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Barclays has become the latest major financial institution to jump on the Bitcoin ETF bandwagon, reporting a new position in the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in its latest 13F filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The UK-based bank now holds 2,473,064 shares of IBIT, valued at $131 million as of December 31, as per the Thursday filing.
The purchase took place during the fourth quarter, spanning October to December, and coincides with the post-election surge in the Bitcoin price, which is now trading at a price of $97,030.17, up 0.8% over the past day, per CoinGecko data.
The filing shows that Barclays’ move follows a trend in institutional adoption of crypto-related products, with banking giants such as Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan also raking up Bitcoin ETF holdings in recent months.
As $BTC surged to a record high of $109,000 just before the U.S. presidential inauguration, big players are seized the opportunity to capitalize on the crypto’s rise without directly owning $BTC itself.
The approval of Bitcoin ETFs by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has made it easier for these institutions to get exposure to $BTC, while sidestepping some of the volatility and regulatory concerns surrounding direct crypto ownership.
Goldman Sachs, for instance, reported a 121% jump in its Bitcoin ETF holdings, bringing its total stake to $1.57 billion.
Banking giant JPMorgan recently reported an increase in its $BTC fund exposure in its latest filing, which now totals $964,322.
In January 2025, U.S. Bitcoin ETFs saw a massive $5 billion in inflows, a trend expected to continue in 2025 with forecasts of over $50 billion in inflows, as per Farside Investors data.
BlackRock’s IBIT saw the largest net inflows during January, pulling in $3.2 billion, followed by Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) with $1.3 billion.
In January alone, IBIT pulled in $3.2 billion, making it the top-performing Bitcoin ETF of the month, followed by Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) with nearly $1.3 billion in inflows.
Analysts are predicting more gains for $BTC in the coming years, with projections suggesting it could reach as high as $200,000 by late 2025.
Edited by Stacy Elliott.