Vanguard’s Crypto U-Turn: 50 Million Investors Gain Access to Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in Historic Shift
- Vanguard’s Crypto Ice Age Thaws: The Backstory
- The Domino Effect: IBIT Volume Surges 300% Post-Announcement
- What’s In (and Out) of Vanguard’s Crypto Menu
- The Real Reason Behind Vanguard’s 180
- How to Trade Crypto ETFs on Vanguard (Without Getting Rekt)
- The Bigger Picture: Wall Street’s Crypto Embrace Is Complete
- FAQs: Vanguard’s Crypto ETF Access
In a stunning reversal, Vanguard—the world’s second-largest asset manager—has opened its platform to crypto ETFs starting December 2, 2025, ending years of staunch opposition. The move triggered an immediate market reaction, with BlackRock’s bitcoin ETF (IBIT) hitting $1.5B in daily volume. Here’s why Vanguard flipped, how it impacts 50M+ investors, and what it signals for crypto’s Wall Street adoption.
Vanguard’s Crypto Ice Age Thaws: The Backstory
For years, Vanguard was the Grinch of crypto. Under ex-CEO Tim Buckley, the $7 trillion firm barred clients from Bitcoin ETFs while rivals like BlackRock and Fidelity embraced them. "They were the last holdout among the Big Three asset managers," notes BTCC analyst Mark Chen. The turning point came with Buckley’s July 2024 exit and the arrival of BlackRock alum Salim Ramji—a Web3 advocate who previously oversaw iShares’ crypto strategies.
The Domino Effect: IBIT Volume Surges 300% Post-Announcement
Within hours of Vanguard’s December 1 announcement, crypto markets reacted:
- BlackRock’s IBIT became the 6th most-traded U.S. ETF, with $1.5B volume (per TradingView data)
- Bitcoin (+7.2%), Ethereum (+9.8%), and Solana (+11.4%) led the crypto rally
- XRP spiked 5% despite SEC litigation clouds
"This validates spot Bitcoin ETFs as the fastest-growing financial product in U.S. history," Chen observes. Even with recent outflows, IBIT holds $70B—proof that institutional demand isn’t slowing down.
What’s In (and Out) of Vanguard’s Crypto Menu
Starting December 2, Vanguard’s 50.3M brokerage clients can trade:
| Asset | ETF Examples |
|---|---|
| Bitcoin | IBIT, GBTC, BITB |
| Ethereum | ETHV, ETHE |
| Multi-Crypto | BITQ, CRPT |
Memecoins like dogecoin and Shiba Inu, plus Vanguard’s own crypto products. "We’re enabling access, not evangelizing," a Vanguard spokesperson clarified.
The Real Reason Behind Vanguard’s 180
Three factors forced Vanguard’s hand:
- Client demand: 28% of Vanguard users already held crypto elsewhere (2024 J.D. Power data)
- Competitive pressure: BlackRock added 400K crypto ETF accounts in Q3 2025 alone
- Regulatory clarity: SEC’s 2024 approval of spot Ethereum ETFs eased compliance fears
"They realized blocking crypto was like banning email in the ‘90s," quips Bloomberg’s senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.
How to Trade Crypto ETFs on Vanguard (Without Getting Rekt)
For investors diving in, BTCC’s Chen suggests:
- Dollar-cost average: Spread buys over months to mitigate volatility
- Mind the fees: IBIT charges 0.12% vs. 0.25% for smaller crypto ETFs
- Allocate wisely: Crypto should typically be
Pro tip: Compare execution prices across platforms—sometimes BTCC or Coinbase offer better spreads than traditional brokers.
The Bigger Picture: Wall Street’s Crypto Embrace Is Complete
Vanguard’s MOVE marks the end of an era. With all three major asset managers now onboard, crypto has undeniably gone mainstream. As Balchunas puts it: "This isn’t adoption—it’s normalization."
FAQs: Vanguard’s Crypto ETF Access
When can Vanguard clients start trading crypto ETFs?
December 2, 2025—the platform will support Bitcoin, Ethereum, and multi-crypto ETFs from providers like BlackRock and Grayscale.
Why did Vanguard change its crypto policy?
Leadership changes (new CEO Salim Ramji), overwhelming client demand, and competitive pressures forced the reversal after years of resistance.
Are memecoins available on Vanguard?
No—the platform excludes meme assets and won’t offer its own crypto products, focusing only on regulated ETFs for major cryptocurrencies.
