Despite posting negative returns for the year, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has ranked sixth in net inflows with $25 billion in year-to-date capital. Analyst Eric Balchunas sees this as a “really good sign” for the long term, indicating that investors are confident in their investment strategy.
The positive sentiment comes as several traditional equity and bond ETFs posted double-digit gains, while gold-backed ETF GLD attracted less capital than IBIT. Balchunas believes that IBIT’s ability to pull in funds despite negative returns reveals more about investor behavior than short-term price action.
IBIT has become a significant revenue driver for BlackRock, with the firm defending its spot as one of the largest Bitcoin ETFs on the market. Executives argue that ETFs are designed to facilitate capital allocation and cash-flow management, making periods of compression and outflows normal.
The strong institutional demand for Bitcoin ETFs raises questions about why sustained buying hasn’t translated into stronger price performance. Balchunas suggests that the market may be behaving like a mature asset class, where early holders take profits and deploy income strategies rather than chasing immediate gains.
Source: https://www.tradingview.com/news/cointelegraph:fae0a7b0b094b:0-ibit-ranking-6th-in-2025-etf-flows-despite-negative-returns-is-a-really-good-sign