BlackRock is set to release its third-quarter 2026 earnings on October 14, drawing fresh attention to its cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds as the asset manager now oversees more than $15 trillion in client assets. The firm ended the second quarter with $15.34 trillion in assets under management (AUM), up from $12.53 trillion a year earlier, and recorded $192 billion in net inflows for the quarter, pushing first-half inflows to a record $321 billion.
During July's earnings call, BlackRock Chief Financial Officer Martin Small said approximately $110 billion in AUM was connected to digital assets, a figure equal to about 0.7% of total AUM but strategically significant because crypto ETFs generate recurring fees and exposure to a fast-growing market segment.
BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA) remain the core of its crypto ETF lineup. According to fund disclosures, IBIT held about $67.31 billion in net assets as of September 24, while ETHA reported approximately $8.69 billion as of October 9. Both funds charge annual sponsor fees of 0.25%, implying roughly $190 million in annualized gross sponsor fees on combined assets of about $76 billion, though asset levels fluctuate with crypto prices and investor flows.
The company has also set a broader digital-assets revenue target of $500 million annually by 2030, focusing on connecting traditional and decentralized finance, managing stablecoin reserves, and tokenizing conventional investment products. BlackRock already manages approximately $60 billion in reserves for Circle, the issuer of USDC, and offers tokenized products such as BUIDL. Wall Street analysts expect BlackRock to report about $7.42 billion in third-quarter revenue and $14.32 in earnings per share.
Meanwhile, crypto ETF flows turned positive in the latest sessions. Bitcoin ETFs recorded $175.7 million in net inflows, led by Fidelity's FBTC, while Ethereum ETFs attracted $24.8 million, ending an outflow streak. BTC and ETH prices recovered alongside renewed ETF demand, although both ETF categories remain heavily negative for October as a whole.
