SEC approves higher options limit for BlackRock’s IBIT spot Bitcoin ETF

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has approved a rule change that raises the options position and exercise limits for BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, or IBIT, from 250,000 contracts to 1,000,000 contracts.

According to the SEC filing, the change applies to options linked to the spot Bitcoin ETF and makes the higher limit effective. The order is tied to a rule change submitted through NYSE Arca, which sought the increase as IBIT options activity expanded.

The filing available on the SEC website shows the approval in Release No. 34-105317. A separate report from crypto news said the exchange argued the prior cap no longer matched trading activity and that the higher limit could better support market makers and hedging activity, though that characterization comes from the secondary coverage rather than the filing itself.

The adjustment does not change IBIT’s underlying structure as a spot Bitcoin ETF, but it does widen the amount of options exposure that can be held or exercised on the fund. In practical terms, the move gives the market more room to trade and hedge IBIT-linked options under the updated limit.

Additional confirmation around how the change will affect trading volumes in the near term remains pending, and the available sources do not establish any broader market impact beyond the regulatory approval itself.