BlackRock has launched its iShares Bitcoin ETP on the London Stock Exchange, providing UK investors with exposure to Bitcoin within an ecosystem characterized by robust custody and regulatory oversight.
The Exchange Traded Product (ETP) is backed by Bitcoin held in custody by Coinbase, aiming to onboard traditional finance investors into the cryptocurrency space.
Jane Sloan, EMEA head of global product solutions at BlackRock, stated that the IB1T exposes investors to Bitcoin with the confidence of robust custody and regulatory oversight.
The ETP commenced trading on the London Stock Exchange on October 20th with the ticker IB1T, initially priced at $11.10. It closed the day at $11.09 and is currently trading at $10.78.
This expansion is expected to not only broaden BlackRock's market reach and introduce more investors to the crypto market but also serve as a catalyst for Bitcoin's performance in the fourth quarter.
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), a Layer 2 project for Bitcoin, is also anticipated to benefit from these developments. The project has already achieved $24.4 million in its presale and is targeting a release date in the first quarter of 2026.
Understanding IB1T
According to the official press release, IB1T is designed for retail investors who possess specific knowledge or experience in investing in similar products and have a solid comprehension of the significant risks associated with cryptoassets.
The product is now registered in 12 locations, with the UK being the most recent addition. Other countries where it is registered include Sweden, France, Norway, Germany, and Denmark.
BlackRock's example model provides a detailed outline of potential gains and losses under various market conditions for investors.
In a worst-case scenario, a $10,000 investment could result in a complete loss if market conditions deteriorate significantly. Conversely, in a best-case scenario, investors could potentially see returns exceeding $1.4 million if they exit after five years, or $138,730 if they exit after one year.
The introduction of IB1T into the UK market could potentially influence Bitcoin's chart performance, providing a much-needed boost for its anticipated fourth-quarter rally.
Bitcoin is currently trading around $107,000, following a market crash on October 10th. A Forbes analysis indicated that this crash led to an estimated $19 billion in liquidations and a reduction of $450 billion in market capitalization.
The crash caused Bitcoin's price to drop from $121,000 to $104,000 within approximately one week. Despite multiple attempts to regain lost ground, Bitcoin struggled to maintain momentum above $115,000.
However, the market sentiment may be shifting, with BlackRock's recent entry into the UK markets and Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) reaching $24.4 million in its presale today.
How Bitcoin Hyper Promises to Enhance Bitcoin's Capabilities
Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is positioned as a Layer 2 solution designed to address Bitcoin's primary limitation: its performance constraints.
The Bitcoin network is currently limited to seven transactions per second (TPS), ranking it 31st among the fastest blockchains by TPS. This limitation results in extended confirmation times, high on-chain fees, suboptimal performance, and a lack of scalability.
Bitcoin Hyper aims to resolve these issues by integrating tools such as the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM), which facilitates higher throughput and rapid execution of smart contracts, alongside the Canonical Bridge.
The Canonical Bridge addresses Bitcoin's fee-based priority system, which is a direct cause of lengthy finality times and high on-chain fees. Upon confirmation of incoming transactions by the Bitcoin Relay Program, the Bridge mints the users' bitcoins into the Hyper layer.
In conjunction with SVM, the Canonical Bridge enhances the Bitcoin network's speed, reduces transaction costs, improves responsiveness, and makes it more viable for institutional investors.
The presale has experienced a significant surge in investor participation since its launch, reaching $24.4 million. $HYPER is currently available at the presale price of $0.013145 and exhibits considerable potential for post-launch growth, driven by its utility and meme appeal.
Bitcoin Hyper is aiming for a presale end date in the first quarter of 2026, contingent on prevailing market conditions and demand. Given the current high demand, an official release could occur as early as the fourth quarter of 2025.
For those interested in investing in what is presented as the future of Bitcoin, the official presale page is available to purchase $HYPER.