BlackRock

What BlackRock does

BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE: BLK) is the world's largest asset manager, founded in 1999 and headquartered at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, with 20,000+ employees operating across 40+ countries. The firm serves three principal customer segments — institutional investors (corporate and public pensions, endowments, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds), financial advisors and intermediaries, and individual investors — through dedicated institutional sales teams, the Advisor Center 360° platform, and direct-to-consumer websites spanning the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. BlackRock manages $5.5 trillion in the iShares ETF franchise alone, with the broader platform spanning active equity, fixed income, multi-asset, systematic, alternatives, and private markets strategies.

The firm's core technology asset is Aladdin (Asset, Liability, Debt and Derivative Investment Network), a unified investment management technology platform that uses a common data language to integrate portfolio construction, risk analytics, trading, operations, and accounting across public and private markets. Aladdin is delivered through an API-first architecture (Aladdin Studio) and a modular product set including Aladdin Wealth, Aladdin Risk, Aladdin Accounting, Aladdin Data Cloud, Aladdin Climate, Aladdin Sustainability, and Aladdin Copilot. The platform is augmented by acquired private-markets infrastructure: eFront (alternative investment software for due diligence and monitoring) and Preqin (acquired July 2024 for $3.2B, providing data on 100,000+ private market profiles). Consumer-facing AI is delivered through ChatBLK, a generative AI assistant on BlackRock websites.

BlackRock's revenue model is overwhelmingly recurring and asset-linked. Primary revenue streams include (1) asset management fees calculated as a percentage of AUM across active and index strategies; (2) iShares ETF management fees on a multi-trillion-dollar platform (e.g., IBIT 0.25%, IWR 0.18%, IDGT 0.39%, IBB 0.44%); (3) Aladdin, eFront, and Preqin technology licensing to external asset managers, banks, and wealth managers (deployed to Franklin Templeton, Citi, Royal London, Ninepoint, Columbia Threadneedle); (4) performance fees and carried interest on alternative vehicles including LTPC and BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust; (5) securities lending revenue via the Aladdin platform; and (6) direct private markets investment income from the LTPC and diversified infrastructure funds. Q1 2026 generated $130 billion in quarterly net inflows and 27% year-over-year revenue growth, with adjusted EPS of $12.53.

Name

BlackRock

Legal name

BlackRock, Inc.

Website

https://blackrock.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

BlackRock (NYSE: BLK) is the world's largest asset manager, serving institutional, advisor, and individual investors across 40+ countries through the iShares ETF platform ($5.5T AUM), Aladdin investment management technology, and private markets infrastructure (Preqin, eFront, GIP, HPS).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Asset Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211)

akta.pro primary industry

Full-Service Retail Brokerage & Wealth Platforms (FSAAAAAA)

Keywords

• Asset management services
• Exchange traded funds
• Investment management platform
• Private markets investing
• Wealth management technology

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Asset Management Fees: Recurring management fees calculated as a percentage of assets under management across active and index strategies; includes base advisory fees on equity, fixed income, multi-asset, alternatives, systematic, enhanced, and index strategies. Q1 2026 generated $130 billion in quarterly net inflows and 27% year-over-year revenue growth.
2. iShares ETF Management Fees: Recurring ETF expense ratios (e.g., IBIT 0.25%, IWR 0.18%, IDGT 0.39%, IBB 0.44%, IYJ tracking Dow Jones U.S. Industrials Index) on a multi-trillion-dollar iShares platform managing over $5.5 trillion in AUM as of March 31, 2026.
3. Aladdin Technology Platform Licensing: Recurring enterprise licensing of the Aladdin platform, Aladdin Wealth, eFront, and Preqin to asset managers, banks, brokers, insurers, pension funds, corporates, and wealth managers; deployed to clients including Franklin Templeton, Citi, Royal London Asset Management, Ninepoint, and Columbia Threadneedle Investments.
4. Performance Fees / Carried Interest: Performance-based fees on certain funds and alternative investment vehicles including BlackRock Health Sciences Term Trust (BMEZ), private equity, private credit, hedge fund, and tactical opportunities strategies; return of capital distribution treatment noted for BMEZ.
5. Securities Lending Revenue: Revenue from securities lending programs for institutional and ETF clients, including equity finance-collateral management and securities lending trader capabilities in the Aladdin platform.
6. Private Markets Investment Income: Long Term Private Capital (LTPC) invests in majority stakes generating management fees, performance fees, and investment income across infrastructure (Jupiter Power, Akaysha, SolarZero, E360S), healthcare (Paradigm Oral Health, TDS), insurance (Alacrity Solutions), and other private equity transactions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels10 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

BlackRock is a global investment management company that manages active and index investment strategies across public and private markets through iShares (the world's largest ETF platform with $5.5 trillion AUM), LifePath target-date funds, the BlackRock Private Investments Fund (BPIF), and a diversified alternatives platform. It also licenses the Aladdin investment management technology platform — including eFront private-markets software and Preqin private-markets data — to external asset managers, banks, insurers, pension funds, and wealth managers. Revenue is generated primarily through asset management fees, ETF expense ratios, performance fees, securities lending, Aladdin enterprise licensing, and private-markets investment income.

Product overview

BlackRock operates a platform-plus-modules architecture centered on two pillars: (1) investment management products spanning iShares (the flagship ETF brand including flagship digital-asset offerings IBIT, ETHA, and BITA), LifePath target-date funds, the BUIDL tokenized money market fund, and the BlackRock Private Investments Fund (BPIF); and (2) the Aladdin investment management technology platform with specialized modules including Aladdin Wealth (wealth manager version), Aladdin Studio (API-first developer layer), Aladdin Data Cloud, Aladdin Risk (risk analytics), Aladdin Accounting (investment accounting), Aladdin Sustainability and Aladdin Climate (ESG/climate analytics), and Aladdin Copilot (AI assistant). The Aladdin ecosystem is augmented by the acquired eFront private markets platform and Preqin private markets data platform, while consumer-facing AI is delivered through ChatBLK, BlackRock's generative-AI chatbot.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iShares: Global ETF brand offering iShares ETFs across asset classes including equity, fixed income, commodity, real estate, and digital assets/cryptoassets.
• Aladdin
• LifePath
• CoRI
• iBonds
• iRetire
• BlackRock Solutions
• eFront
• Preqin

Products and services

• iShares ETF Platform
• iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT)
• iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF (BITA)
• BUIDL (BlackRock USD Institutional Digital Liquidity)
• LifePath Target-Date Funds
• Aladdin Platform
• eFront Private Markets Platform
• Preqin Private Markets Data & Intelligence
• BlackRock Private Investments Fund (BPIF)
• Tactical Opportunities Fund
• iShares Systematic Alternatives Active ETF (IALT)
• Long Term Private Capital (LTPC) Strategy
• iShares Premium Money Market ETF (CMR)
• iShares Bitcoin Premium Income ETF (BITA)

Quantifiable outcome

• 27% year-over-year revenue growth in Q1 2026 with $130 billion in quarterly net inflows
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability7 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, major and minor.

• Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerDTCC announced plans to integrate its tokenization service with the Stellar public blockchain, targeting availability in the first half of 2027 following a December 2025 SEC No-Action Letter. The collaboration enables DTC-custodied real-world assets to be issued in tokenized form, with BlackRock among over 50 financial institutions (alongside JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, Kraken, Anchorage Digital) participating. DTCC will begin enabling live transactions in July with full-scale commercial launch in October 2025.
• LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSEG expanded its partnership with BlackRock through a new advanced data integration; LSEG customers gain deeper insights in private markets and alternative assets by accessing Preqin data through LSEG's flagship Workspace platform and Data & Feeds products.
• Reliance Industries (Jio)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture Jio BlackRock International AMC operates as a Fund Management Entity in GIFT City, India; Jio BlackRock Broking applied to IFSCA for broker-dealer and investment advisor licensing with initial 17 sq meter office and eight personnel. The partnership marks BlackRock's expansion into India's capital market intermediation and wealth services.
• Energy VaultmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJupiter Power (BlackRock-owned) signed a 2.4 GWh deal with Energy Vault for US-based battery storage projects through 2024–25, leveraging incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Stack Infrastructure (Blue Owl Capital), MGX, Brookfield Asset ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIP, a consortium backed by BlackRock and MGX, and Brookfield Asset Management are reportedly considering acquisition of Stack Infrastructure's Asian data center operations valued at over $30 billion; Stack operates data centers across Australia, Japan, and Malaysia with combined capacity of nearly 1.1 gigawatts.
• BNY and Goldman Sachs (tokenized money market platform)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn July 2025, BNY and Goldman Sachs jointly launched the first US system integrating money market fund subscriptions on both platforms simultaneously — BNY handling custody and investor access through LiquidityDirect, Goldman Sachs running the blockchain layer via GS DAP — with BlackRock, Fidelity Investments, Federated Hermes, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and BNY Investments Dreyfus participating from day one.
• Commonwealth (nonprofit) and The BlackRock FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency Savings Initiative is a partnership between BlackRock and nonprofit Commonwealth; supported by The BlackRock Foundation's $50 million philanthropic commitment, the initiative has conducted more than 60 projects over seven years to embed emergency savings tools into workplace systems.
• Starbucks, Delta Air Lines, AutoNation, Best Buy (ESI employers)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor employers participating in the BlackRock Emergency Savings Initiative offering workplace Emergency Savings Accounts; Starbucks' My Starbucks Savings program found 401(k) contribution rates nearly triple among emergency savers, with one in five non-retirement savers beginning to contribute for the first time.
• Stellar Development FoundationmajorTechnology or IntegrationDTCC integrating its tokenization service with the Stellar public blockchain, with BlackRock among over 50 participating financial institutions; targets availability in the first half of 2027 following the December 2025 SEC No-Action Letter.
• Tether, Circle, PayPal, Sky, Ethena (tokenized stablecoins), WisdomTree, Superstate, Ondo Finance, PaxosmajorTechnology or IntegrationBlackRock among tokenized fund providers on Ethereum alongside WisdomTree, Superstate, Ondo Finance, and Paxos; tokenized assets on Ethereum averaged $203.4 billion in Q1 2026, with stablecoin issuers including Tether, Circle, PayPal, Sky, and Ethena also participating.
• MGX (AIP consortium partner)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMGX co-backs the AIP consortium with BlackRock, which is considering acquisition of Stack Infrastructure's Asian data center operations valued at over $30 billion; represents significant consolidation of AI-ready digital infrastructure in Asia-Pacific.
• U.S. Federal Reserve (policy research)minorOthersBlackRock's Emergency Savings Initiative was motivated by the Federal Reserve's 2019 finding that many adults could not cover a $400 emergency expense; the program addresses short-term financial vulnerability alongside long-term wealth creation.

Scale indicators18 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Vanguard: The two largest asset managers globally and the most direct competitor in low-cost index ETFs and mutual funds. Vanguard's ownership structure and ultra-low fee philosophy put sustained price pressure on iShares and BlackRock's active equity franchises.
• State Street: Direct competitor in ETFs (SPDR), institutional asset management, and custody/administration services, with State Street Global Advisors competing head-to-head against iShares across virtually every core equity and fixed income index category.
• Fidelity Investments: Major direct competitor in retail mutual funds, ETFs (Fidelity's own ETF lineup launched in 2024), target-date funds, and institutional asset management, with comparable scale and broad customer overlap.
• BNY Mellon Investment Management: Direct competitor in index investing, custody-driven asset management, and wealth platforms; BNY is also a key Aladdin partner (BNY Investments Dreyfus participates in the same tokenized MMF system as BUIDL).
• Invesco: Direct competitor in ETFs (Invesco QQQ, a major Nasdaq-100 ETF, competes with BlackRock's mega-cap and tech ETFs) and active asset management, with overlapping institutional and advisor channels.
• T. Rowe Price: Long-standing direct competitor in active equity, fixed income, multi-asset, and retirement target-date funds, with deep DC plan penetration that overlaps BlackRock's LifePath franchise.

Broad incumbents

• J.P. Morgan Asset Management: A large, broad-based asset manager competing for institutional and intermediary mandates; its parent bank balance sheet, private banking distribution, and alternatives platform overlap with BlackRock's institutional and private markets businesses.
• Goldman Sachs Asset Management: Major competitor in alternatives, private credit, and institutional asset management; GSAM is a BlackRock partner on tokenized money market infrastructure (GS DAP) but also a competitor in private markets and ETFs.
• PIMCO: A leading global fixed income and credit asset manager with deep institutional and intermediary penetration, competing directly with BlackRock's active fixed income, multi-asset, and ETF fixed income franchises.

Emerging players

• Charles Schwab: Major retail wealth platform whose proprietary ETFs and asset management arm (Schwab Asset Management) compete on price with iShares in self-directed and advisor channels, intensifying fee pressure in the retail flow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat9 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/blackrock
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/blackrock
• Facebookfacebook.com/BlackRock

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A33 records

Investments509 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BlackRock