BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the fastest exchange-traded fund (ETF) to surpass $70 billion in assets under management (AUM), reaching this mark in just 341 trading days. This is approximately five times faster than the previous record holder, SPDR Gold Shares (GLD), which took 1,691 days to hit the same threshold. Launched on January 11, 2024, IBIT has seen unprecedented growth, driven by strong institutional and retail investor interest, with $71.9 billion in AUM and holdings of 661,457 Bitcoin (BTC) as of June 6, 2025.

This makes BlackRock the largest institutional Bitcoin holder, surpassing Binance (629,190 BTC) and MicroStrategy (582,000 BTC). The ETF’s success is attributed to Bitcoin’s rising price, which hit $110,000, and its growing acceptance as an inflation hedge and alternative store of value. IBIT has posted $48.7 billion in net inflows since launch, outpacing other spot Bitcoin ETFs, though it saw a $430.8 million outflow on May 30, ending a 31-day inflow streak. Analysts, including Bloomberg’s Eric Balchunas, project BlackRock could overtake Satoshi Nakamoto’s estimated 1.1 million BTC holdings by mid-2026.

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) hitting $70 billion in assets under management (AUM) in just 341 trading days signals strong institutional acceptance of Bitcoin. As the largest institutional Bitcoin holder (661,457 BTC), BlackRock’s involvement validates cryptocurrency as a legitimate asset class, encouraging other financial giants to enter the space. The ETF’s accessibility through traditional brokerage accounts lowers barriers for retail investors, driving broader participation.

This has contributed to Bitcoin’s price surge to $110,000, reinforcing its role as an inflation hedge and alternative store of value. With IBIT’s massive AUM, BlackRock wields significant influence over Bitcoin’s market dynamics. Its buying or selling activity could amplify price volatility, especially given its holdings surpass those of Binance and MicroStrategy. IBIT’s success may push regulators to clarify cryptocurrency frameworks, balancing innovation with investor protection.

The SEC’s approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 already marked a shift, and continued growth could lead to more crypto-based financial products. IBIT’s dominance ($48.7 billion in net inflows) intensifies competition with other spot Bitcoin ETFs, like Fidelity’s FBTC and Grayscale’s GBTC. This could drive innovation in fee structures (IBIT’s 0.25% fee) and product offerings. The U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF market, with $110 billion in AUM across 11 funds, sets a benchmark for other countries. Nations like Canada and Australia may accelerate their own crypto ETF approvals to capture similar capital flows.

With BlackRock holding over 3% of Bitcoin’s 21 million total supply, institutional accumulation could exacerbate scarcity, especially as the halving cycle (next in 2028) reduces new issuance. This may drive prices higher but risks centralizing ownership. IBIT’s reliance on Coinbase for custody raises questions about counterparty risk. A security breach or operational failure could impact investor confidence in Bitcoin ETFs.

Bitcoin’s appeal as “digital gold” grows amid global inflation concerns and fiat currency devaluation. IBIT’s growth reflects investors seeking alternatives to traditional assets like bonds or gold (GLD took five times longer to reach $70B). As U.S.-based ETFs dominate Bitcoin holdings, it could shift crypto’s power center from decentralized networks to Wall Street, potentially clashing with Bitcoin’s original ethos of financial sovereignty.

Institutional investors and high-net-worth individuals benefit from IBIT’s regulated structure, tax advantages (e.g., in retirement accounts), and ease of access. BlackRock’s scale allows it to negotiate lower fees and secure large Bitcoin allocations. Small retail investors holding Bitcoin directly on exchanges or wallets face higher risks (hacks, lost keys) and miss out on ETF-related benefits like liquidity and regulatory oversight. They may also struggle to compete with institutional buying power driving prices up.

Wall Street giants like BlackRock profit from management fees and market influence. IBIT’s success strengthens TradFi’s grip on crypto, aligning it with existing financial systems. Bitcoin purists, who value decentralization and censorship resistance, see ETFs as a betrayal of Satoshi Nakamoto’s vision. Institutional custody and regulatory oversight undermine the “be your own bank” ethos, centralizing control in entities like BlackRock and Coinbase.

U.S. investors and firms dominate the Bitcoin ETF market, with BlackRock leading the charge. Developed markets with robust financial infrastructure attract the bulk of capital flows. Emerging markets with restrictive crypto regulations or limited access to ETFs lag behind. Investors in these regions face higher costs and risks trading on unregulated exchanges, widening the wealth gap.

Early Bitcoin adopters and ETF investors reap massive gains from the price rally to $110,000. BlackRock’s projected overtake of Satoshi’s 1.1 million BTC by mid-2026 underscores the wealth concentration among large holders. Those without Bitcoin exposure, including skeptics or late entrants, miss out on the rally.

As institutional accumulation accelerates, entry costs rise, pricing out lower-income investors. IBIT’s meteoric rise is a double-edged sword: it cements Bitcoin’s financial relevance but risks alienating its decentralized roots, creating winners in Wall Street and losers among those left behind in the crypto revolution.

The World Bank has downgraded its economic outlook for the United States and the rest of the world, warning that President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs and unpredictable trade tactics are weighing heavily on global commerce and investor confidence.

In its updated Global Economic Prospects report released Tuesday, the Washington-based institution projected that the U.S. economy will expand by just 1.4% in 2025, a sharp slowdown from the 2.8% growth recorded in 2024. That’s also a steep drop from the 2.3% forecast issued in January, reflecting the fallout from Trump’s escalation of trade tensions with key partners.

While the report avoids mentioning Trump by name, it directly blames a “substantial rise in trade barriers” for the slowdown. Trump’s policy of imposing 10% tariffs on imports from nearly every country, coupled with abrupt policy reversals and retaliatory measures by U.S. trading partners, has triggered price hikes for consumers, disrupted supply chains, and deepened global uncertainty.

“The world economy today is once more running into turbulence,” said Indermit Gill, the World Bank’s chief economist, in the report’s preface. “Without a swift course correction, the harm to living standards could be deep.”

Globally, the World Bank now expects growth to come in at 2.3% in 2025, down from 2.8% in 2024. The bank cut 0.4 percentage points from its earlier projection, citing a combination of weaker investment, trade friction, and monetary tightening still playing out in several economies.

Fallout Beyond the U.S.

Trump’s trade war is having ripple effects far beyond American borders. Europe, China, and other major economies are all feeling the strain.

In the Eurozone, growth is expected to slow to 0.7% in 2025, down from an already tepid 0.9% last year. European exporters, especially Germany and France, have been hit by Trump’s tariff regime. Worse still, businesses are holding back on investment due to the erratic nature of Trump’s trade measures, which are often announced, postponed, or restructured without warning.

In China, growth is expected to fall from 5% in 2024 to 4.5% this year, and then down to 4% in 2026. The world’s second-largest economy is grappling not only with the trade barriers imposed by the Trump administration but also with a real estate crisis and demographic pressures as its population ages.

India, while still the fastest-growing major economy, is also seeing its momentum taper. Growth is now projected at 6.3% for 2025, down from 6.5% last year and below the 6.7% forecast earlier this year. In Japan, growth is expected to pick up slightly—from 0.2% to 0.7%—but remains well below the 1.2% that had been projected.

Rising Concern Among Global Watchdogs

The gloomy revision from the World Bank echoes warnings from other global institutions. Just last week, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) also trimmed its growth forecasts for the U.S. and global economies, citing similar concerns about escalating trade barriers and policy unpredictability.

The World Bank said the global economy has lost the chance for a “soft landing” after the pandemic, where inflation could be tamed without triggering a sharp downturn. Instead, the world now risks stagnation or worse, as countries struggle to balance growth against financial stability.

“Living standards in many countries could face long-lasting damage,” the report warned, pointing to reduced household incomes, rising food prices, and weakened investor confidence as key risks.

The bank reiterated its core mission to reduce poverty and promote shared prosperity by extending grants and low-interest loans to developing countries—many of which are also facing rising debt burdens and inflationary pressures amid weaker global trade.

Unless there is a coordinated policy response to reverse the course of rising protectionism and restore investor confidence, the World Bank cautions, the global economy may remain stuck in low gear for the foreseeable future.

TAJBank, Nigeria’s flagship non-interest lender, has secured regulatory clearance for the second tranche of its ambitious N100 billion Mudarabah Sukuk bond programme, announcing a new N20 billion issuance that offers a 20.5% annual return to investors.

The new issuance, officially announced on Tuesday, comes nearly two years after the bank broke new ground with its maiden N10 billion Sukuk bond in 2023. That inaugural offering—Nigeria’s first-ever Sukuk to be listed on the Nigerian Exchange—was oversubscribed by 115%, reflecting strong investor interest in sharia-compliant, profit-sharing investment options.

TAJBank’s second Sukuk tranche is structured under the Mudarabah model, where funds are pooled into profit-generating ventures managed by the bank, with investors entitled to a share of the profits. The bank said the latest issuance aims to broaden financial inclusion and attract ethically driven investors seeking stable returns amid volatile market conditions.

“This second tranche presents another opportunity for individuals and corporate investors to stake their funds in an ethical instrument with a competitive 20.5% per annum return,” the bank said in a statement.

Alhaji Tanko Isiaku Gwamna, Chairman of TAJBank, said the bond aligns with the lender’s core commitment to providing investment alternatives that are grounded in transparency, shared risk, and equitable profit-sharing principles. He noted that the issuance will allow a broader group of investors to benefit from the bank’s business success while adhering to non-interest banking standards.

Reaffirming TAJBank’s performance, Managing Director Hamid Joda recalled his 2023 pledge during the listing of the maiden bond, when he assured stakeholders of strong and consistent returns.

“The board has been fulfilling that promise since then,” he said.

Partnering for Scale and Trust

AVA Capital Ltd., the lead issuing house for the bond, reiterated confidence in TAJBank’s capacity to deliver returns to investors. AVA’s CEO, Mr. Kayode Fadahunsi, described the new N20 billion issuance as a critical step toward completing the broader N100 billion Sukuk programme, calling it a “milestone for ethical finance in Nigeria.”

Fadahunsi also emphasized that TAJBank’s growth in the non-interest banking segment has laid a solid foundation for investor confidence.

“We are optimistic that this Sukuk will not only deepen Islamic finance but also offer compelling returns, especially for investors looking for lower-risk alternatives outside traditional markets,” he said.

Broader Momentum in Nigeria’s Islamic Finance Market

TAJBank’s move comes amid a broader surge in Nigeria’s Islamic finance landscape, which is witnessing renewed momentum after years of slow traction. According to Fitch Ratings, non-interest banks in Nigeria recorded a 110% year-on-year asset growth by the end of 2024—driven by increased deposits and lending, each more than doubling within the year.

Fitch also projects that the Islamic finance industry will expand significantly between the second half of 2025 and 2026, supported by new regulatory incentives, capital requirements, and rising investor demand for Sukuk and other sharia-compliant assets.

The growing appetite was further demonstrated when Nigeria’s Debt Management Office (DMO) announced that the Federal Government had secured over N2.2 trillion in Sukuk subscriptions since its inaugural issuance in 2017—a figure that reflects an oversubscription rate of 735%, despite a two-year pause in sovereign Sukuk offerings.

Analysts suggest that TAJBank’s 20.5% return structure offers a compelling case for conservative investors amid inflationary pressures and volatile returns from equities and other traditional assets.

TAJBank’s successful issuance is expected to serve as a catalyst for further private Sukuk offerings in Nigeria, helping to complement the government’s sovereign Sukuk issuances. With the bank’s overall Sukuk programme still holding N80 billion in unissued potential, more tranches are expected in the coming years, offering even wider access to Nigeria’s expanding ethical investment market.