BlackRock lowers minimum investment for Bitcoin ETF from $25 million to $1 million

BlackRock is significantly lowering the minimum transaction threshold for the direct exchange of Bitcoin into shares of its iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT). Where investors previously had to contribute at least $25 million in Bitcoin, that amount has now been reduced to $1 million. The company says it wants to lower the threshold even further in the future.

Bitcoin is available at OKX and Bybit.

In short:

• BlackRock lowers the minimum threshold for direct Bitcoin exchange into IBIT shares from $25 million to $1 million.
• BlackRock’s head of digital assets, Robbie Mitchnick, ultimately wants to drop this minimum entirely.
• Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas announced the news during a broadcast on Bloomberg TV.

Direct exchange now more accessible

In a so-called in-kind exchange, investors swap their Bitcoin directly for shares in the ETF, without an intervening sale being required. This can offer tax and practical advantages compared with a traditional purchase via cash. Until recently, this route was only available to very large parties because of the high minimum investment.

Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas reported the news during an edition of ETF IQ on Bloomberg TV. Robbie Mitchnick, the head of digital assets at BlackRock, said that the reduction from $25 million to $1 million is a deliberate step to broaden access. Bitcoin spot ETFs previously attracted hundreds of millions in inflows, which demonstrates the popularity of this type of product.

Further reduction planned

Mitchnick said the intention is to lower the minimum threshold even further in the future. Ultimately, BlackRock wants to make the in-kind exchange available for every transaction size, regardless of the amount. That would significantly lower the barrier for a broad audience of Bitcoin holders to enter the ETF.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin stands at $64K, down 1.9% over the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, large parties remain actively trading Bitcoin: Empery Digital previously sold 1,635 Bitcoin for more than $102 million, while MARA disposed of more than 23,000 Bitcoin in the first half of 2026. BlackRock’s move fits a broader trend in which institutional parties are further expanding access to Bitcoin ETF products.