BlackRock Canada has officially launched two new Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) that have begun trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Of the two products offered, one takes a different path by incorporating crypto assets into a conventional equity basket.
The highlight of the launch is the iShares Equity + Bitcoin ETF Portfolio, trading under the ticker IBQT. This investment fund allocates 97% of its portfolio to global equities, while the remaining 3% is dedicated to Bitcoin. This crypto portion is not purchased directly as coins on the open market, but is instead channeled through the iShares Bitcoin ETF Canada (IBIT), which is already listed on Cboe Canada.
This launch marks the first time in Canada that a product has combined Bitcoin exposure into a diversified equity portfolio directly from a world-class asset manager. To build its portfolio, IBQT does not select individual company stocks, but takes an efficient path by holding other iShares ETFs as its main building blocks to provide dual exposure to equities and digital assets.
Diversification Without US Stocks
The second product launched simultaneously is the iShares Core MSCI All-International Equity Index ETF (XINT). This fund tracks the MSCI ACWI ex North America IMI index, which provides investors with access to more than 5,000 public companies operating in over 40 international markets.
Both new ETFs are fully managed by BlackRock Asset Management Canada through the RBC iShares alliance. This launch expands their portfolio in the global ETF industry. As of June 30, BlackRock’s iShares business unit managed a total of $6.2 trillion in assets across more than 1,700 different ETFs.
Continuing Success in the United States
The decision to marry equities and crypto in Canada aligns with the widespread adoption in its neighboring country. In the United States, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) holds the status of the largest spot Bitcoin ETF, with total assets under management exceeding $47.9 billion.
For retail and institutional investors in Canada, the introduction of IBQT changes how they access crypto assets. Investors can now gain exposure to Bitcoin price movements without having to sign up on a crypto exchange or manage their own digital wallets. By simply purchasing a single investment product on a conventional stock exchange, they gain a gateway to the digital asset market while maintaining the security of a global stock portfolio.
Reported by Cointelegraph.
Read also: What Is Bitcoin Halving?
Disclaimer: This article is for informational and educational purposes only, not financial advice. Cryptocurrency assets are highly volatile and carry significant risk. Always do your own research (DYOR) and never invest more than you can afford to lose.
