BlackRock expands Bitcoin ETF access and launches new Canadian funds

BlackRock is expanding its digital asset and ETF offerings through structural changes and new product launches. The firm has significantly lowered the minimum threshold for in-kind Bitcoin conversions into its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) from $25 million to $1 million. This move allows large holders to swap Bitcoin directly for ETF shares without selling their assets for cash, a process facilitated by recent SEC permissions for crypto ETF in-kind exchanges.

In Canada, BlackRock Canada has launched two new iShares ETFs on the Toronto Stock Exchange. One, the iShares Equity + Bitcoin ETF Portfolio (IBQT), provides a strategic allocation of 97% equities and 3% Bitcoin. The second, the iShares Core MSCI All-International Equity Index ETF (XINT), offers broad exposure to over 5,000 companies outside North America.

Market sentiment regarding Bitcoin appears to be shifting. BlackRock’s head of digital assets, Robbie Mitchnick, noted a subtle turn in sentiment and observed that Bitcoin is beginning to decouple from traditional equities. While Bitcoin prices have not mirrored the recent AI-driven stock market rally, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs recently saw their strongest weekly inflows since mid-April, totaling over $850 million.