Barclays reported holding 3.94 million shares in BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) at the end of the third quarter, up 48% from the previous quarter.
The position in the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) was worth about $187 million on Sept. 30, up from $88.5 million for 2.66 million shares on June 30, according to Barclays’ Friday Form 13F filing.
“Early readings suggest longer-term holders make up a growing share of the spot bitcoin ETF investor base,” Bitwise analyst Camran Khosravi told Cointelegraph, pointing to increased bank exposure, including at Citigroup.
Citigroup reported a new position worth about $119 million in the Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC). Its reported IBIT holdings also rose 50% to about 521,000 shares, from 347,000 at the end of June.
The filings offer an early indication of changing institutional Bitcoin ETF ownership, with more major banks and hedge funds yet to disclose their…
