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Rick Rieder, Chief Investment Officer of Global Fixed Income at BlackRock, told Bloomberg’s ETF IQ on June 15, 2026, that he expects bitcoin to rise “considerably higher” over the long term, even as the firm maintains only moderate exposure to the asset.
Asked whether bitcoin—after selling off roughly 50% from its peak—represented a buying opportunity, Rieder said: “I think it’s ultimately going considerably higher. I think the technicals, there’s some technical condition around it that causes it to chop around. I think it’s ultimately going higher.”
He added that BlackRock’s approach is to keep exposure “a pretty moderate” level, citing competing opportunities in technology and emerging markets debt as reasons not to increase allocation.
On June 15 and 16, 2026, bitcoin traded in a range of $65,700 to $66,500 following an earlier-month correction that pushed it below $60,000. Despite the rebound, bitcoin remained approximately 47% below its late-2025 all-time high above $126,000.
The article also pointed to capital rotation, with some investors reportedly selling crypto holdings to fund positions in SpaceX and other opportunities, contributing to near-term pressure on BTC.
While Rieder emphasized moderation in his own portfolio approach, BlackRock’s crypto trusts have continued accumulating bitcoin and ethereum since their debuts.
IBIT, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, reportedly held roughly 766,162.82 BTC worth just over $50 billion as of June 15. Among corporate holders, only Strategy (MSTR) was cited as owning more, with its treasury containing 846,842 BTC worth $55.9 billion.
Within the ETF market, IBIT was described as the clear leader, with BTC assets under management exceeding those of the next-largest fund, FBTC, by more than $38 billion.
Rieder’s comments coincided with BlackRock’s launch of the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF, ticker BITA, around June 16, 2026.
The actively managed fund is described as holding roughly 69% in direct bitcoin and approximately 33% in IBIT shares. It aims to generate monthly income by selling call options on a portion of the portfolio.
BITA carries a sponsor fee of 0.65% and targets meaningful participation in bitcoin’s upside while aiming for lower volatility than pure spot exposure. The product is positioned for investors seeking yield alongside bitcoin access.
The article said Rieder’s remarks carry institutional weight, noting his early internal advocacy at BlackRock helped lay the groundwork for the firm’s initial bitcoin ETF push, which produced one of the most successful ETF launches in market history.
With a long-term bullish stance from a $2.4 trillion money manager, paired with continued purchases and new product development, the article said BlackRock’s team appears to view the current correction as part of the asset class’s behavior rather than a reason to exit.
It also noted that near-term technical headwinds and capital competition from equities remain factors, but Rieder’s framing left “little ambiguity” about where he expects bitcoin to go over time.
