BlackRock Ramps Up Ethereum Exposure

Key Insights

• BlackRock adds $857M in Ethereum ETF inflows amid volatility, showing continued institutional confidence.
• Ethereum trades near all-time high as ETF demand surges past $3B in early August.
• Standard Chartered raises ETH target to $7,500; corporate reserves could reach $30.4B.

Ethereum (ETH) continues to attract strong institutional interest as BlackRock increases its holdings. The asset manager’s iShares Ethereum ETF recorded inflows of $519 million on August 14, followed by another $338 million on August 15, based on Farside Investors’ data. Despite a net weekly outflow of $59 million across all crypto funds, BlackRock’s ETH buying trend remains steady.

By the end of July, BlackRock had reportedly acquired $11.4 billion worth of ETH. These inflows have come during a period of volatility, indicating that institutional buyers may be building long-term positions.

Ethereum ETFs Record Historic Demand

Recent data shows Ethereum ETFs are seeing record demand. Over the past week, net inflows totaled $2.85 billion, with trading volumes surpassing $17 billion. On Monday alone, ETH ETFs recorded $1.01 billion in net inflows—the largest single-day figure on record. Over the first half of August, total inflows exceeded $3 billion, making this one of Ethereum’s strongest ETF periods to date.

BlackRock has led this surge, with its iShares Ethereum ETF attracting a large share of the flows. These investments come as market participants assess long-term exposure to Ethereum amid evolving regulation and institutional adoption.

Ethereum Price Edges Near All-Time High

ETH price was trading above $4,414, gaining 1%  at press time. The current price brings it within 3% of its all-time high of $4,891, set in 2021. The market saw a brief dip earlier this week after an early Ethereum investor sold a portion of their holdings. That selling pressure has since been offset by continued ETF inflows and corporate demand.

Standard Chartered Bank has raised its Ethereum price forecast. The bank now projects ETH to reach $7,500 by year-end, up from its previous $4,000 estimate. Its long-term target for 2028 has also been revised from $7,500 to $25,000.

Corporate accumulation may be a key factor in this outlook. Several firms have outlined ETH acquisition plans, totaling $30.4 billion. Bitmine is expected to lead, allocating $22 billion, or nearly 5% of ETH’s total supply, to its reserves.