In a dramatic turn of events, the race for Bitcoin supremacy among ETF issuers has heated up. BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) is edging closer to matching Grayscale’s Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) holdings with less than 50K BTC to cover. The narrowing gap can be attributed to the constant outflows of GBTC and consistent inflows into IBIT.
BlackRock’s IBIT BTC Reserve Just 50K Short Of GBTC
Recent data reveals that BlackRock’s IBIT stands at over 266,587 BTC, as of April 10, 2024. The BTC reserve is valued at a staggering $18.79 billion. Furthermore, the surge in this reserve highlights the shrinking difference with Grayscale’s GBTC. Currently, it holds 315,941 BTC worth $22.27 billion, according to Apollo.
Hence, BlackRock’s IBIT is short of only 49,354 BTC compared to GBTC. Grayscale, once hailed as a dominant force in the Bitcoin ETF market, has seen a significant decline in its holdings. During its debut on January 10 this year, GBTC held an impressive 619K BTC. However, due to the massive outflows since day 1, the Grayscale Bitcoin ETF reserve has dwindled to half of its initial value.
The rapid pace at which BlackRock is acquiring Bitcoin has caught the attention of market observers. With an average weekly acquisition rate of 20.12K BTC, BlackRock is quickly closing the gap with GBTC. Meanwhile, Grayscale is observed selling off an average of 22.62k BTC weekly, further narrowing the margin between the two behemoths.
If this trajectory continues, BlackRock is poised to overtake Grayscale as the Bitcoin ETF with the largest BTC holdings within a week. Moreover, this would be the biggest milestone for IBIT since the ETF started with a mere 228 BTC holdings on January 10.
In addition, BlackRock’s ascent in the Bitcoin market is particularly noteworthy given its recent surpassing of MicroStrategy. After beating the long-standing leader in institutional Bitcoin holdings, BlackRock’s IBIT grabbed the spotlight. With 205,000 BTC worth $14 billion, MicroStrategy now finds itself trailing behind both Grayscale and BlackRock in the race for Bitcoin dominance.
Also Read:Â GBTC Bitcoin ETF Outflows Reaching Equilibrium: Grayscale CEO
Spot Bitcoin ETF Inflows Rebound
Bitcoin ETFs experienced a significant resurgence in inflows on Wednesday, April 10. This comes after two consecutive days of substantial outflows. The rebound was particularly noteworthy considering the record-breaking outflow of $223.8 million on Monday, marking the largest outflow in Bitcoin ETF history.
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), Fidelity Wise Bitcoin Fund (FBTC), Ark 21Shares ETF Trust (ARKB), and other key funds collectively witnessed a surge in inflows, totaling $123.7 million on Wednesday. This surge in Spot Bitcoin ETF inflows reversed the negative trend observed earlier in the week, instilling renewed optimism among investors.
Moreover, the GBTC outflows slumped to a low of $17.5 million, according to data from Farside UK. Meanwhile, the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF registered an influx of $33.3 million. However, FBTC witnessed a surge and surpassed IBIT with massive inflows of $76.3 billion. Furthermore, the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) also registered a decent influx of $24.3 million.
Also Read: VanEck and CoinShares Cast Doubt on SEC’s Approval of Spot Ethereum ETF
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