BlackRock is expanding its crypto ETF lineup as its new iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF prepares to trade on Nasdaq under the ticker BITA.
The launch adds another Bitcoin-linked product to its digital asset offering after U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approval.
The product arrives as discussion around a possible XRP exchange-traded fund has resurfaced. BlackRock has not announced any XRP ETF filing or application, but market participants have pointed to growing institutional attention on the XRP Ledger.
BlackRock Bitcoin income fund begins trading
Nasdaq confirmed that the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF would begin trading on June 16, after the SEC’s notice of effectiveness on June 15. BlackRock submitted the filing on June 12.
Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said the fund is designed to deliver annual yields of 15% to 25% while keeping exposure to a large share of Bitcoin’s price gains. The product differs from a spot Bitcoin ETF because it is not a legal trust that directly owns Bitcoin.
Instead, BITA will invest mainly in shares of BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, IBIT. It will also sell call options against those holdings to generate income from premiums. The final prospectus lists a sponsor fee of 0.65% per year, charged daily and collected four times annually. Other costs include brokerage commissions, financing expenses, legal fees, and option trading costs.
XRP ETF debate returns without filing
The Bitcoin income fund’s debut has drawn attention to possible crypto ETF products, including XRP. Digital Ascension Group Chairman Jake Claver said in a recent interview that he believes BlackRock could eventually pursue an XRP ETF.
Claver also said he expects greater use of the XRP Ledger in the coming months. He pointed to real-time settlement projects and said higher XRP valuations might be needed for broader institutional settlement use.
His comments came as analyst Ali Martinez said XRP could break above $1.30. However, BlackRock has not made any public move toward an XRP ETF.
XRPL tools attract institutional attention
Interest in a potential XRP investment product comes as institutions continue to examine the XRP Ledger. Earlier this year, XRPL Commons director Odelia Torteman said several major financial firms had shown interest in the network.
Torteman highlighted XRPL features for regulated institutions and cross-asset transactions. She said firms including Mastercard, BlackRock, and Franklin Templeton had investigated “some parts” of the XRP Ledger ecosystem.
She added that institutions were evaluating XRPL’s decentralized exchange and automated market-making features. Ripple has also released AI tools linked to XRPL. Last week, Ripple unveiled an AI Starter Kit for developers building agent-based payment applications and announced support for the X402 protocol, enabling AI agents to transact with XRP and RLUSD.
