BlackRock, the world's largest asset management company, accumulated Bitcoin (Bitcoin) and Ethereum (Ethereum) worth over $1 billion through its spot ETF in the first few trading days before May 2026.
The majority of funds flowed into the iShares Bitcoin Trust, which attracted $871.3 million on May 1, 4, and 5. Of this, the inflow on May 4 was the strongest at $335.5 million, ranking among the highest single-day inflows for any spot Bitcoin ETF this year.
On May 5, IBIT attracted $251.4 million in new funds, while the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust experienced a $18.4 million outflow, highlighting BlackRock's dominance. Previously, on May 1, IBIT absorbed $284.4 million, setting the tone for continued inflows.
Although Fidelity's FBTC also saw strong trading activity, IBIT remains the primary tool for daily inflows into spot Bitcoin ETFs.
In addition to Bitcoin, BlackRock has also been steadily increasing its holdings of Ethereum. Through its two Ethereum ETFs, ETHA and ETHB, the company accumulated $175.8 million in holdings over the same three-day period.
BlackRock Ethereum Exclusive Report
ETHA is the larger of the two Ethereum products, accounting for the vast majority of volume, with its highest single-day trading volume reaching $69.5 million on May 5. ETHB is the company’s second Ethereum product, which contributed $2.4 million on the same day.
On May 1, the combined assets of two Ethereum funds reached $49.1 million; on May 4, assets reached $54.8 million, entirely driven by ETHA, as ETHB had no inflows that day.
This week's steady rise indicates growing institutional demand for investing in Ethereum through regulated ETF products. Although Ethereum's market size is much smaller than Bitcoin's, it is attracting an increasing amount of capital.
BlackRock’s Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs attracted a total of $1.047 billion in inflows during the first week of May, covering only three trading days.
These volumes of cryptocurrency capital flows reflect a broader shift in how institutions operate. Investors in digital assets are on the rise. On May 5, the total trading volume of Bitcoin ETFs across all exchanges reached $467.3 million, with BlackRock accounting for more than half of that amount.
In fact, positive capital inflows coincide with the broader economic recovery. cryptocurrency market Bitcoin has returned to the $80,000 mark, with Ethereum targeting $2,500.