BlackRock Confirmed Bitcoin Is Here To Stay

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  September 17, 2026 at 21:00  |  50:39  |  Anthony Pompliano
Speakers
Jay Jacobs — US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock

Summary

Anthony Pompliano interviews Jay Jacobs, BlackRock's US Head of Equity ETFs, about Bitcoin ETF adoption, crypto product innovation, and AI as a macro investment force. Jacobs argues Bitcoin remains a diversifying monetary alternative and that ETFs have broadened access and compressed volatility, while also describing staking and covered-call crypto income vehicles. The discussion covers the AI value chain from power to data centers to chips and materials, and BlackRock's granular ETFs for those themes. They close on ETF product design, distribution, tax efficiency, and generational shifts in investor behavior.

  • Bitcoin ETFs have expanded access for individual investors, advisors, and institutions, changing Bitcoin's ownership mix.
  • Jacobs says Bitcoin's volatility has compressed and its long-term diversifying monetary properties still hold.
  • BlackRock offers crypto products including IBIT, staked Ethereum, and a covered-call Bitcoin income ETF.
  • AI is described as a macro market factor and a cross-sector value chain, not just a technology theme.
  • AI's physical bottlenecks include power, data-center real estate, copper, and semiconductor/materials capacity.
  • BlackRock provides granular AI-related ETFs such as POWR, IDGT, ICOP, and active BAI.
  • The conversation also covers ETF structure, tax efficiency, distribution, and active ETFs/rotation strategies.
  • Generational wealth transfer is influencing how advisors discuss investments with clients.
Ideas
Jay Jacobs US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock 0:00
Bitcoin remains a diversifying monetary alternative
Bitcoin is a decentralized global monetary alternative and portfolio diversifier. ETF access via IBIT has broadened the investor base to advisors and institutions, compressed volatility, and made Bitcoin part of allocation conversations. BlackRock believes Bitcoin's fundamental diversifying nature still holds and should benefit in environments of institutional, geopolitical, or fiat-debasement concerns, when stocks and bonds may struggle.
IBIT BTC HIGH
Jay Jacobs US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock 7:37
Ethereum offers early adoption and staking income
Bitcoin and Ethereum represent two-thirds to three-quarters of digital asset market capitalization, and digital asset adoption is still early. BlackRock focuses on the largest, most liquid exposures and offers staked Ethereum ETP ETHB, which provides an additional income stream while maintaining Ethereum exposure.
ETH ETHB MED
Jay Jacobs US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock 8:37
Covered-call Bitcoin ETF supplies portfolio income
Some clients like Bitcoin's long-term story but find its zero yield hard to fit into cash-flow-oriented portfolios. BlackRock's Bitcoin premium income ETF overlays about 30% of Bitcoin exposure with covered calls to generate high income while keeping largely long Bitcoin exposure.
BITA MED
Jay Jacobs US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock 11:56
AI is a broad macro investment theme
AI has become a macro factor for markets: if AI slows, markets feel it; if it accelerates, markets enjoy it. AI is not just a tech theme—it touches healthcare, legal, consumer, and other sectors. Investors should look across the entire AI value chain, from power and data-center real estate to chips, data owners, large language model developers, applications, and enabling platforms; best opportunities may sit outside tech because physical constraints in materials, utilities, and real estate are harder to scale than software.
AI value chain Artificial Intelligence HIGH
Jay Jacobs US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock 19:01
AI buildout may tighten copper supply
AI's data-center and grid buildout could create copper shortages because new copper mines take four to eight years to come online while AI demand is growing exponentially. BlackRock offers the copper mining ETF ICOP for investors wanting granular exposure to this potential bottleneck.
ICOP COPPER MED
Jay Jacobs US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock 20:17
AI power demand favors power infrastructure
AI's compute buildout creates physical power bottlenecks. BlackRock's power infrastructure ETF POWR targets companies providing fuels, electric generation, and power distribution that could benefit from AI demand. It is an index-based sleeve for investors who want granular exposure to the power layer of the AI value chain.
POWR HIGH
Jay Jacobs US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock 20:26
Data-center demand benefits digital infrastructure real estate
AI data-center demand requires more real estate and digital infrastructure. BlackRock's digital infrastructure ETF IDGT targets real estate and infrastructure assets that should benefit from increased need for data centers, giving granular exposure to the real-estate layer of the AI value chain.
IDGT MED
Jay Jacobs US Head of Equity ETFs, BlackRock 20:48
Active AI ETF rotates across value chain
For investors who do not want to pick AI sub-sectors themselves, BAI is an actively managed AI ETF run by Tony Kim, a fundamental tech stock picker who rotates across the AI value chain. It is designed to replace a tech-sector allocation, keeping sector and geography exposure relatively neutral while leaning into the best parts of technology.
BAI HIGH
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This Anthony Pompliano video, published September 17, 2026, features Jay Jacobs discussing IBIT, BTC, ETH, ETHB, BITA, AI value chain, Artificial Intelligence, ICOP, COPPER, POWR, IDGT, BAI. 8 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Jay Jacobs  · Tickers: IBIT, BTC, ETH, ETHB, BITA, AI value chain, Artificial Intelligence, ICOP, COPPER, POWR, IDGT, BAI