BlackRock Boosts Digital Asset Division Amid Crypto ETF Boom
BlackRock has announced the recruitment of four senior positions to its digital asset unit. The addition signals the firm’s increasing focus on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology as institutional interest continues to rise.
Also read: Blackrock CEO Larry Fink Calls Bitcoin Digital Gold as Blackrock Hits $10.6 Trillion AUM
The new roles—Director of Digital Assets, Director of Regulatory Affairs, Vice President for Digital Asset and ETF Legal Counsel, and Associate for Digital Asset—are set to improve BlackRock’s strength in this fast-growing market.
New BlackRock Roles, A Sign of Crypto ETF Explosion
The new positions, posted on BlackRock’s career page as of March 27, 2025, reveal a strategic approach to expanding its digital asset operations.
The Vice President for Digital Asset and ETF Legal Counsel, based in New York, will focus on supporting future cryptocurrency ETF launches, building on the success of existing offerings like the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) and iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHE).
The Director of Digital Assets and Director of Regulatory Affairs, both based in New York, will oversee strategy and compliance, while the Associate for Digital Assets, located in Atlanta, will support operational efforts.
Also read: Nasdaq Files Rule Change for BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF to Enable In-Kind Redemptions
The announcement comes shortly after the asset management giant introduced a Bitcoin exchange-traded product in Europe.
From Critic to Kingpin: BlackRock’s Crypto U-Turn
BlackRock’s focus on digital assets marks a key shift from its earlier skepticism. In 2017, Chairman Larry Fink famously described Bitcoin as an “index of money laundering,” but recent years have seen a change towards the cryptocurrency.
The iShares Bitcoin Trust, launched in 2024, surpassed the firm’s nearly 20-year-old gold ETF in assets under management by November 2024.
Also read: Goldman Sachs Bets Big on Bitcoin & Ethereum ETFs
Key partnerships, including a 2022 collaboration with Coinbase to integrate crypto trading into the Aladdin platform and comments from Robert Mitchnick, Head of Digital Assets, on ether ETF staking potential, show the asset manager’s forward-thinking stance in the sector.
Digital Asset Dominance Fast Approaching
The new hires position BlackRock to capitalize on the increasing acceptance of digital assets. With IBIT and ETHE already providing investors easy access to Bitcoin and Ethereum, the addition of legal and regulatory expertise suggests more crypto ETFs may be in the pipeline.
Also read: ETPs vs ETFs: Which One Fits Your Investment Strategy?
The focus on regulatory affairs is a testament to the need to address a complex compliance landscape following surging institutional demand.
Industry observers see this as a sign that BlackRock is positioned to lead the integration of digital assets into mainstream finance, possibly influencing competitors and speeding market expansion.
