BlackRock Offloads $782.7M In Bitcoin Over 48-Hour Period

On-Chain Data Flags Major BTC Outflow

@BlackRock has moved 10,086 $BTC out of its primary custody layer over a 48-hour window, according to on-chain data tracked by Arkham Intel. The transfer amounts to roughly $782.7 million in assets and represents one of the most significant institutional sell-side events recorded so far in the 2026 cycle.

The movement was flagged through blockchain analytics, which allow market participants to monitor wallet activity tied to major institutional players in near real time. Arkham Intel tracks BlackRock-linked addresses as part of its broader coverage of spot Bitcoin ETF custodial flows.

Broader Institutional Pressure Builds

The outflow does not occur in isolation. Recent data shows that spot Bitcoin ETFs have been under sustained redemption pressure. On May 18, spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded net outflows of $648.64 million, one of the steepest single-day declines of the year, with BlackRock's IBIT accounting for $448.36 million of that figure, according to Bitcoin.com News.

It is worth noting that outflows from IBIT do not necessarily reflect discretionary selling by BlackRock itself. As Arkham's own research guide explains, the Bitcoin held through IBIT is custody held on behalf of fund investors, and on-chain movements typically reflect ETF redemption settlements rather than proprietary trades by the asset manager. When investors redeem shares, the underlying $BTC is routed to an exchange such as Coinbase Prime for settlement, which registers as an outflow on-chain.

That context matters for interpreting the scale of the move. What the data does confirm is that client-driven redemption pressure on BlackRock's Bitcoin products has been substantial. Earlier in May, IBIT's holdings had climbed to roughly 823,000 $BTC before accelerating outflows trimmed that figure, with the fund depositing approximately 5,847 $BTC worth around $449 million into Coinbase Prime in a single 24-hour period, according to CryptoNews citing Arkham and Finbold data.

Bitcoin's price has tracked the outflow trend closely, slipping roughly 5% over the past week and trading near $76,570 at the time of that report. With institutional flows remaining a key driver of near-term price action, further movements out of IBIT-linked wallets are likely to draw close attention from traders and analysts alike.

Sources:
Bitcoin.com News: Bitcoin ETFs Post Third-Biggest 2026 Outflow as BlackRock Loses $448M
CryptoNews: BlackRock Adds Over 8,000 Bitcoin in May 2026
Arkham Intelligence: How Crypto ETFs Work