Buy Bitcoin — but don’t get carried away. That’s the message from BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, the man who once called Bitcoin “the domain of money launderers and thieves.” On Monday, he told CBS’s 60 Minutes the asset now has a place in investor portfolios. Just not a big one. “There’s a place for bitcoin much like gold — it’s an alternative. For those that are looking to diversify their portfolio, this isn’t a bad asset,” Fink said. He doesn’t believe, however, that it “should be a large component of y ...

Core Viewpoint - Despite a challenging market environment and the impact of new U.S. tariff policies, most ETF investors are expected to continue dollar-cost averaging into popular ETFs, even as their outlook becomes increasingly bearish. Some investors are hedging by increasing their allocations to gold or cash ETFs [2][3]. Group 1: ETF Investment Trends - ETF investors tend to hold their positions long-term, continuing to invest in low-cost beta funds like VOO and IVV, which accounted for 20% of the $300 billion inflow into U.S. listed ETFs this year [3]. - The increase in inflows to cash and gold ETFs indicates that investors are seeking some buffer against market volatility, suggesting a contradictory behavior of buying equities while hedging [3][6]. - Historical patterns show that ETF investors have previously bought during downturns, indicating a potential need for sustained market declines of 6-9 months to deter significant buying activity [6]. Group 2: Fund Flows and Performance - In the first quarter, U.S. equity ETFs saw record inflows of $140 billion, with 80% of this capital flowing into funds heavily invested in U.S. equities [9]. - Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), and Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI) led the inflow rankings, attracting $34 billion, $21.4 billion, and $8.6 billion respectively [9]. - Conversely, SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) experienced an outflow of $22.6 billion, indicating a shift in investor sentiment [9]. Group 3: Gold and Cash ETFs - The inflow into gold ETFs has increased significantly, with $12.2 billion added in the first quarter, driven by a 19% rise in gold prices and a growing interest in safe-haven assets [10]. - The performance of gold ETFs has improved, with a nearly 50% return since the beginning of 2024, reflecting a shift in investor focus towards protective assets [10].