Source: Blockchain Knight

Since the launch of BTC ETF iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in January 2024, BlackRock's global allocation fund has significantly increased its holdings in BTC through the fund, with an increase of about 1810%.

According to a March 2 filing with the SEC, the fund held 821,664 shares of IBIT, worth approximately US$47.4 million as of January 31.

In contrast, at the end of the first quarter of 2024, the fund held only 43,000 IBIT fund shares.

The latest disclosure information also reflects the overall trend of the continued accumulation of global allocation funds.

The fund's Bitcoin holdings have increased by 91% since the end of the third quarter of 2024. The fund reported holdings of 430,770 shares of IBIT funds at the time, which was valued just over $17 million.

At the same time, the latest holdings are approximately four times the 198,874 shares recorded at the end of the second quarter. The fund's exposure to BTC has continued to rise over the past year, indicating that its interest in investment in BTC has continued to increase.

The global allocated fund manages a diversified asset of approximately US$15.8 billion, covering U.S. and international stocks, fixed income, money markets and short-term securities. The fund currently allocates 0.25% of its portfolio to IBIT.

Although this proportion is small, it has increased significantly compared to the 0.1% portfolio share reported in October. This growth rate shows BlackRock is increasingly willing to incorporate digital assets into the traditional fund structure.

In addition, BlackRock has included BTC in its $150 billion model portfolio with the goal of allocating 1% to 2% of its assets to IBIT.

This shift also highlights the growing importance of spot BTC ETFs in diversified institutional investment strategies, especially in the context of multi-asset portfolios managed by global companies.

A recent report from River shows that the increased BTC exposure of hedge funds and registered investment advisers through ETFs was about 357%, with a total of US$34.3 billion in 2024.