to SoSoValue data, the iShares Bitcoin Trust, which has traded on the Nasdaq since January 2024, has maintained its dominance in the U.S. Bitcoin market with $49.68 billion in assets under management as of March 26. This substantial amount surpasses Fidelity, which controls $16.9 billion, and Grayscale, which controls $16.7 billion. Furthermore, the SEC’s approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 led to this surge bridging traditional and decentralized finance.
The Strategic Global Bond Fund from BlackRock owns 40,682 IBIT shares worth $1.46 million in investment value. The Strategic Income Opportunities Portfolio also owns 2,140,095 IBIT shares worth $77.3 million, according to September 2024 filings. Additionally, the company expanded its crypto market position by launching a European Bitcoin ETP on March 25, 2025, for trading on Xetra, Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Paris.