Barclays lifts IBIT stake 48% to $187M as Citi opens $119M FBTC position

Barclays raised its stake in BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF (IBIT) by 48% to $187 million, while Citigroup opened a new $119 million position in Fidelity’s FBTC, according to recent filings. The moves mark continued uptake of Bitcoin ETFs by major traditional financial institutions and point to growing mainstream acceptance of crypto exposure within conventional portfolios. The combined disclosures underscore how large banks are increasingly using regulated ETF vehicles rather than direct token holdings to gain Bitcoin exposure. Watch for further 13F filings and quarterly position updates to gauge whether other bulge-bracket banks follow Barclays and Citi into spot Bitcoin ETFs.