Institutional Appetite Returns as BlackRock Bitcoin ETF Hits 5-Week Inflow Peak

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) saw a significant resurgence in investor interest on Thursday, attracting $269.3 million in inflows. This marks the fund's strongest single-day performance since early March, effectively ending a two-day streak of net outflows across the 12 US spot Bitcoin ETFs. The broader market has faced headwinds, with Bitcoin's price retreating from a 2026 peak of $97,000 to approximately $72,100. However, the latest data suggests that institutional investors are utilizing the price dip to accumulate assets. BlackRock's digital assets head, Robert Mitchnick, noted that IBIT investors have demonstrated a "buy and hold" mentality, remaining steadfast despite selling pressure elsewhere in the ecosystem. Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) followed with $53.3 million in inflows, while Morgan Stanley’s newly launched Bitcoin Trust (MSBT) recorded $14.9 million on its second day of trading. Other contributors included Bitwise with $11.7 million, ARK 21Shares with $4.8 million, and smaller inflows from Franklin Templeton and VanEck. Morgan Stanley’s Amy Oldenburg described the MSBT launch as the firm's most successful ETF debut to date, hinting at a broader roadmap that includes potential staked Ether and Solana ETFs. Collectively, US spot Bitcoin ETFs are now just $80 million away from recovering their year-to-date net inflow figures, having reached $56.51 billion compared to the $56.59 billion recorded at the end of 2025.