Amr Taha2026-10-21

BTC Above $82K: BlackRock’s IBIT Posts $702M Holdings Gain, 43% Higher Than August Reading, as Binance Spot Ratio Nears 5-Month Lows

BlackRock’s (IBIT) recorded a $702 million increase in its Bitcoin holdings on October 19, while trading activity on Binance remained heavily dominated by futures rather than spot. IBIT’s daily holdings change was $702 million, or 43.3%, above its $490 million reading on August 20, when Bitcoin traded above $69,000. A day later, on October 20, Binance’s Bitcoin spot-to-futures volume ratio stood at just 9.12%, remaining below the 10% threshold and near its lowest readings since June, even as BTC traded above $82,000. The ratio measures spot trading volume relative to futures volume on Binance. At 9.12%, futures turnover was approximately 10.96 times spot turnover, highlighting significantly weaker relative activity among spot traders compared with futures traders. Together, the indicators reveal a striking divergence: IBIT recorded a $702 million increase in Bitcoin holdings, while Binance spot traders continued to show relatively weak activity compared with futures traders, despite Bitcoin trading above $82,000. This contrast highlights how Bitcoin ETF holdings can grow substantially even while trading activity on Binance remains overwhelmingly concentrated in derivatives.