In the recent earnings call for BlackRock’s third quarter, CEO Larry Fink expressed a strong support for Bitcoin and digital assets. He emphasized that Bitcoin is establishing itself as its own asset class, comparing its growing relevance to that of historical financial instruments like mortgages, which currently total $11 trillion, and high-yield bonds.
Support for Bitcoin from BlackRock’s CEO
Fink firmly declared, “We believe Bitcoin is an asset class in itself,” and noted that it serves as an alternative to traditional commodities such as gold. He shared that BlackRock is in active discussions with global institutions regarding how to incorporate digital assets into their portfolios. “We are talking with institutions around the world about their approach to digital assets and potential asset allocation,” he clarified.
He conveyed his belief in the unavoidable integration of digital assets into the global financial landscape: “I truly believe that the use of digital assets will become increasingly common worldwide.” By drawing similarities to the emergence of mortgage and high-yield markets, he indicated that digital assets are poised to follow a similar path of growth and acceptance.
Reflecting on the early days of the mortgage market, he remarked, “Years ago, when we initiated the mortgage market and when high-yield bonds emerged, they began slowly but gained traction as we improved our analytics and data.” He added, “Through enhanced analytics and data, we saw increased acceptance and an expansion of the market. I am confident that we will witness a similar broadening in the digital asset sector.”
Fink challenged the common belief that regulatory barriers solely hinder digital asset adoption, suggesting that liquidity and transparency play a more important role. “I do not believe it’s merely about more or less regulation,” he stated. “The key factors are liquidity and transparency, which, similar to past developments, will foster market acceptance.”
He also discussed the transformative impact of blockchain technology and artificial intelligence on the growth of digital assets. He said, “We are optimistic about the contributions of blockchain technology. With AI and improved data analytics, we’ll see significant market expansion.”
In addition to supporting Bitcoin, Fink highlighted the potential of Ethereum, suggesting its growth prospects are substantial: “The investment applications related to Ethereum’s blockchain are likely to expand considerably.”
Regarding the digitization of national currencies, Fink clarified the difference between digital assets like Bitcoin and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). “How each country approaches its digital currency differs significantly from Bitcoin,” he explained. He noted successful digitization efforts in countries like India and Brazil for various purposes.
On the potential influence of the upcoming US presidential election on the Bitcoin and crypto market, Fink was skeptical, stating, “I don’t believe either presidential candidate will have a significant impact.” He suggested that broader market forces are the actual drivers for adoption.
As of the latest update, Bitcoin is trading at $65,600.