BlackRock’s newest ETF invests in 35 blockchain-related firms

“We believe digital assets and blockchain technologies are progressing to become more and more relevant for our shoppers,” aforesaid BlackRock ETF product contriver Omar Moufti.

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has simply launched a replacement exchange-traded fund (ETF) to produce European customers with exposure to the blockchain business, whereas reports indicate a Metaverse-focused ETF is also on the way.

The new blockchain ETF launched on Sept. 27 is termed the iShares Blockchain Technology UCITS ETF.

BlackRock aforesaid 75% of its holdings contains blockchain firms like miners and exchanges, whereas the opposite twenty fifth square measure firms that support the blockchain scheme.

The fund includes 35 international firms out of a complete of 50 holdings, that conjointly includes decree money and derivatives, however doesn’t directly invest in cryptocurrencies.

BLKC marks the most recent of a series of moves into the digital asset space for BlackRock, with the foremost recent being the launch of a non-public spot Bitcoin trust on Aug. 11.

In a Sept. 29 report from Finextra, product contriver for thematic and sector ETFs at BlackRock Omar Moufti aforesaid the ETF can “allow our shoppers the chance to have interaction with international firms leading the event of the rising blockchain scheme,” adding:

“We believe digital assets and blockchain technologies are progressing to become more and more relevant for our clients as use cases develop in scope, scale and complexity.”

The top 5 holdings within the fund are Coinbase (13.20%), USD cash (13.00%), fintech firm Block (11.40%), crypto mining firm Marathon Digital Holdings (11.13%) and Riot Blockchain (10.50%).

Other holdings embody 23 IT firms, six monetary firms, one industrials company and one communications company, with 50 holdings in total as of Sept. 28.

However, a Bloomberg report on Sept. 29 suggests that BlackRock is also functioning on another ETF — targeted on the Metaverse, referred to as the iShares Future Metaverse school and Communications ETF.

The report said that the fund’s fees and ticker aren’t nonetheless listed but may embody “firms that have products or services tied to virtual platforms, social media, gaming, digital assets, increased reality and a lot of.”

The Metaverse ETF follows insights revealed on Feb. 14 from BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund co-portfolio manager Thomas Reid Menge, who tagged the Metaverse a “revolution in the making.”

On Aug. 4, Coinbase proclaimed that it had entered into a partnership with BlackRock and perceived to be reaping the rewards of the partnership with its high weight in BLKC.

The partnership offers institutional investors the power to access crypto through its Coinbase Prime service.