Eric Balchunas, a senior analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, forecasts that US spot Bitcoin ETFs will triple the assets under management of gold ETFs within three to five years. This projection is driven by younger investors who increasingly favor Bitcoin as a primary store of value.
Bitcoin ETFs launched in January 2024 and reached approximately $120 billion in total assets under management within 18 months. By mid-2025, net inflows exceeded $38 billion, significantly surpassing initial industry expectations of $10 billion to $15 billion for the first year.
In comparison, gold ETFs required over a decade to achieve similar asset levels. The first gold ETF, SPDR Gold Shares, debuted in 2004, and it took roughly 22 years for the sector to reach milestones that Bitcoin ETFs are currently approaching at a much faster pace.
Data from the week ending August 26, 2026, shows that investors are allocating capital to both asset classes. During those five trading days, Bitcoin and gold ETFs saw a combined inflow of $7 billion, with $3.4 billion going to GLD and $1.5 billion to BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust.
Analyst James Seyffart suggests that Bitcoin ETFs may eventually surpass gold due to broader utility. While gold serves primarily as a hedge or store of value, Bitcoin functions as a macro hedge, a growth asset, and a liquidity vehicle for traders requiring 24/7 market access.
