Balchunas Says BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF Has Beaten VOO Since Launch

BlackRock’s spot-Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, IBIT, has slightly outperformed VOO, the flagship US index ETF, since its launch, according to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas.

In a post on X on Sept. 1, Balchunas wrote that it was “hard to believe, but true” that IBIT has outpaced VOO on a since-launch return basis. The gap, he added, is small.

Data he shared showed IBIT’s cumulative return since launch at about 70%. VOO is a leading ETF that tracks the S&P 500 Index.

The two funds, however, took very different paths to those returns. Balchunas likened IBIT’s price action to a roller coaster, while VOO was far steadier.

He added that IBIT’s lead over VOO was “still somewhat surprising,” given market sentiment around Bitcoin from October 2025 through July 2026.