Bitcoin steadies as spot ETF inflows return; IBIT adds BTC

Yes: BlackRock is adding Bitcoin via IBIT, per recent flows

Recent flow data indicate BlackRock is adding Bitcoin  BTC +0.00% exposure through the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) via net share creations. According to Binance Square, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs posted their largest daily inflows in weeks, pointing to renewed demand being routed through primary-market creations at IBIT.

Flows remain variable session to session, which is typical for commodity-style ETFs. Based on data from SoSoValue, IBIT saw roughly $164 million in daily net outflows five days earlier, underscoring that additions can follow periods of de-risking or rebalancing.

Why this matters for ETF liquidity, supply, and volatility

When primary-market creations occur, authorized participants deliver cash and the sponsor sources Bitcoin with the custodian, adding to the fund’s on-chain holdings. Sustained creations can absorb circulating supply and deepen order-book liquidity; sustained redemptions can do the opposite. Either way, the ETF wrapper centralizes price discovery around NAV and tightens spreads when market makers are active.

Large, regulated ETFs can concentrate secondary-market liquidity even during drawdowns. As reported by The Block, IBIT registered about $10 billion in a single day of trading volume at one point while Bitcoin fell roughly 13%, illustrating how the structure can channel turnover without necessarily dictating short-term direction.

“Bitcoin might serve the same purpose as gold: as an alternative store of value or reserve asset,” said Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock. That framing helps explain why institutions may scale exposure through ETFs while maintaining disciplined sizing and risk controls.

ETF flows can diverge from spot price in the near term due to hedging, options overlays, and cross-asset rebalancing. Over longer windows, persistent net creations tend to signal incremental supply absorption, but reversals are common as mandates and risk budgets adjust.

Institutional positioning: Harvard and broader spot ETF signals

Endowments and other large allocators continue to use spot ETFs to calibrate digital asset exposure with familiar custody and reporting. Position changes appear more like strategic rebalancing than outright momentum trades, consistent with risk-managed portfolio construction.

Harvard adjusted IBIT exposure and initiated ETH allocation

As reported by Bitcoin Magazine, Harvard Management Company trimmed its IBIT position by about 21% in Q4 2025 and initiated an allocation to BlackRock’s Ethereum  ETH +0.00% ETF, reflecting a shift toward broader, diversified crypto exposure.

As reported by AOL, the university still has more capital in a Bitcoin ETF than in any single U.S. stock, signaling that the endowment treats the asset class as a distinct sleeve rather than a tactical trade.

How ETF creations, redemptions, and rebalancing shape price impact

Creations add new ETF shares and require underlying Bitcoin acquisition; redemptions remove shares and can release underlying supply. These mechanics channel institutional demand through authorized participants, with price impact governed by liquidity across exchanges and the efficiency of the AP/market-maker complex.

Rebalancing by institutions, such as trimming winners, adding to laggards, or diversifying between BTC and ETH, can translate into alternating creation and redemption days. That pattern can mute directional signals from any single session’s flow print and helps explain why ETF flow and spot price sometimes decouple.

At the time of this writing, Nasdaq data show IBIT recently closed near $36.55, carried net assets of approximately $64.8 billion, and charged a 0.25% expense ratio, within a 52-week range of $35.30–$71.82. These figures offer contextual reference points only and may be delayed.