BlackRock’s Bitcoin Income ETF Nears Launch – Could Go Live In ‘Weeks,’ Analyst Says

• BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF suggests the product could go live in “weeks, not months,” according to Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas.
• The ETF will hold Bitcoin, IBIT shares, and cash, using a covered call strategy to generate income while potentially limiting upside during strong rallies.
• Coinbase is expected to serve as custodian, reinforcing the fund’s institutional-grade infrastructure, alongside BlackRock’s broader crypto ETF lineup, including ETHB.

BlackRock is getting closer to launching its iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF, according to a new regulatory filing made public on Wednesday.

The asset manager filed a revised S-1 for its iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF, which will trade under the ticker $BITA. The change provides more information about how the fund is structured, but it still doesn't specify the management fee yet.

Eric Balchunas, senior analyst for Bloomberg ETFs, said on X that the most recent filing suggests the launch could happen very soon. He thinks the product could go live in "weeks, not months." He also said that the filing still doesn't specify the fee, but he thinks it will be around 38 basis points. BlackRock planned to create its new ETF in late September 2025, and subsequent filings have improved the product structure. 

BlackRock Expands Bitcoin ETF Strategy

The ETF is constructed as a hybrid portfolio, using Bitcoin, shares of BlackRock's spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT), and cash, rather than giving pure spot BTC exposure. It is intended to generate income by writing call options using a covered-call strategy, which may help smooth returns and minimize volatility while also limiting upside during large Bitcoin rallies. Meanwhile, Coinbase (COIN) is likely to act as the cryptocurrency custodian, adding to the product's institutional-grade infrastructure. 

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF was up over 1% in pre-market trade. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around IBIT improved to ‘neutral’ from ‘bearish’ territory, while chatter around it remained at ‘low’ levels over the past day.

Last month, BlackRock also launched its iShares Staked Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHB), which aims to do more than just provide investors with exposure to Ethereum (ETH) prices by including staking rewards in its structure. 

Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw $117.5 million in daily net inflows on March 31 after a period of outflows. BlackRock was responsible for most of that demand, with inflows of $98.42 million, according to SoSoValue data.

Read also: $100M Bitcoin-Backed Bond Gets Ba2 Rating As Crypto Moves Into Public Finance

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