BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) Exploded Into the Top 5 U.S. ETFs by YTD Inflows

This was a dramatic leap: IBIT had ranked only #47 among U.S. ETFs a month earlier.

BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) had burst into the top five U.S. ETFs by year-to-date (YTD) inflows as of mid-May 2025, according to Bloomberg data cited by MilkRoad.

On May 21, IBIT clocked in at #5 on the YTD flow leaderboard with roughly $9.0 billion in net inflows for 2025, putting it ahead of major fund categories. This was a dramatic leap from a month earlier, when IBIT ranked #47 among U.S. ETFs.

For context, as of May 7, IBIT’s YTD inflows were about $6.96 billion – already the 6th-largest of all ETFs. That pace outstripped the SPDR Gold Trust (GLD), which had $6.5 billion and was #7.

By mid-May, IBIT’s position had climbed further: Bloomberg data put GLD only at #14 on the YTD flows list, with IBIT at #5.

The bullish narrative continues with the latest data from mid-May 2025 revealing that the BlackRock Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) clocked in at an impressive #5 position on the YTD flow leaderboard. According to Bloomberg’s analysis, IBIT had attracted roughly $9.0 billion in net inflows for 2025 by May 21.

This puts the Bitcoin ETF ahead of major fund categories and marks a significant surge considering it ranked #47 among U.S. ETFs a month earlier.

According to Balchunas, IBIT's performance compares favorably with the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO), which had YTD inflows of $4.4 billion by May 21, placing it ninth on the YTD flow list.

Moreover, on May 22 alone, U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs drew about $934.8 million in a single day of "feeding frenzy" as crypto prices broke records.

Of that one-day total, IBIT accounted for $877.2 million, or roughly 94% of all BTC ETF inflows, according to Balchunas' analysis. In essence, IBIT was the single biggest net inflow ETF in the U.S.

This incredible feat is even more remarkable considering that over the three trading days from May 21–23, IBIT added roughly $1.4 billion more in inflows.

The latest data from mid-May 2025 highlight the strong institutional appetite for crypto amid Bitcoin's rally to new highs (approximately $112,000).

According to Balchunas, every U.S. Bitcoin ETF was drawing above-average interest during this period. He noted that IBIT's volume was "notably high," with May 21 and May 22 being its highest-volume days to date.

"All the BTC ETFs are elevated, most gonna see 2x their [daily] average [flows] incoming & w/ IVZ & MTG having good vol days too, feels like we're seeing the 'usual suspects' in terms of ETF flows behave predictably today but w/ vols higher than usual across the board w/lively action in several instruments rendering several combos & arbitrages possible rendering several combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible combos & arbitrages possible