BlackRock Sweeps Up 800,000 Bitcoins...Institutions Accumulate Heavily While Retail Investors Get Shaken Out

▲ BlackRock, Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH)/AI Generated Image

BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF has surpassed 800,000 holdings, setting a new milestone for the integration of virtual assets into the institutional framework. As Bitcoin prices show a strong trend around the $78,000 mark, the influx of institutional funds is accelerating.

According to cryptocurrency media outlet BeInCrypto on April 22 (local time), BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) currently holds 806,700 BTC, with an asset value of approximately $63.7 billion. IBIT has recorded net inflows for 9 consecutive trading days recently, securing an additional approximately 21,500 BTC during this period alone.

IBIT currently dominates 49% of the U.S. spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETF market share, significantly outperforming Fidelity and Grayscale. Net inflows occurred on 48 out of 62 total trading days in Q1 2026, with inflows totaling approximately $8.4 billion for that quarter. Notably, on April 15, it attracted $291.9 million in a single day, boosting buying momentum.

Despite the surge by the giant asset manager, Strategy holds the top spot for single-entity holdings. Strategy, led by Chairman Michael Saylor, currently holds 815,061 BTC. On April 13, it invested approximately $1 billion to acquire a large sum of 13,927 BTC. The difference in holdings between the two institutions is approximately 8,300 BTC.

To expand its product offerings, BlackRock recently submitted amended filings to the Securities and Exchange Commission for the launch of a Bitcoin Income ETF. The ticker symbol is BITA. It is structured to generate returns through a covered call strategy linked to IBIT. As institutional investors' options expand, the absorption of circulating Bitcoin supply is expected to accelerate.

The spot Bitcoin ETF market has successfully rebounded after four months of capital outflows. Approximately $2 billion has newly entered the market over the past four weeks. IBIT accounts for $1.7 billion of this, leading the overall bull market. As large capital pre-empts Bitcoin supply, its scarcity value in the market is expected to further increase.

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