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Bank of America Embraces Bitcoin ETFs After Years of Skepticism

MarketDash Editorial Team
3 days ago
Bank of America is finally letting its 15,000+ wealth advisers recommend Bitcoin ETFs to clients, joining JPMorgan, Citi, and Morgan Stanley in offering digital asset access. The move marks a dramatic reversal from the bank's 2021 research calling Bitcoin's merits a "dirty little secret."

Bank of America Corp. (BAC) just became the last of the Big Four U.S. banks to open the Bitcoin gates. Starting January 5, more than 15,000 advisers across Merrill and Private Bank will be able to proactively recommend four spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs to their clients. It's a watershed moment for crypto's march into traditional wealth management, and it completes a clean sweep of America's largest banks.

The Big Four Are Now All In

Bank of America joins JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Citigroup Inc. (C), and Morgan Stanley (MS) in offering institutional Bitcoin access through their wealth platforms. Each bank has taken a slightly different approach, but the direction is unmistakable.

JPMorgan has been pushing hardest into blockchain infrastructure. In November, the bank expanded its JPM Coin deposit token framework and later filed a structured product tied to BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), offering clients potential uncapped upside through 2028.

Citigroup is building out a full crypto custody service set to launch by 2026, after spending two to three years developing the infrastructure from scratch.

Morgan Stanley expanded its crypto access in October, dropping the previous $1.5 million asset requirement and allowing advisers to offer products to all wealth clients regardless of net worth.

From "Dirty Little Secrets" to Portfolio Cornerstone

Here's the thing that makes Bank of America's move particularly striking: this is the same institution that published a March 2021 research note titled "Bitcoin's Dirty Little Secrets," which essentially argued there was no good reason to own Bitcoin unless you simply expected prices to go up. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement from your wealth adviser.

Fast forward to today, and the bank's Chief Investment Officer now recommends a 1% to 4% allocation to digital assets for suitable clients, complete with formal guidance and adviser training programs. That's not a footnote, that's a real portfolio position.

Chris Hyzy, chief investment officer at Bank of America Private Bank, explained that the lower end of that range may fit conservative investors, while higher allocations suit portfolios with greater risk tolerance. In other words, this isn't a one-size-fits-all crypto pitch, it's actual asset allocation strategy.

Four ETFs Make the Cut

To support the rollout, Bank of America's CIO approved four U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs for coverage starting January 5:

These four ETFs represent the largest and most liquid spot Bitcoin products on the market. Samar Sen, APAC head at institutional trading platform Talos, noted that these names run the top digital asset ETFs due to their experience, assets under management, and track record. When you're managing wealth for high-net-worth clients, liquidity and operational credibility matter more than shaving a few basis points off the expense ratio.

Proactive Recommendations Change the Game

The real shift here isn't just that Bank of America is allowing Bitcoin exposure. It's that advisers can now bring it up first. Until now, wealth advisers could only discuss crypto products at a client's request. That's a very different posture than what's happening now.

The new framework allows advisers across Merrill, Bank of America Private Bank, and Merrill Edge to proactively recommend spot Bitcoin ETFs backed by CIO research and allocation guidance. That means Bitcoin is moving from the "don't ask, don't tell" corner of wealth management into the core conversation about portfolio construction.

The bank hasn't publicly committed to adding Ethereum (ETH) or other digital asset ETPs just yet. Sen suggested that any expansion beyond Bitcoin will likely depend on available liquidity, market structure maturity, and institutional-grade execution capabilities at scale. In other words, Bitcoin first, everything else maybe later if the infrastructure holds up.

What's clear is that the institutional wall around cryptocurrency has effectively crumbled. When all four of America's largest banks are offering Bitcoin access to wealth clients, with formal allocation recommendations and proactive adviser engagement, that's not an experiment anymore. That's the new normal.

Back to Stock Market News

Bank of America Embraces Bitcoin ETFs After Years of Skepticism

MarketDash Editorial Team
3 days ago
Bank of America is finally letting its 15,000+ wealth advisers recommend Bitcoin ETFs to clients, joining JPMorgan, Citi, and Morgan Stanley in offering digital asset access. The move marks a dramatic reversal from the bank's 2021 research calling Bitcoin's merits a "dirty little secret."

Bank of America Corp. (BAC) just became the last of the Big Four U.S. banks to open the Bitcoin gates. Starting January 5, more than 15,000 advisers across Merrill and Private Bank will be able to proactively recommend four spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs to their clients. It's a watershed moment for crypto's march into traditional wealth management, and it completes a clean sweep of America's largest banks.

The Big Four Are Now All In

Bank of America joins JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM), Citigroup Inc. (C), and Morgan Stanley (MS) in offering institutional Bitcoin access through their wealth platforms. Each bank has taken a slightly different approach, but the direction is unmistakable.

JPMorgan has been pushing hardest into blockchain infrastructure. In November, the bank expanded its JPM Coin deposit token framework and later filed a structured product tied to BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), offering clients potential uncapped upside through 2028.

Citigroup is building out a full crypto custody service set to launch by 2026, after spending two to three years developing the infrastructure from scratch.

Morgan Stanley expanded its crypto access in October, dropping the previous $1.5 million asset requirement and allowing advisers to offer products to all wealth clients regardless of net worth.

From "Dirty Little Secrets" to Portfolio Cornerstone

Here's the thing that makes Bank of America's move particularly striking: this is the same institution that published a March 2021 research note titled "Bitcoin's Dirty Little Secrets," which essentially argued there was no good reason to own Bitcoin unless you simply expected prices to go up. That's not exactly a ringing endorsement from your wealth adviser.

Fast forward to today, and the bank's Chief Investment Officer now recommends a 1% to 4% allocation to digital assets for suitable clients, complete with formal guidance and adviser training programs. That's not a footnote, that's a real portfolio position.

Chris Hyzy, chief investment officer at Bank of America Private Bank, explained that the lower end of that range may fit conservative investors, while higher allocations suit portfolios with greater risk tolerance. In other words, this isn't a one-size-fits-all crypto pitch, it's actual asset allocation strategy.

Four ETFs Make the Cut

To support the rollout, Bank of America's CIO approved four U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs for coverage starting January 5:

These four ETFs represent the largest and most liquid spot Bitcoin products on the market. Samar Sen, APAC head at institutional trading platform Talos, noted that these names run the top digital asset ETFs due to their experience, assets under management, and track record. When you're managing wealth for high-net-worth clients, liquidity and operational credibility matter more than shaving a few basis points off the expense ratio.

Proactive Recommendations Change the Game

The real shift here isn't just that Bank of America is allowing Bitcoin exposure. It's that advisers can now bring it up first. Until now, wealth advisers could only discuss crypto products at a client's request. That's a very different posture than what's happening now.

The new framework allows advisers across Merrill, Bank of America Private Bank, and Merrill Edge to proactively recommend spot Bitcoin ETFs backed by CIO research and allocation guidance. That means Bitcoin is moving from the "don't ask, don't tell" corner of wealth management into the core conversation about portfolio construction.

The bank hasn't publicly committed to adding Ethereum (ETH) or other digital asset ETPs just yet. Sen suggested that any expansion beyond Bitcoin will likely depend on available liquidity, market structure maturity, and institutional-grade execution capabilities at scale. In other words, Bitcoin first, everything else maybe later if the infrastructure holds up.

What's clear is that the institutional wall around cryptocurrency has effectively crumbled. When all four of America's largest banks are offering Bitcoin access to wealth clients, with formal allocation recommendations and proactive adviser engagement, that's not an experiment anymore. That's the new normal.

    Bank of America Embraces Bitcoin ETFs After Years of Skepticism - MarketDash News