BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has officially launched its iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF under the ticker $BITA on the Nasdaq stock exchange today, June 16, 2026.
The launch was confirmed by Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas on X, who noted that the listing had been verified directly by Nasdaq.
The confirmation comes after the fund’s Form 8-A registration statement was filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on June 11, 2026. The filing formally registered shares of the iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF for trading under Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
The document was signed by Jay Jacobs, Director, President and Chief Executive Officer of iShares Delaware Trust Sponsor LLC, along with Bryan Bowers, Director and Chief Financial Officer.
How Does $BITA Work?
Unlike standard spot Bitcoin ETFs such as BlackRock’s own IBIT, which simply track the price of Bitcoin, $BITA takes a different approach. The fund is designed to generate premium income through an actively managed options strategy. Specifically, it writes (sells) covered call options on its underlying Bitcoin holdings through IBIT.
According to BlackRock’s product page, the ETF seeks to track the performance of Bitcoin while generating premium income. The trust offers a way to seek monthly income and capture a meaningful portion of Bitcoin’s upside, with the potential for reduced volatility relative to direct spot Bitcoin exposure.
As Balchunas highlighted in his post, the ETF is targeting an annual yield in the range of 15% to 25%, while still trying to capture at least 70% of Bitcoin’s price appreciation. This makes it a first-of-its-kind product from BlackRock that combines Bitcoin exposure with a steady income component.
Fund Structure and Custody Details
$BITA is structured as a Delaware statutory trust and is not registered as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. The fund is classified as an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act.
On the custody side, Coinbase Custody Trust Company serves as the primary Bitcoin custodian for the fund, with Anchorage Digital Bank available as an alternative custodian. The Bank of New York Mellon handles cash and securities custody, as well as trust administration for the fund. The expense ratio for $BITA has been set at 0.65%.
Why this matters
The launch of $BITA marks a significant step in the evolution of Bitcoin investment products in the United States. While spot Bitcoin ETFs like IBIT have already transformed how institutional and retail investors access BTC, they only offer exposure to price appreciation.
$BITA introduces a yield component, which could attract a new wave of investors, particularly those who want consistent income from their Bitcoin allocation rather than relying solely on capital gains.
BlackRock’s IBIT, which launched in January 2024, currently manages around $52 billion in assets and trades between $16 billion and $18 billion in daily volume. By building $BITA on top of IBIT’s existing infrastructure and liquidity, BlackRock is leveraging its dominant position in the Bitcoin ETF market to expand into income-focused products.
The move also comes at a time when the crypto ETF landscape is rapidly expanding, with multiple issuers exploring products tied to Ethereum, Solana, XRP, and other digital assets. BlackRock’s decision to launch a premium income strategy on top of Bitcoin signals confidence in BTC’s long-term institutional adoption and its role as a yield-generating asset class.
Also Read: BlackRock Races Goldman to Launch the First Major Bitcoin Income ETF
