BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF Sees Slight Edge Over US Index Fund

Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas claims that BlackRock's spot-Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, IBIT, has outperformed VOO, the flagship US index ETF, since its launch. According to data shared by Balchunas on X, IBIT's cumulative return since launch is around 70%. This surpasses VOO's performance over the same period.

However, the paths taken by these two funds were vastly different. Balchunas likened IBIT's price action to a roller coaster, while VOO was much steadier in its performance. He noted that IBIT's lead over VOO is 'still somewhat surprising' given market sentiment around Bitcoin from October 2025 through July 2026.

It is worth noting that the gap between IBIT and VOO's returns is small, but significant nonetheless. This development may have implications for investors considering exposure to Bitcoin through ETFs.