Is Bitcoin saved? Vanguard will open investment in encryption ETF, 50 million users and trillions of dollars in funds will flood in.

The second largest asset management giant in the United States, Vanguard, unexpectedly reversed its policy, allowing its 50 million customers to trade crypto asset ETFs, breaking its previous hardline rejection of crypto assets. Although the new CEO Salim Ramji claimed in August that no crypto products would be launched, the sustained demand from retail and institutional investors ultimately shook the resolve of this financial giant. (Prior notes: The new CEO of Vanguard dampens expectations: will not offer Bitcoin ETF or cryptocurrency trading services) (Background: JPMorgan will accept Bitcoin and Ether as collateral for institutional loans, opening a new era for Wall Street) Vanguard's reversal is quite unpredictable; this financial empire, managing $11 trillion in global assets and serving over 50 million clients, once scoffed at Bitcoin ETFs. The former CEO Tim Buckley stated in May 2024 that “Bitcoin should not appear in long-term retirement investment portfolios.” However, times have changed. Although new CEO Salim Ramji was still subtly refusing to launch crypto products in August, just a few months later, the company has already pressed the green light for crypto assets. This shift not only reflects the unstoppable power of market forces but also indicates that the true doors of Wall Street are opening. Vanguard's actions mark the gradual dismantling of barriers between traditional finance and the crypto market. When the second-largest asset management company begins to compromise with crypto, what reason do other hesitant institutions have to wait? Vanguard's decision will directly affect the asset allocation methods of tens of millions of potential investors; its potential buying power is difficult to quantify, but its influence is evident. The green light for 50 million clients According to a statement from a Vanguard spokesperson, the company will allow clients to trade crypto ETFs and mutual funds through third-party channels, similar to how it handles gold investments. This means that Vanguard will not directly issue crypto products, but its vast user base will gain access to ETFs related to Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, and Solana. Vanguard emphasized that only ETFs meeting regulatory standards will be included on the platform, clearly excluding memecoins and other high-risk assets. This reflects the risk control prudence that Vanguard still maintains, while also indicating that in the face of regulated crypto products, the previous “disbelief” has transformed into “trust.” Global asset scale: $11 trillion in assets under management, second only to BlackRock's $12 trillion User base: 50 million clients, representing a typical investor group of the American middle class Allowed assets: ETFs related to BTC, ETH, XRP, and SOL that meet regulatory standards Start date: Trading permissions will begin on December 3, 2025 (Tuesday) The transition from hard rejection to forced compromise Behind Vanguard's policy flip is a huge gap in market demand. The company faced backlash from users for refusing to provide Bitcoin ETFs, with even some investors threatening to close their accounts. Former CEO Tim Buckley emphasized “volatility” and “speculation,” but as Bitcoin ETFs become mainstream financial products globally, these reasons gradually lost their persuasiveness. The new CEO Salim Ramji should have been a proponent; he was the head of BlackRock's global ETF business and witnessed the historic approval of Bitcoin spot ETFs. However, even so, he maintained a cautious stance at the beginning of his tenure until the sustained pressure from the market ultimately overwhelmed corporate conservatism. This reflects a reality: regardless of the CEO's personal views, the triple pressure from shareholders, clients, and competitors will ultimately rewrite corporate strategy. A Vanguard spokesperson stated: We serve millions of investors with diverse needs and risk tolerances; our goal is to provide a platform for brokerage clients to invest in the products of their choice. The underlying message is clear: client sovereignty has overridden corporate ideology. When investors vote with their feet and express their needs through their accounts, no institution can resist the power of the market in the long run. Signs of institutional buying power and market potential The most important aspect of Vanguard's open policy is not retail users, but the institutional signals it represents. The company's actions will inspire other large asset management firms to follow suit, including competitors like Fidelity and Schwab. Once the entire traditional financial ecosystem opens its doors to crypto assets, institutional-level buying power will be unprecedentedly large. From a data perspective, this is a “trillion-dollar” game. The combined assets under management of major global asset management companies exceed $100 trillion; if each allocates just 1% of the total to crypto assets, it would bring over $1 trillion in entry funds for Bitcoin and Ether. As a pioneer of this entry, Vanguard's guiding effect will far exceed its $11 trillion in assets. Crypto analyst Nilesh Rohilla predicts that “Bitcoin will rise at least 5% within 24 hours.” X user BankXRP referred to it as “a huge signal of traditional finance officially entering digital assets.” Bitcoin PR company's founder Vivek Sen more aggressively claimed, “Trillions of dollars are about to flood in.” These predictions may be overly optimistic, but the psychological state they reflect is very real: market participants have determined that Vanguard's openness is a landmark event marking the true activation of institutional buying power. Related reports BlackRock's $150 billion model investment portfolio “opens allocation for Bitcoin spot ETF”! Will institutional buying power drive a new surge? An overview of 44 listed companies' crypto layouts: Who is using Bitcoin as a market cap engine? BlackRock CEO: Bitcoin is a hedging asset against global pessimism; institutional investment accelerates towards $700,000 BlackRock bets again: Rick Rieder analyzes how Bitcoin becomes a tool for hedging against global recession. <Is Bitcoin saved? Vanguard will open investment in crypto ETFs, tens of millions of users and trillions of dollars will flood in> This article was first published in BlockTempo, the most influential blockchain news media.