In a significant endorsement of the digital asset class, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink has made a bold prediction that Bitcoin and other digital assets could grow faster than the internet did in its early years. This statement, co-authored with BlackRock COO Rob Goldstein in a December 2025 op-ed for The Economist, highlights the transformative potential of tokenization to reshape global finance over the coming decades.
The prediction is bolstered by BlackRock's own pivotal role in crypto adoption. As the world's largest asset manager with $12 trillion in assets under management, BlackRock launched the first U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF in January 2024. By early 2026, this ETF has attracted over $30 billion in inflows, helping to push Bitcoin's market capitalization past $1.5 trillion. Fink argues this institutional embrace is shifting crypto's perception from a speculative risk to a credible technology actively explored by major investors and sovereign wealth funds.
Separately, a forecast from Goldman Sachs adds a crucial regulatory dimension to this growth narrative. The investment bank anticipates that clear U.S. cryptocurrency regulation by 2026 could be the primary catalyst for a surge in institutional Bitcoin adoption. Goldman Sachs analyst James Yaro stated, "Regulatory clarity is the primary gating factor for institutional crypto adoption; we characterize our stance on digital assets as 'selectively constructive' into 2026."
Goldman Sachs identifies spot ETFs, tokenization, and DeFi infrastructure as pivotal channels for growth. The forecast is partly based on expected political changes, including a more crypto-friendly U.S. administration and potential leadership shifts at the SEC. The passage of legislation like the proposed Clarity Act, mentioned by Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, is seen as a key step to strengthen market infrastructure and unlock institutional capital.
Fink's optimistic outlook coincides with Bitcoin's post-halving rally phase, a period historically associated with gains of 150–300% in the following year. The convergence of institutional product success, pending regulatory clarity, and favorable market cycles presents a powerful case for accelerated adoption and price performance in the coming years, signaling digital assets' growing role in the future of global finance.
