BlackRock executed a concentrated three-day purchase of Bitcoin and Ethereum totaling $1.027 billion, a move that materially expanded its crypto exposure and put institutional flow dynamics back in focus. The scale and timing of the buying cycle shifted attention toward how large allocators are deploying capital into spot crypto products.
The accumulation ran from Jan. 4 through Jan. 6, 2026 and was routed through the firm’s iShares crypto trusts, alongside notable custody transfers. The combination of purchases and custody movements underscored how operational practices and liquidity management show up when activity is executed at scale.
BlackRock has been accumulating $BTC and $ETH for 3 consecutive days, with a total of 9,619 $BTC($878M) and 46,851 $ETH($149M). pic.twitter.com/80IYyvPfM4
— Lookonchain (@lookonchain) January 8, 2026
Three-Day Buying Cadence and Size
Across the three-day window, BlackRock acquired a combined 9,619 BTC (about $878 million) and 46,851 ETH (about $149 million). In aggregate, the totals were presented as $1.027 billion of spot exposure added over three consecutive days.
The largest single-day allotment occurred on Jan. 6, when the firm bought 3,948 BTC (approximately $371.89 million) and 31,737 ETH (approximately $100.23 million). That single session represented the peak concentration of the buying cadence within the three-day sequence.
The transactions were executed primarily through the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and the iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA). This detail ties the accumulation directly to the firm’s ETF-style product rails rather than ad-hoc spot execution.
Custody Moves and Liquidity Controls
The buying program was accompanied by significant custody transfers, including multiple deposits to Coinbase Prime. The disclosed movements included a transfer of 1,198 BTC and 15,121 ETH, cited at roughly $185 million in one instance, and another transfer of 1,134 BTC and 7,255 ETH.
A procedural change was also described alongside the activity: a 12-hour withdrawal window for the Bitcoin ETF, processed by Coinbase. The tightening of withdrawal processing is framed as an operational control linked to liquidity handling and counterparty risk management.
The three-day sequence was widely read as a signal of increasing institutional appetite for spot crypto exposure, especially given the size and concentration of the purchases. The operational takeaway is that large-ticket accumulation now tends to arrive with visible custody and process adjustments, not just headline notional.
The report also pointed to a broader pattern of sizeable institutional buys happening in parallel, reinforcing a “confidence returning” narrative among allocators. In that context, custody routing and withdrawal mechanics become part of the market’s real-time read on how institutions are positioning.
Finally, the coverage flagged a shift in leadership tone, noting that BlackRock’s CEO has evolved his view on Bitcoin in recent years. That change was positioned as consistent with the firm’s continued build-out of digital-asset products and execution infrastructure.
Investors and product teams are now likely to monitor ETF flow reports, custody activity, and withdrawal behavior as the immediate scoreboard. Those metrics will test whether the accumulation supports price resilience and whether the operational changes remain robust during redemptions or volatility.