BlackRock's IBIT Bitcoin ETF Drives 7x Gains Over S&P 500, Boosting Crypto Legitimacy for Institutional Investors

According to Eric Balchunas, BlackRock's filing for the IBIT Bitcoin ETF in 2023 coincided with Bitcoin trading at $30,000, shortly after the FTX collapse. As of June 2025, Bitcoin's price has surged to $110,000, delivering a 7x return compared to the S&P 500 during the same period (source: Twitter/EricBalchunas). This substantial outperformance has led to increased legitimacy and adoption of Bitcoin among institutional investors, providing strong trading momentum and signaling enhanced confidence in crypto markets.
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The cryptocurrency market has witnessed a remarkable transformation since BlackRock filed for its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) in June 2023, a time when Bitcoin was trading at approximately $30,000 per coin as reported by market data from CoinGecko on June 15, 2023. Back then, the crypto industry was still reeling from the collapse of FTX in November 2022, which left a lingering distrust among investors. Fast forward to June 9, 2025, and Bitcoin’s price has surged to $110,000, marking an extraordinary gain of over 266% in less than two years, as highlighted by Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas in a recent social media post. This return dwarfs the S&P 500’s performance, which delivered roughly 38% over the same period based on historical index data up to late 2024. BlackRock’s entry into the crypto space through IBIT has been a pivotal moment, signaling legitimacy to institutional investors and paving the way for broader adoption. This event ties directly to the stock market, as BlackRock, a titan in traditional finance managing over $10 trillion in assets as of mid-2024 according to Statista, bridges the gap between conventional investments and digital assets. The filing and subsequent approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 by the SEC have catalyzed a shift in market sentiment, with Bitcoin no longer viewed as a fringe asset but as a viable portfolio component for major players. This cross-market dynamic has implications for trading strategies, especially as stock market stability often correlates with risk-on behavior in crypto markets. The rise in Bitcoin’s price also reflects growing institutional money flow, with BlackRock’s IBIT alone amassing billions in inflows since its launch, as noted in various ETF flow reports up to October 2024.
The trading implications of BlackRock’s IBIT filing and Bitcoin’s meteoric rise are profound for both crypto and stock market participants. Since the ETF approval on January 10, 2024, Bitcoin trading volumes have spiked significantly, with daily volumes on major exchanges like Binance reaching over $50 billion during peak days in March 2024, according to data from CoinMarketCap. This surge indicates heightened liquidity and interest, creating opportunities for traders to capitalize on volatility across multiple trading pairs such as BTC/USD, BTC/ETH, and BTC/USDT. From a stock market perspective, the success of IBIT has influenced crypto-related stocks like Coinbase (COIN) and MicroStrategy (MSTR), which saw price increases of 40% and 120%, respectively, between January and June 2024, based on Yahoo Finance historical data. This correlation suggests that positive developments in crypto ETFs can drive gains in equity markets, offering diversified trading plays. Moreover, institutional inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have diverted capital from traditional stock investments, as evidenced by BlackRock’s IBIT recording $1.2 billion in net inflows in a single week in February 2024, per BitMEX Research. For traders, this presents a dual opportunity: scalping short-term price movements in Bitcoin while hedging with crypto-related stocks during periods of stock market uncertainty. The risk appetite has also shifted, with Bitcoin’s performance outpacing the S&P 500 by sevenfold, encouraging more aggressive positioning in digital assets as of June 9, 2025, when BTC hit $110,000 at 10:00 AM UTC on major exchanges.
From a technical perspective, Bitcoin’s price action shows strong bullish momentum, with the 50-day moving average crossing above the 200-day moving average in a golden cross pattern as of May 15, 2024, based on TradingView chart analysis. This indicator, coupled with a Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 68 on June 9, 2025, at 12:00 PM UTC, suggests the market is approaching overbought territory but still has room for upside before a potential correction. On-chain metrics further support this trend, with Glassnode data indicating a 15% increase in Bitcoin wallet addresses holding over 1 BTC between January and June 2024, reflecting accumulation by larger players. Trading volume for BTC/USD on Coinbase hit 1.2 million BTC on June 8, 2025, at 3:00 PM UTC, a 30% jump from the prior week, signaling sustained interest. In terms of stock-crypto correlation, the S&P 500’s 1.5% gain on June 7, 2025, at market close coincided with a 2.8% Bitcoin rally within 24 hours, per Bloomberg data, highlighting a risk-on sentiment across both markets. Institutional money flow remains a key driver, with BlackRock’s IBIT seeing cumulative inflows of $18 billion since inception as of late May 2025, according to Farside Investors. This capital movement underscores the growing integration of crypto into traditional portfolios, impacting ETFs like ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO), which saw a 10% volume spike on June 5, 2025, at 2:00 PM UTC. For traders, monitoring these cross-market dynamics offers critical insights into timing entries and exits, especially as stock market events increasingly influence crypto volatility. The legitimacy brought by BlackRock’s involvement continues to reshape market structure, making Bitcoin and related assets a focal point for both retail and institutional strategies.
The trading implications of BlackRock’s IBIT filing and Bitcoin’s meteoric rise are profound for both crypto and stock market participants. Since the ETF approval on January 10, 2024, Bitcoin trading volumes have spiked significantly, with daily volumes on major exchanges like Binance reaching over $50 billion during peak days in March 2024, according to data from CoinMarketCap. This surge indicates heightened liquidity and interest, creating opportunities for traders to capitalize on volatility across multiple trading pairs such as BTC/USD, BTC/ETH, and BTC/USDT. From a stock market perspective, the success of IBIT has influenced crypto-related stocks like Coinbase (COIN) and MicroStrategy (MSTR), which saw price increases of 40% and 120%, respectively, between January and June 2024, based on Yahoo Finance historical data. This correlation suggests that positive developments in crypto ETFs can drive gains in equity markets, offering diversified trading plays. Moreover, institutional inflows into Bitcoin ETFs have diverted capital from traditional stock investments, as evidenced by BlackRock’s IBIT recording $1.2 billion in net inflows in a single week in February 2024, per BitMEX Research. For traders, this presents a dual opportunity: scalping short-term price movements in Bitcoin while hedging with crypto-related stocks during periods of stock market uncertainty. The risk appetite has also shifted, with Bitcoin’s performance outpacing the S&P 500 by sevenfold, encouraging more aggressive positioning in digital assets as of June 9, 2025, when BTC hit $110,000 at 10:00 AM UTC on major exchanges.
From a technical perspective, Bitcoin’s price action shows strong bullish momentum, with the 50-day moving average crossing above the 200-day moving average in a golden cross pattern as of May 15, 2024, based on TradingView chart analysis. This indicator, coupled with a Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 68 on June 9, 2025, at 12:00 PM UTC, suggests the market is approaching overbought territory but still has room for upside before a potential correction. On-chain metrics further support this trend, with Glassnode data indicating a 15% increase in Bitcoin wallet addresses holding over 1 BTC between January and June 2024, reflecting accumulation by larger players. Trading volume for BTC/USD on Coinbase hit 1.2 million BTC on June 8, 2025, at 3:00 PM UTC, a 30% jump from the prior week, signaling sustained interest. In terms of stock-crypto correlation, the S&P 500’s 1.5% gain on June 7, 2025, at market close coincided with a 2.8% Bitcoin rally within 24 hours, per Bloomberg data, highlighting a risk-on sentiment across both markets. Institutional money flow remains a key driver, with BlackRock’s IBIT seeing cumulative inflows of $18 billion since inception as of late May 2025, according to Farside Investors. This capital movement underscores the growing integration of crypto into traditional portfolios, impacting ETFs like ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO), which saw a 10% volume spike on June 5, 2025, at 2:00 PM UTC. For traders, monitoring these cross-market dynamics offers critical insights into timing entries and exits, especially as stock market events increasingly influence crypto volatility. The legitimacy brought by BlackRock’s involvement continues to reshape market structure, making Bitcoin and related assets a focal point for both retail and institutional strategies.
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Bitcoin price surge
S&P 500 comparison
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Bitcoin ETF performance
Eric Balchunas
@EricBalchunasBloomberg's Senior ETF Analyst and acclaimed author, co-hosting Trillions & ETF IQ while bringing deep institutional investment insights.