The world’s fastest-growing ETF, the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), is nearing $100 billion in assets, less than two years after its launch. That puts it among the 20 biggest ETFs, only 18 of which are in the $100 billion-plus club. It clearly shows demand for digital assets, or at least for one product. BlackRock dominates the crypto ETF category, with the next-biggest competitor, Fidelity’s Wise Origin (FBTC), being roughly a quarter of the size. Of course, BlackRock is also the world’s biggest asset man ...

Group 1: Bitcoin Price Surge - Bitcoin reached a new all-time high of $125,245.57, with a year-to-date increase of 33.3% as of October 3, 2025 [1] - The price rally is driven by supportive regulations from the Trump administration and increased demand from institutional investors [1][2] - Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust and iShares Bitcoin Trust have seen approximately 101% growth over the past year [1] Group 2: Market Dynamics - Bitcoin has experienced eight consecutive days of gains, supported by strong U.S. equities and inflows into Bitcoin ETFs [2] - The introduction of Bitcoin-based ETFs in January 2024 has contributed to rising institutional interest and demand in the cryptocurrency market [2] - The supply of Bitcoin remains relatively fixed, which, combined with growing demand, has led to price increases [2] Group 3: Economic Factors - The U.S. dollar's weakness due to government shutdown concerns has led some market watchers to view Bitcoin as a safe-haven asset [3] - Bitcoin is considered a hedge against inflation, with its fixed supply cap of 21 million coins potentially retaining value better than traditional currencies amid easing monetary policies [4] Group 4: Interest Rate Impact - The Federal Reserve's first rate cut of the year in September is expected to be followed by more cuts, which typically favor risk-on assets like Bitcoin [5] - Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets, making Bitcoin more attractive [5] Group 5: Evolution of Bitcoin Miners - Bitcoin miners are transitioning from traditional mining to leveraging their data centers for the AI infrastructure market [6] - By mid-2025, many former Bitcoin mining companies are expected to convert their setups into rentable compute farms for AI applications [6] Group 6: Investment Products - New investment products, such as Bitcoin buffer ETFs, have been introduced to make Bitcoin more accessible to risk-averse investors [8] - Calamos has launched a suite of Bitcoin buffer ETFs aimed at providing protection while investing in Bitcoin [8]

Megacap growth continues to dominate the U.S. stock market in 2025. Bitcoin has broken into the mainstream through exchange traded funds. Emerging markets trade at deep discounts, offering investors a long-term contrarian story. Apriem Advisors, an independent California wealth manager, is leaning into all three trends with its best ETF picks."We've been pretty bullish from a macro standpoint for the last couple of years," said Benjamin Lau, principal and chief investment officer. Lau has been at the firm ...