BlackRock Enters Australian Bitcoin Spot ETFs Market As Competition Heats Up – What To Expect

BlackRock is expanding its global footprint in digital assets with plans to launch the iShares Bitcoin ETF on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) by mid-November ￰1￱ move will bring the world’s largest asset manager into one of the fastest-growing Bitcoin ETF markets outside the United States, intensifying competition among existing local ￰2￱ new ETF will charge a management fee of 0.39% and will wrap the U. S.-listed iShares Bitcoin Trust, providing Australian investors with regulated exposure to Bitcoin without the need to directly hold or manage the ￰3￱ said the structure offers a cost-effective and operationally simple entry point into the cryptocurrency ￰4￱ Takes on VanEck and Monochrome in Australia’s Booming Bitcoin ETF Market Tamara Stats, director of institutional client business at BlackRock Australasia, said the product responds to “growing institutional interest” in Bitcoin as a potential portfolio ￰5￱ Ead, head of global product solutions, added that making IBIT available locally reflects BlackRock’s focus on “broadening access and democratizing investment opportunities for more Australians.” BlackRock’s arrival adds a heavyweight competitor to an already active Australian Bitcoin ETF ￰6￱ top players include Global X 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (EBTC), VanEck Bitcoin ETF (VBTC), Monochrome Bitcoin ETF (IBTC), and DigitalX Bitcoin ETF (BTXX).) debuted on the London Stock Exchange in October. @BlackRock 's iShares $BTC ETP (IB1T) has begun trading on the @LSEplc , giving UK retail investors regulated access to the asset. #Bitcoin #BTC #Blackrock ￰0￱ — ￰7￱ (@cryptonews) October 20, 2025 The physically backed product, custodied by Coinbase, marked the reopening of the UK’s retail crypto market following the Financial Conduct Authority’s reversal of its 2021 ban on crypto exchange-traded ￰8￱ Expands Digital Asset Oversight; BlackRock Reports $104 Billion in Crypto AUM The launch comes as Australia’s corporate regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), updates its stance on digital ￰9￱ new guidance issued last week , most digital assets, including wrapped tokens, stablecoins, tokenized securities, and digital wallets, are now classified as financial ￰10￱ dealing with such products must obtain an Australian Financial Services License (AFSL) by June 30, ￰11￱ Bitcoin itself is not a financial product, ASIC clarified that investment vehicles and services offering Bitcoin exposure may fall under regulatory ￰12￱ ease the transition, ASIC has introduced a no-action position until mid-2026, allowing providers time to comply with the licensing requirements.

Additionally, in the 2025 financial year, AFCA received 159 crypto-related complaints, mostly linked to scams and poor disclosure practices. Globally, BlackRock’s iShares platform remains a major revenue ￰13￱ its latest quarterly report, the firm said its ETFs attracted a record $205 billion in net inflows in the third quarter alone, with $17 billion coming from its digital asset ETFs.