According to Blockworks, BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager, is set to further its involvement in the tokenization sector. This follows its lead in a $47 million funding round for Securitize, a firm specializing in the tokenization of physical and traditional financial assets. The two companies have previously collaborated, with BlackRock launching its first tokenized fund, the BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund, in March. This fund offers an alternative method for earning US dollar yields and is available to qualified investors via Securitize Markets.

Tokenization has been gaining traction among fintech firms and traditional finance giants, who note that blockchain technology can enhance transparency and reduce costs. BlackRock's CEO, Larry Fink, has referred to tokenized securities as 'the next generation for markets.' Joseph Chalom, BlackRock’s global head of strategic ecosystem partnerships, echoed this sentiment, stating that tokenization could significantly transform capital markets infrastructure. Chalom, who has now joined Securitize's board of directors, described the investment in Securitize as a step forward in BlackRock's digital assets strategy.

Other participants in the funding round included Hamilton Lane, ParaFi Capital, and Tradeweb Markets. Hamilton Lane, a private markets investment firm, had earlier in January 2023 made one of its equity funds available through a Securitize feeder fund tokenized on Polygon.

Recently, #BlackRock released an educational video on Bitcoin, sparking debates across the crypto community. While it’s exciting to see Bitcoin discussed on such a major platform, one statement in the video caused unnecessary panic: “There is no guarantee that Bitcoin’s 21 million supply cap will not be changed.”

This remark, while technically true as a legal disclaimer, was misinterpreted by many as a warning of an imminent change. Critics, like HealthRanger from Natural News, even claimed that Bitcoin’s algorithms are controlled by centralized entities with plans to inflate its supply. Let’s be clear: these fears are unfounded. Bitcoin’s 21 million supply cap is a cornerstone of its existence, and altering it is nearly impossible.

Bitcoin is fundamentally decentralized, with its ecosystem—miners, developers, and nodes—relying on the inviolable principle of limited supply. No entity, including financial powerhouses like BlackRock, can override this consensus. Even with BlackRock’s significant holdings of over 500,000 BTC for its ETF, its influence on Bitcoin’s protocol is negligible. Unlike proof-of-stake systems, where ownership correlates to control, Bitcoin operates on proof-of-work, where power resides with the network of economic nodes.

What if BlackRock Tried to Change Bitcoin’s Protocol?

Imagine BlackRock proposes increasing Bitcoin’s supply. The decentralized network of nodes would instantly reject such a change. History supports this: during the Bitcoin Cash fork, Roger Ver, despite his resources and influence, failed to sway the majority of the community. His alternative became irrelevant because Bitcoin’s decentralized actors refused to follow.

If Bitcoin could be manipulated by a single entity, it would’ve failed long ago. Governments and financial giants have the means to acquire substantial portions of the supply, yet Bitcoin remains immune to centralized control. This resilience underscores Bitcoin’s true strength: decentralization.

In short, there’s no reason to fear BlackRock or any other entity altering Bitcoin’s supply. Bitcoin’s system is built to resist such influence, ensuring its integrity remains intact. Its design ensures that no matter how powerful an organization may seem, Bitcoin’s core principles are untouchable.

#BitcoinSupply #DecentralizedPower #BTCImmutable #CryptoResilience

BlackRock Rules Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF Game With Historic $860 Million Spike
As recently became known, the amount of inflows to Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) exchange traded funds (ETFs) hosted by BlackRock in the last 24 hours totaled $860 million.
Digging deeper into the details, we learn that most of this sum still belongs to IBIT, a Bitcoin ETF from BlackRock, which saw inflows of $733.6 million, according to Bloomberg data.
Meanwhile, ETHA, an Ethereum ETF from BlackRock, saw inflows of $132.3 million over the course of the previous day.
The numbers are impressive, and more importantly, they are in line with current trends on the crypto market. Bitcoin continues to reign supreme, with its price hitting new all-time highs almost every week.
Ethereum as a major altcoin is lagging behind, stumbling periodically with its price experiencing high volatility, but still aiming close to the previous price high of around $4,800, which was set back in 2021.
The rest of the market? There was a brief period in recent weeks when every market participant believed that the altcoin season had begun, but the current picture is starting to look extremely ugly, and Bitcoin's relentless rise is making things look even worse for altcoins. So, it is still a BTC market.
As Nate Geraci, the president of ETF Store, points out, there have now been 13 straight days of inflows into the iShares Ethereum ETF, which now totals $1.5 billion, and $2.5 billion in total into spot Ethereum ETFs since the July launch. 
However, there are still net outflows of $3.5 billion from the Grayscale Ethereum Trust, which could slow ETH's price appreciation.
At the same time, Geraci is so amused by IBIT's performance that he 'doesn't even know what to say anymore'. Yesterday's inflows alone would put BlackRock's Bitcoin ETH in the top 20 ETF launches for 2024, says the ETF Store president. And that is out of 700 new ETFs.
#BlackRock #Bitcoin #ETFs #cryptomarket #CryptoNews

Updated Report About BlackRock’s Interest In XRP ETF
Recent reports indicate that BlackRock, the global wealth management leader, does not plan to introduce a new exchange-traded fund (ETF) based on XRP or other altcoins.
The company focuses on its current products rather than exploring new cryptocurrency ETFs.
BlackRock Prioritizes Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFsBloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas recently shared updates, citing Jay Jacobs, the head of BlackRock’s ETF division.
Jacobs clarified that the firm’s immediate focus is on expanding the reach of its Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs, which are still in the early stages of adoption among their client base.
As such, BlackRock has no intention of launching new ETFs for XRP or other altcoins soon.
Chinese cryptocurrency journalist Colin Wu also weighed in, reminding the community of the broader regulatory context in the U.S.
He noted that while the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may approve ETFs for altcoins like XRP and SOL by the end of next year, BlackRock remains committed to its current offerings.
Rumors and Recent Developments
Earlier in November, there were rumors regarding BlackRock’s interest in an XRP ETF after a false filing surfaced.
This filing, labeled as a request to establish an iShares XRP Trust, was quickly debunked by BlackRock, which confirmed it had no association with the document.
In contrast, other asset managers have moved forward with legitimate filings for XRP-focused ETFs. For instance, WisdomTree applied for a spot XRP ETF in late November.
Other firms, such as Bitwise, 21Shares, and Canary Capital, have also filed for XRP ETFs throughout the year, signaling a growing interest in the token as an investment vehicle.
Recent Movements and Market Performance
On the blockchain side, Ripple has been involved in significant transactions. Whale Alert, a prominent cryptocurrency tracker, reported a transaction involving 99 million XRP (approximately $234 million) transferred between two anonymous wallets.
Data from Bithomp revealed that the sender of this transaction was a wallet associated with Ripple, while the recipient was the U.S.-based BitGo platform, known for providing custodial services to financial institutions.
These movements follow two earlier transactions reported by Bithomp, in which Ripple transferred 380 million XRP and 200 million XRP—valued at a combined $1.5 billion in fiat.
Despite these transfers, the token has shown resilience in the market. Over the past week, its value has increased by approximately 2.8%, and the token is currently trading at $2.49
While regulatory developments could pave the way for ETFs in the future, BlackRock’s decision to focus on Bitcoin and Ethereum reflects its current strategic priorities.
At the same time, significant whale activity and Ripple’s involvement in large transactions suggest continued interest in the asset, which could influence its future adoption and market performance.
#XRP #BlackRock #Altcoins #cryptomarket #CryptoNews