In 2025, BlackRock made significant strides in the digital asset arena, as revealed by on-chain data showcasing the asset manager’s remarkable accumulation of Bitcoin and Ethereum.
According to blockchain tracking insights, the world’s largest asset manager significantly enhanced its cryptocurrency holdings by over $23 billion this year, marking one of the most substantial phases of institutional accumulation observed. This commitment to Bitcoin and Ethereum persisted, even as the market exhibited bearish tendencies towards the year’s end.
Details of BlackRock’s Crypto Portfolio Expansion Through 2025
Throughout 2025, cryptocurrencies formed a cornerstone of BlackRock’s investment strategy. On-chain analytics platform Arkham Intelligence reported that the firm’s cryptocurrency portfolio value began the year at approximately $54.83 billion, surging to about $78.36 billion by the dawn of 2026. This impressive net increase of around $23.52 billion represented a growth of nearly 43% within the year.
The accumulation predominantly focused on Bitcoin and Ethereum, the leading assets that represent institutional entry into the cryptocurrency environment. By year-end, BlackRock’s Bitcoin holdings escalated from 552,550 BTC valued at about $51.16 billion to around 770,290 BTC worth approximately $68.05 billion—a remarkable addition of about 217,740 BTC, equating to an increase of $16.88 billion.
Interestingly, despite Bitcoin’s price experiencing a slight decline of about 5% from January 2025, the total number of BTC units held by BlackRock rose by 39%, driving the overall value higher.
On the Ethereum front, the dynamics were even more favorable, with the asset’s holdings growing at an extraordinary rate. BlackRock’s Ethereum assets expanded from 1.07 million ETH valued at $3.59 billion at the beginning of 2025 to approximately 3.47 million ETH worth $10.31 billion at the start of 2026. This represented a stunning increase of nearly 2.4 million ETH, adding about $6.71 billion to the company’s crypto portfolio—a staggering growth rate of over 224% compared to Bitcoin’s 39% increase.
ETFs and Institutional Demand Drive $23 Billion Accumulation
The bulk of BlackRock’s aggressive crypto buying spree was driven by sustained inflows into its spot exchange-traded products. The demand for regulated exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum remained robust throughout 2025, particularly during market rallies that saw both assets reaching near-record highs.
Conversely, during the market’s corrective phases, ETF outflows became noticeable, underscoring the notion that Bitcoin and Ethereum’s price movements are increasingly intertwined with ETF activity. As a dominant player in this field, BlackRock’s movements significantly influence these trends.
As of now, BlackRock has yet to establish a footprint in the XRP market, lacking a Spot XRP ETF. Company representatives have clarified that there are no immediate plans to venture into the XRP landscape.
Featured image from Getty Images, chart from TradingView
