IBIT ranking 6th in 2025 ETF flows despite negative returns is ‘a really good sign’

BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF ranked sixth in 2025 ETF inflows despite posting a negative annual return, a signal analysts say reflects long-term conviction.

BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT, has ranked sixth in net inflows despite being the only fund in the top cohort posting a negative return for the year.

Data shared by Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas shows IBIT pulling in roughly $25 billion in year-to-date inflows, even as its annual performance sits in the red. By comparison, several traditional equity and bond ETFs ahead of IBIT on the leaderboard posted double-digit gains, while gold-backed ETF GLD, which is up more than 60% on the year, attracted less capital than IBIT.

Balchunas described the result as a “really good sign” over the long term, arguing that the flows reveal more about investor behavior than short-term price action.

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