BlackRock Chairman Larry Fink presented a unified vision for the integration of digital assets into the global financial system, declaring the industry’s “gray market” phase finished following significant legislative milestones in 2025.
Speaking earlier this month at The New York Times DealBook Summit, Fink, who oversees $13.5 trillion in assets, characterized Bitcoin as a legitimate “asset of fear” comparable to gold, marking the finality of his pivot from skepticism to institutional adoption.
The dialogue underscored the rapid institutionalization of the sector, with BlackRock’s IBIT ETF having reached $50 billion in assets under management at record speed. Fink argued that while equities represent “managing hope” over 30-year horizons, Bitcoin has evolved into a necessary hedge against global currency debasement and deficit spending.
The Pivot to ‘Digital Gold’
Fink addressed his 2017 characterization of cryptocurrency as an “index for money laundering,” admitting that further study during the pandemic altered his thesis. “I have very strong views, but that doesn’t mean I’m not wrong,” Fink said.
“Bitcoin is an asset of fear. You own it because you’re frightened of your physical security… or financial security. The long-term fundamental reason you own it is because of debasement of financial assets because of deficits.”
He noted that sovereign wealth funds are increasingly accumulating long positions in the $80,000 to $100,000 range, treating the asset as a permanent balance sheet component rather than a speculative trade.
Tokenization and the ‘Genius Act’
Beyond Bitcoin, Fink argued that the digitization of stocks, bonds and real estate represents the primary efficiency gain for capital markets. He cited the “Genius Act,” passed earlier this year, as the critical infrastructure allowing the U.S. to finally compete with digital advancements in India and Brazil.
“If we could digitize every asset… it will reduce friction costs,” Fink stated. “We need to move faster.”
Chain Street’s Take
Larry Fink’s admission that Bitcoin is an “asset of fear” essentially completes the institutional capture of the asset class. The “renegade” era of crypto is over; the era of the 60/40/5 portfolio has begun.
By framing Bitcoin as insurance against the very deficits that traditional finance helps facilitate, BlackRock has effectively hedged its own system. The “Genius Act” wasn’t a victory for the cypherpunks but was the ribbon-cutting ceremony for Wall Street’s new rails.
The only question left is how quickly the remaining $13 trillion of BlackRock’s book gets tokenized.
