Bitcoin ETFs See Record Inflows as IBIT Nears Parity with Gold Giant GLD
Bitcoin ETFs hit $2.7B in weekly inflows as BlackRock's IBIT approaches gold ETF GLD in assets under management.
In a striking signal of shifting investor sentiment, spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) posted their strongest week in recent months, recording $2.7 billion in net inflows. This marks the highest level since April, when inflows peaked at $3.06 billion, underscoring sustained institutional interest in digital assets.
According to data from SoSoValue, Bitcoin ETFs have now registered six consecutive weeks of inflows, pushing cumulative investments to $44.53 billion. Collectively, these funds hold approximately $131 billion in assets under management (AUM), representing 6.24% of Bitcoin's total market capitalization.
BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) leads the surge, having amassed $48 billion in inflows and managing over $71 billion in assets. Trailing IBIT are Fidelity's FBTC and Grayscale's converted GBTC, each holding roughly $21 billion. Other significant players include ETFs issued by Ark Invest, BitWise, and VanEck.
What sets IBIT apart is its rapid ascent relative to traditional commodity ETFs. At just 16 months old, IBIT is closing in on the SPDR Gold Shares ETF (GLD), a longstanding benchmark in the gold market since 2004. GLD has seen $4.9 billion in inflows this year, raising its AUM to $100 billion. Should current trends persist, IBIT could surpass GLD in asset size within the coming year.
This convergence is emblematic of Bitcoin’s growing role in institutional portfolios. While gold ETFs globally hold over $345 billion, fueled by recent price rallies according to the World Gold Council, Bitcoin’s share continues to expand amid increasing demand and diminishing supply.
Bitcoin’s price action mirrors this sentiment. The cryptocurrency hit a record high of nearly $112,000 on Wednesday before pulling back to $107,500 following geopolitical tensions and tariff threats from former President Donald Trump. Nonetheless, market analysts maintain a bullish outlook, driven by rising institutional allocations and ongoing supply constraints.
Ark Invest foresees Bitcoin reaching $2.4 million by 2030, while Standard Chartered projects a more immediate target of $200,000 by year-end. These forecasts rest on tightening supply, escalating mining difficulty, and escalating demand from ETFs and corporate treasuries.
As IBIT challenges legacy financial instruments like GLD, the message is clear: Bitcoin is no longer a fringe asset—it is an increasingly central component of modern investment strategy
