Crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) opened up the door for traditional finance retail investors to enter the digital assets space.
They trade like regular shares, offering a regulated and familiar way to access crypto price movements without directly holding or managing digital assets.
But BlackRock feels this is just the beginning, and a major portfolio move may be underway.
Related: BlackRock ETF Filing Reveals $100,000 Seed Funding for Spot Bitcoin Product
Bitcoin and Ether ETFs still in early stages
Speaking to CNBC on Jan. 9, BlackRock’s U.S. head of equity ETFs, Jay Jacobs, weighed in on the future of crypto investing through ETFs.
According to Jacobs, many retail investors are only beginning to understand how crypto fits into a traditional portfolio.
“We are starting to see a much broader group of people who can and are interested in this asset class,"Jacobs said.
According to Jacobs, both assets are still in the early stages of being integrated into long-term investment strategies.
"We see this as still being very early days for Bitcoin and Ethereum. It's a lot more about education, a lot more about how does this fit in their portfolio, how might it behave in different market environments, and how could it sit alongside bonds and stocks."
Jacobs said many financial advisors simply didn’t have this access before, noting that ETF approval expanded crypto availability across major brokerage platforms.
Jacobs' comments come at a time when JPMorgan Chase expressed confidence that crypto ETF outflows would ease in January.
In a recent report, the bank raised hopes that the recent crypto sell-off may be approaching a bottom.
More News:
Volatility hasn’t shaken investor conviction
BlackRock manages the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ: IBIT) and the iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ: ETHA).
At press time, IBIT was trading 0.55% higher at $51.80 but had fallen more than 4% in the past year, according to Yahoo Finance.
ETHA, meanwhile, was trading 0.68% higher at $23.61, while it had declined by nearly 6% in the past year.
Despite price swings, ETF-based crypto investors appear committed, according to Todd Rosenbluth, head of research at VettaFi.
He said investors using ETFs to gain crypto exposure are largely holding their positions.
“They’re sticking with it,”Rosenbluth said, adding that ETF investors show confidence in crypto’s long-term prospects rather than trading in and out during volatile periods.
According to Rosenbluth, that behavior suggests growing conviction and signals that broader retail adoption may be taking shape.
Related: After bitcoin, ethereum, what crypto will get an ETF boost from Wall Street?
This story was originally published by TheStreet on Jan 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the MARKETS section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
