JPMorgan is making its move and it’s a big one.
The largest U.S. bank just announced it will begin accepting Bitcoin-linked ETFs as collateral for loans. That’s right; clients will now be able to borrow money against their crypto ETF holdings, starting with BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, one of the largest Bitcoin ETFs in the world.
Even more: JPMorgan will factor clients’ crypto holdings into net-worth calculations, placing digital assets in the same bucket as stocks, art, or real estate. From now on, your Bitcoin exposure might help you unlock more credit.
This applies to all JPMorgan clients globally, from regular users to high-net-worth individuals. And it's not a one-off: other Bitcoin ETFs will be added over time.
For context: spot Bitcoin ETFs launched in the U.S. in January 2024. In just over a year, they’ve gathered over $128 billion in assets, making it one of the most successful product rollouts in financial history.
This move is yet another signal that the tide is turning.
Jamie Dimon (CEO of JPMorgan) is still “not a fan” of Bitcoin, but even he admitted:
“I don’t think we should smoke, but I defend your right to smoke. I defend your right to buy Bitcoin.”
Well, apparently he’s now financing your lighter too.
At OffChain Luxembourg, we’ve always stood for real crypto. The permissionless kind. The peer-to-peer kind. The “don’t-trust, verify” kind.
So, while it’s great to see major banks like JPMorgan giving crypto some real financial legitimacy, we also know this is just the beginning.
- They’re not yet accepting Bitcoin directly.
- They’re still relying on TradFi wrappers like ETFs.
- It’s still gated and custodial.
But that’s okay, you can’t ignore the spark. The fact that the largest U.S. bank is even offering these services is historic.
Let’s be honest:
Bitcoin is knocking on the gates of global finance and those gates are starting to creak open.
We believe the future is about direct Bitcoin integration, decentralized tools, and open access for all.
But today’s news is proof that momentum is real and that Bitcoin is no longer fringe.
It’s finance.
What do you think? Is this a milestone worth celebrating?
Or should banks be more courageous and embrace Bitcoin directly?
Let us know 👇
