Delaware Life Insurance Company, a Group 1001 company, has become the first insurance carrier to offer a fixed index annuity (FIA) with exposure to cryptocurrency. This was made possible through the addition of the BlackRock U.S. Equity Bitcoin Balanced Risk 12% Index to its FIA portfolio. The launch coincides with Bitcoin's 17th anniversary and the second anniversary of the iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT).

This strategic move enables investors to diversify their portfolios and gain exposure to Bitcoin while ensuring full protection of the principal contributed to the FIA. According to Colin Lake, President & CEO of Delaware Life Marketing, the company is committed to innovation and expanding investment opportunities in the annuity space. He stated that Delaware Life is proud to partner with BlackRock to offer cryptocurrency exposure through a fixed index annuity, continuously innovating to meet the evolving needs of financial professionals and their clients in the retirement-planning landscape.

The BlackRock U.S. Equity Bitcoin Balanced Risk 12% Index is designed to provide blended growth exposure by combining U.S. equities and Bitcoin in one index for diversified return potential. The index targets 12% volatility, utilizing dynamic cash adjustments to help smooth Bitcoin's inherent volatility through professionally managed Bitcoin exposure using IBIT. The index allocates roughly 74% to the iShares Core S&P 500 ETF, 25% to the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), and 1% to cash.

Robert Mitchnick, Global Head of Digital Assets at BlackRock, noted that the launch builds on the success and client demand seen for IBIT, allowing insurance clients to add Bitcoin exposure as part of a broader indexed annuity strategy.

The launch follows a 2025 executive order that authorized the use of digital assets in retirement plans, paving the way for broader adoption of cryptocurrency in traditional financial products. Financial advisors have observed increased interest in Bitcoin among younger investors, motivating insurers to seek ways to attract this demographic. By embedding Bitcoin exposure into an annuity format, Delaware Life aims to offer a blend of growth potential and security.

The BlackRock U.S. Equity Bitcoin Balanced Risk 12% Index is available as an index option on three of Delaware Life's products: Momentum GrowthTM, Momentum Growth PlusTM, and DualTrack IncomeTM.