BlackRock's IBIT Attracts $8B in Q1 2026 Inflows Despite 25% Bitcoin Drawdown

According to Crypto Times, BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) held roughly $65 billion in net assets as of May 2026, making it the largest spot Bitcoin ETF globally. The fund recorded over $8 billion in net inflows during Q1 2026, even as Bitcoin prices fell approximately 25%, demonstrating sustained institutional conviction during market downturns.

Institutional investors have driven roughly 65% of cumulative spot Bitcoin ETF inflows since IBIT's January 2024 launch, with pension funds, endowments, and sovereign wealth funds now holding significant positions. At the December 2025 DealBook Summit, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink characterized Bitcoin as an "asset of fear," citing investor concerns about currency debasement and geopolitical instability—a framing that aligns with traditional institutional rationales for holding defensive assets.