Early Investment Initiative
U.S. Treasury Unveils Trump Accounts' Low-Cost ETFs, Featuring BlackRock for Child Investors
Anonymous
Key Points
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BlackRock’s scale and recent insider activity provide context for its role in Trump Accounts: the firm manages about $14.041 trillion in assets as of December 2025 and has a reported market capitalization around $152.19 billion, with insiders selling about $44.8 million over the past three months.
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The BlackRock Foundation has announced targeted grants tied to Trump Accounts, including $1 million to Invest America to support awareness and enrollment, $3.75 million to NYC Kids RISE, and $1.15 million to The Early Wealth Partnership (CalKids) to advance early wealth-building initiatives.
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Budgeting and timeline details indicate that investment election functionality is not yet available; Treasury will announce when families can change allocations and, until then, all contributions will sit in the default S&P 500 fund (SPYM).
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The Trump Accounts lineup is not limited to BlackRock; it also includes other providers such as Vanguard, indicating a broader, multi-provider approach to the program.
The U.S. Treasury has picked two BlackRock funds and a Vanguard fund as investment options for Trump Accounts, a new child savings program that opens for contributions on July 4, 2026, according to Yahoo Finance. The government will seed each eligible child's account with $1,000, and families can add up to $5,000 a year. BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said the firm is "proud to support Trump Accounts," adding that the program lets millions of Americans "develop a greater stake in the future of the country."
The Treasury named State Street's SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 ETF (SPYM) as the default fund, according to MarketScreener. Until new account-management tools roll out later in 2026, all contributions will automatically land in that fund. The full lineup also includes BlackRock's iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV), iShares Core S&P Total U.S. Stock Market ETF (ITOT), and Vanguard's VTI.
Fees Are Tiny — Well Below the Legal Cap
The program sets a hard ceiling of 0.1% on annual fund fees, called expense ratios. The current lineup beats that cap by a wide margin. State Street's SPYM charges just 0.02% per year. BlackRock's IVV and ITOT each charge 0.03%, according to MarketScreener. That means a family putting in the $5,000 annual maximum would pay less than $2 a year in fees on a $5,000 balance.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called Trump Accounts "the most historic policy for American families in decades." He said the mobile app launched May 28 gives households a "simple, secure way" to build long-term financial strength. Families complete account setup through the app and file IRS Form 4547 to claim the $1,000 seed payment.
BlackRock Steps In With Grants and Employee Matches
BlackRock is not just providing the funds — it is also backing the program with cash. The BlackRock Foundation announced $1 million to Invest America to drive enrollment awareness, $3.75 million to NYC Kids RISE, and $1.15 million to The Early Wealth Partnership (CalKIDS) in California, according to Yahoo Finance. The California grant funds a tool that helps families find and claim their $1,000 federal seed money alongside state dollars.
BlackRock Foundation President Claire Chamberlain said child savings accounts are "foundational tools" that "shift how families think about saving for the future." BlackRock also committed to matching the $1,000 government contribution for its own employees' children — a move that analysts say could push other large employers to offer similar "Child IRA matches" as a standard benefit.
1.5 Million Children and $1.5 Billion Already Flowing In
About 1.5 million newborns born on or after January 1, 2025 are eligible for the $1,000 seed payment. That means the federal government is effectively injecting $1.5 billion into U.S. equity markets through these accounts, according to MarketScreener. BlackRock manages roughly $14.041 trillion in assets as of December 2025, making its inclusion in even a slice of that flow strategically significant.
Nearly 40% of eligible children — around 6 million — have already signed up, according to research cited by Yahoo Finance. But some analysts warn that higher-income families are better positioned to max out the $5,000 annual limit, which could widen wealth gaps over time. Researchers also note that the fund lineup currently has no bond or international equity options, limiting diversification choices for families who want them.
Families Cannot Change Their Investments Yet
One key limitation: families cannot yet choose which fund their money goes into. The Treasury has not released allocation tools yet. Until those tools arrive — expected sometime in late 2026 — every new dollar contributed automatically goes into State Street's SPYM, according to MarketScreener. Critics argue that makes SPYM the government's "chosen winner" for billions in early seed money, giving State Street a built-in advantage.
BlackRock's Elise Terry, Head of U.S. iShares, said IVV and ITOT serve as "practical building blocks for long-term investors." When allocation tools do launch, families will be able to shift contributions across the approved fund lineup. The Treasury said it will announce that date separately. The accounts convert into standard Traditional IRAs when the child turns 18.
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