BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF IBIT Hits $70B AUM in Record Time, Signaling Institutional Bullishness
BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) has achieved a historic milestone, reaching $70 billion in assets under management (AUM) in just 341 trading days. This remarkable growth has shattered the previous record held by SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), which took 1,691 days to reach the same level. The rapid ascent of IBIT underscores a significant shift in institutional demand for Bitcoin exposure, with the fund now holding over 663,000 BTC—surpassing even major corporate holdings. This development highlights the growing confidence in Bitcoin as a mainstream asset class and suggests a bullish outlook for its future price trajectory. As of June 2025, the cryptocurrency market continues to witness unprecedented institutional adoption, with BlackRock leading the charge.
BlackRock’s IBIT ETF Shatters Growth Records, Hits $70B AUM in 341 Days
BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) has rewritten ETF history, reaching $70 billion in assets under management in just 341 trading days. This blistering pace eclipses the previous record held by SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), which took 1,691 days to achieve the same milestone.
The fund's explosive growth signals a seismic shift in institutional appetite for bitcoin exposure. IBIT now holds over 663,000 BTC—surpassing MicroStrategy's legendary treasury position—as Bitcoin trades above $108,000 amid sustained market momentum.
Bloomberg analysts note the ETF's ascent dwarfs traditional heavyweights like VOO and IEMG, with inflows continuing for 34 consecutive days. This unprecedented demand underscores Bitcoin's maturation as a mainstream asset class.
Bitcoin On-Chain Metrics Suggest Bullish Breakout as Buyers Regain Control
Bitcoin's on-chain activity is flashing bullish signals as aggressive buying returns to the market. The Taker Buy/Sell Ratio climbed to 1.1 this week, indicating stronger demand than supply at current levels. Meanwhile, BTC price gained 1.84% to $107,642 amid growing accumulation patterns from long-term holders.
"Green CVD bars are back after four months of red," observed CryptoQuant analyst IT_Tech_PL, referencing the platform's order FLOW metric. Historical patterns suggest such buy-pressure phases often precede significant upward moves. Supporting this thesis, Bitcoin's Realized Cap for long-term holders surpassed $56 billion - a threshold that typically precedes sustained rallies.
The market's foundation grows stronger as coins aged 155+ days migrate to inactive wallets. This hodling behavior, combined with volatility dropping to 21.68%, creates the type of technical setup that has preceded previous bull runs. As one trader noted: "When veterans accumulate and new buyers emerge, that's when Bitcoin tends to make its biggest moves."
Cryptocurrency Reshapes Online Banking Landscape
Since 2019, cryptocurrency has become an indelible part of global finance, offering unmatched privacy and 24/7 accessibility. Its growth persists despite macroeconomic headwinds, with institutional adoption accelerating as traditional banks integrate digital asset services.
Revolut and BankProv now lead the charge among crypto-friendly financial institutions, adapting their platforms to meet surging demand. The sector's infrastructure continues maturing, with payment gateways bridging fiat and decentralized ecosystems.
Michael Saylor Advocates Bitcoin Over Apple’s Buyback Strategy
MicroStrategy executive chairman Michael Saylor has publicly challenged Apple’s $110 billion share repurchase program, suggesting Bitcoin as a superior alternative. The critique follows CNBC commentator Jim Cramer’s dismissal of Apple’s buyback efficacy, with Saylor succinctly countering, "Buy bitcoin instead."
The recommendation arrives as Bitcoin outperforms traditional assets in 2025, boasting a 17% gain against Apple’s 17% stock decline. The five-year comparison is even more striking: Bitcoin’s 1,000% appreciation dwarfs Apple’s 137% growth. Saylor’s proposition reframes corporate treasury strategy debates, positioning Bitcoin as a viable hedge against diminishing returns from conventional capital management approaches.
SilverBox and Parataxis Plan Bitcoin Investment Platform for Institutional Investors
SilverBox Corp. IV has signed a non-binding letter of intent to merge with Parataxis Holdings, aiming to create a public digital asset management platform focused on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. The combined entity targets institutional investors with sophisticated strategies, leveraging Parataxis' investment frameworks and SilverBox's financial resources.
South Korea has been identified as a promising initial market, highlighting the venture's international ambitions. The platform will emphasize transparency, disciplined capital deployment, and scalability to meet growing institutional demand for crypto exposure.
The proposed merger could significantly reshape the institutional digital asset landscape, offering tailored Bitcoin investment solutions. A cross-border platform is among the key components under discussion, though the deal remains in preliminary stages.
Bitcoin Core 30 to Expand OP_RETURN Data Capacity Amid Developer Consensus
Bitcoin Core developers have finalized plans to increase the OP_RETURN data limit from 80 bytes to nearly 4MB in the upcoming Version 30 release this October. The change, documented in a GitHub update, resolves a contentious debate within the community about blockchain utility versus network efficiency.
Critics warn the removal of constraints could incentivize non-financial data embedding, potentially clogging the network and diverting Bitcoin from its CORE monetary purpose. Proponents counter that the adjustment aligns with practical use cases for blockchain data storage.
The OP_RETURN function enables transaction-based data inclusion—a feature distinct from but conceptually related to Ordinals' witness data method for embedding media. This decision underscores the persistent tension between Bitcoin's original vision as a payment system and emergent use cases pushing technical boundaries.
