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As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 8, 2026

Securities Act File No. 33-26305

Investment Company Act File No. 811-05742

 

 
 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM N-1A

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933  
Pre-Effective Amendment No.    
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1296  
and/or  

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE

INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

 
Amendment No. 1298  
(Check appropriate box or boxes)  

 

 

BLACKROCK FUNDSSM

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

 

100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809

United States of America

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

Registrant’s Telephone Number, including Area Code: (800) 441-7762

 

 

John M. Perlowski

BLACKROCK FUNDSSM

50 Hudson Yards

New York, New York 10001

United States of America

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

 

 

Copies to:

 

Counsel for the Fund:

 

Bryan Chegwidden, Esq.

Jeremy C. Smith, Esq.

Ropes & Gray LLP

1211 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10036-8704

 

Janey Ahn, Esq.

BlackRock Advisors, LLC

50 Hudson Yards

New York, New York 10001


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It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

 

Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

 

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

 

75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

 

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment.

This filing relates solely to the following Fund, a series of BlackRock FundsSM:

BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle

 

 
 


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The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The securities described herein may not be sold until the registration statement becomes effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities and is not offering or soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state in which the offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 8, 2026

 

LOGO

   [   ], 2026

 

 

LOGO  

 

Prospectus

 

BlackRock FundsSM | OnChain Shares

 

 

BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle

OnChain: [ ]

This Prospectus contains information you should know before investing, including information about risks.

Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

Not FDIC Insured • May Lose Value • No Bank Guarantee


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Table of Contents

 

 

 

Fund Overview    Key facts and details about the Fund, including investment objective, principal investment strategies, principal risk factors, fee and expense information, and historical performance information  
   Investment Objective     3  
   Fees and Expenses of the Fund     3  
   Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund     4  
   Use of the Blockchain     5  
   Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund     6  
   Performance Information     9  
   Investment Manager     9  
   Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares     9  
   Tax Information     9  
   Payments to Broker/Dealers and Other Intermediaries     9  
Details About the Fund    Information about how the Fund invests, including investment objective, investment processes, principal strategies and risk factors  
   How The Fund Invests     10  
   Investment Risks     12  
Account Information    Information about account services, shareholder transactions, and distribution and other payments  
   Details About the Share Class     17  
   How to Buy, Sell and Transfer Shares     17  
   Fund’s Rights     20  
   Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Payments     21  
Management of the Fund    Information About BlackRock  
   BlackRock     22  
   Conflicts of Interest     23  
  

Valuation of Fund Investments

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

   

24

24

 

 

Financial Highlights    Financial Performance of the Fund     27  
General Information    Certain Fund Policies     28  
   Statement of Additional Information     28  
Glossary    Glossary of Investment Terms     29  
For More Information    Funds and Service Providers     30  
   Additional Information     Back Cover  


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Fund Overview

 

 

 

Investment Objective

 

The investment objective of BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle (the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock FundsSM (the “Trust”), is to seek current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of principal.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

 

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold and sell OnChain Shares of BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (including BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) and its affiliates) (each, a “Financial Intermediary”), which are not reflected in the table and example below.

 

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you may pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

   OnChain
Shares

Management Fee

       [ ]%

Distribution (12b-1) Fees

       None

Other Expenses1

       [ ]%

Administration Expenses

       []%  

Independent Expenses2

       []%  

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses

       [ ]%

Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,2

       [ ]%

Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements1,2

       [ ]%

 

1 

Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the Fund’s current fiscal year.

2 

Independent Expenses consist of the Fund’s allocable portion of the fees and expenses of the independent trustees of the Trust, counsel to such independent trustees and the independent registered public accounting firm that provides audit services to the Fund. BAL has contractually agreed to reimburse, or provide offsetting credits to, the Fund for Independent Expenses through June 30, 2028. After giving effect to such contractual arrangements, Independent Expenses will be 0.00%. Such contractual arrangements may not be terminated prior to July 1, 2028, without the consent of the Boards of Trustees of the Trust.

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your OnChain Shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same.

Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

 

      1 Year      3 Years

OnChain Shares

       $[]            $[]  

 

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Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund

 

The Fund invests 100% of its total assets in cash, U.S. Treasury bills, notes and other obligations issued or guaranteed as to principal and interest by the U.S. Treasury (collectively, “Treasury Instruments”), with a maturity of 93 days or less, and overnight repurchase agreements that are secured by Treasury Instruments. The Fund’s portfolio will have a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis.

The securities purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

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Use of the Blockchain

 

The Fund’s transfer agent, Securitize Transfer Agent, LLC (the “Transfer Agent”), maintains the official record of ownership of OnChain Shares on the public blockchains that are used by the Fund’s investors. In particular, the Transfer Agent utilizes a permissioned system that operates in connection with multiple public, permissionless blockchains. As of the date of this Prospectus, these public blockchains include [] and [] and in the future may include other supported networks, subject to eligibility and other requirements that the Transfer Agent or Fund may impose. OnChain Shares will be digitally represented on such blockchains using token standards (“Tokens”) that vary by blockchain. Such blockchain records, together with an off-chain register associating wallet addresses with shareholder personal identifying information, will constitute the official shareholder register of the Fund and, in the absence of a technical failure of either of those systems, conclusively govern the record ownership of the OnChain Shares.

A blockchain is a distributed ledger that digitally records transactions in a verifiable way using cryptography, with records designed to be immutable (i.e., extremely difficult to alter once confirmed). A distributed ledger is a database in which data is stored in a decentralized manner. Cryptography is a method of storing and transmitting data in a particular form so that only those for whom it is intended can read and process it. A blockchain stores transaction data in ‘‘blocks’’ that are linked together to form a ‘‘chain’’, hence the name blockchain. Transactions on the blockchain are verified and authenticated by computers on the network. The process of authenticating a transaction before it is recorded ensures that only valid and authorized transactions are recorded as “blocks” on the blockchain. Transaction data, other than shareholder personal identifying information, will be publicly available through tools capable of displaying activity on the applicable blockchain networks. Accordingly, OnChain Shares’ issuance, transfer and redemption data (though not a shareholder’s personal identifying information) will be exposed to the public. The personal identifying information necessary to associate a given wallet address with the record owner of the Token(s) at such address will be maintained by the Transfer Agent in a separate, traditional database that is not available to the public. However, if there are data security breaches resulting in theft of the information necessary to link identity with the Token balances, the stolen information could be used to determine a shareholder’s identity and complete investing history in the Fund.

In order to transact in OnChain Shares, a potential shareholder of OnChain Shares must have a blockchain “wallet.” A blockchain wallet is a software application (but can also be a hardware device or managed by an institutional custody solution) which stores a user’s “private key” and related digital or tokenized assets and is used to facilitate sending digital or tokenized assets on a particular blockchain. A “private key” is one of two numbers in a cryptographic “key pair.” A key pair consists of a “public key” and its corresponding private key, both of which are lengthy alphanumeric codes, where the public key is mathematically derived from the private key. The private key is used by the owner of a digital wallet to send (i.e., digitally sign and authenticate) digital or tokenized assets and is private to the wallet owner. The public key is, as the name implies, public and open to others on the applicable blockchain to send digital assets to. The blockchain will record transaction data, including wallet addresses and digital signatures, but does not record the private key information. Each investor is responsible for their own blockchain wallet. If a shareholder’s private key is lost or stolen, the shareholder should promptly contact the Transfer Agent in writing by email at []. Upon receipt of notification from a shareholder, the Transfer Agent will contact the shareholder regarding further steps for resolution and the Transfer Agent will take appropriate action such as investigating the issue and, if appropriate, freezing the Tokens in the shareholder’s wallet, verifying the shareholder’s legitimate ownership of Tokens or verifying the occurrence of the loss alleged in the shareholder’s report. The Transfer Agent may isolate the particular Tokens, revoke such Tokens, re-authenticate a new wallet per the Fund’s whitelisting procedures, and facilitate payment for revoked tokens by federal wire on a best-efforts basis, where appropriate. Any newly whitelisted wallet may thereafter be used for future purchases and minting of new Tokens. To the extent any Tokens are revoked, such Tokens will be taken out of circulation through a token burn.

The Transfer Agent utilizes a permissioned system that operates in connection with public, permissionless blockchains. The permissioned system is established through a combination of policies, procedures, and technological controls which collectively seek to ensure that the blockchain operates as an integrated recordkeeping mechanism under the oversight of the Transfer Agent. To create and maintain this permissioned structure on public blockchains, the Transfer Agent registers and associates each blockchain wallet with relevant personal identifying information which is maintained in an off-chain registry (i.e., a separate database that is not available to the public and is used, among other purposes, to satisfy anti-money laundering regulations). Permission to hold OnChain Shares is granted only to registered wallets, sometimes referred to as “whitelisting”, thereby restricting the ability to transact in OnChain Shares to pre-approved potential shareholders. Smart contracts are deployed as part of the operational framework to enforce compliance with the Transfer Agent’s policies and procedures, as applicable. Specifically, smart contracts have been developed to support functions such as “minting” (creating a new token balance) and “burning” (removing a token balance from circulation), as well as transfer restrictions to prevent unauthorized transfers to unregistered wallets, i.e., non-whitelisted wallets, and ability to claw back tokens under certain circumstances. These smart contracts are designed, deployed, and maintained by the Transfer Agent. In this manner, this permissioned system is designed to prevent transactions between unknown persons or unknown blockchain wallets, even though blockchain infrastructure itself remains permissionless.

 

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Where any shareholder wallet holds OnChain Shares, the registered owner of such OnChain Shares will be the person whose identifying information, as recorded separately on the Fund’s books and records maintained off chain, is associated with such shareholder wallet. The Transfer Agent maintains controls to correct errors in the share registry or remediate unauthorized transactions. In the event such a correction were warranted, the Transfer Agent generally would have the ability to make the correction by adding an appropriate instruction to another subsequent block on the applicable blockchain (i.e., the prior activity on the blockchain would not be deleted, although the blockchain would be updated with the correct transactional history). A person or entity associated with a blockchain wallet to which OnChain Shares may be erroneously transferred would have no legal claim to such OnChain Shares. In the event of such an erroneous transfer, the Transfer Agent generally would have the ability to burn the erroneously transferred OnChain Shares and issue new OnChain Shares to the correct wallet, as applicable.

Delays in transaction processing have occurred on the blockchain networks. Such a delay may occur because of, among other things, the inability of nodes to reach consensus on transactions or upgrades or changes to the applicable blockchain protocol. During a network delay, recording transactions in OnChain Shares on the blockchain will not be possible and as such may cause discrepancies between the blockchain record and the backup off-chain record maintained by the Transfer Agent. Should such a delay occur for an extended period, the Fund could choose to effect transactions with shareholders manually (i.e., in book-entry form) or to provide shareholders with a means to submit transaction requests on a different network approved for use by the Fund, in each case until such time as the network has resumed normal operation. The Fund may choose to re-evaluate the suitability of a particular blockchain network for use by the Fund in the event of future or recurring delays or for other reasons.

Deployment of OnChain Shares on a particular blockchain network should not be viewed as an endorsement of such network by either the Fund or BlackRock, and neither the Fund nor BlackRock shall be responsible for any failures or malfunctions of any such network. Similarly, no blockchain network or blockchain network provider is authorized to act as an agent of the Fund or BlackRock. Potential shareholders should carefully consider the risks of using a blockchain network on which OnChain Shares are deployed and should conduct their own assessment of the suitability of such network for making their investment in the Fund.

The maintenance of the records of OnChain Shares on the blockchain will not affect the Fund’s investments in securities, the Fund will continue to invest in accordance with the requirements in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act and the terms of this Prospectus. The Fund will not invest in any digital assets, including any virtual currencies.

More detailed information about blockchain technology and the public blockchain network(s) used by the Transfer Agent including the regulatory, operational and technological risks associated with distributed ledger technology, as well as detailed information about the Fund and its policies and risks, can be found in the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information (SAI).

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

 

Risk is inherent in all investing. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not a bank account and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor is not required to reimburse the Fund for losses, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time, including during periods of market stress. The following is a summary description of principal risks of investing in the Fund. The relative significance of each risk factor below may change over time and you should review each risk factor carefully.

 

 

Interest Rate Risk — Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders own OnChain Shares. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns or pay dividends to Fund shareholders. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates during a period of historically low interest rates. Changing interest rates may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

 

 

Blockchain Technology Risk — Blockchain technology is a relatively new and untested technology that operates as a distributed ledger. There are risks associated with the Fund’s issuance, redemption, transfer, and recordkeeping of OnChain Shares on a blockchain, and these risks may not fully emerge until the technology becomes more widely used. Transactions in OnChain Shares on the blockchain are subject to associated risks including regulatory, technical, operational, privacy and security risks.

 

 

Treasury Obligations Risk — Direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury have historically involved little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However, due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders own OnChain Shares. In addition, notwithstanding that U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal, such as reaching the legislative “debt ceiling.” Such non-payment could result in losses to the Fund and substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system.

 

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Repurchase Agreements Risk — If the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.

 

 

Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will be unable or unwilling to make timely payments of interest and principal when due or otherwise honor their obligations. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer.

 

 

Experience with Digital Securities — The Fund is one of the few registered funds to issue OnChain Shares in the form of digital securities. Given the novel nature of such digital asset security issuance in this format, the Fund and BlackRock are to be considered as having limited experience using blockchain technology to maintain records and facilitate transactions in the interests of a registered fund that issues digital securities. Accordingly, there may be an increased risk of errors (potentially including unauthorized transactions) involving OnChain Shares. Any such errors or unauthorized transactions could adversely affect the Fund.

 

 

Income Risk — Income risk is the risk that the Fund’s yield will vary as short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates.

 

 

Market Risk and Selection Risk — Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.

 

 

Blockchain Regulatory Risk — The regulation of digital assets (such as OnChain Shares) and related products and services continues to evolve, may take many different forms and will, therefore, impact digital assets and their usage in a variety of manners. Ongoing and future regulatory actions with respect to digital assets could alter, perhaps to a materially adverse extent, the nature of an investment in OnChain Shares, the ability of shareholders to engage in transactions in OnChain Shares or the ability of the Fund to continue to operate.

 

 

Stablecoin Regulatory Risk — The Fund intends to operate such that its OnChain Shares will be “eligible reserve assets” for payment stablecoin issuers under a U.S. law enacted in July 2025 designed to establish a framework for regulation of such issuers and any regulation adopted thereunder (the “GENIUS Act”). However, aspects of the GENIUS Act remain unclear and subject to interpretation, and federal regulators, including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, are developing implementing standards that have not been finalized as of the date of this Prospectus. Changes in, or new interpretations of, the GENIUS Act or related rules could affect the types of instruments the Fund is permitted to hold under that framework or the methods by which the Fund implements its investment strategy, including operational processes tied to its permissioned use of public blockchains for OnChain Shares. These developments could require the Fund to adjust portfolio holdings or modify operational practices and could adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

 

 

Risk of Investing in the United States — Certain changes in the U.S. economy, such as when the U.S. economy weakens or when its financial markets decline, may have an adverse effect on the securities to which the Fund has exposure.

 

 

Stable Net Asset Value Risk — The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable net asset value (“NAV”) of $1.00 per share at all times. If the Fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), the Fund, along with other money market funds, could be subject to increased redemption activity.

 

 

When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk — When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose value prior to its delivery. There

 

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also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.

 

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Performance Information

 

Because the Fund has not commenced operations as of the date of this Prospectus, it does not have performance information an investor would find useful in evaluating the risks of investing in the Fund.

Investment Manager

 

The Fund’s investment manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC (previously defined as “BlackRock”).

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

 

The Fund issues OnChain Shares through a permissioned system that operates in connection with one or more public, permissionless blockchains, which, as of the date of this Prospectus, include [] and [], and may include other supported networks in the future. Although the relevant blockchain networks are public and permissionless, transfers of the digital OnChain Share tokens will be subject to transfer restrictions administered by the Transfer Agent, including wallet whitelisting and the ability to restrict, reject, or freeze transfers in accordance with applicable requirements.

OnChain Shares may be purchased from the Fund through the Transfer Agent or other authorized Financial Intermediaries. You may purchase or redeem OnChain Shares without paying a sales charge, but you may be required to pay transaction fees required by certain public blockchain networks to execute a transaction on the applicable network. Please see “How to Sell Shares” below for additional information on such transaction fees. You may generally purchase or redeem OnChain Shares from the Transfer Agent each day on which the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open for business (a “Business Day”).

The Fund may elect, in its discretion, to be open on days when the NYSE is closed due to an emergency.

The initial and subsequent investment minimums generally are as follows, although the Fund’s officers may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases:

 

Minimum Initial Investment   $3 million.
Minimum Additional Investment   No subsequent minimum.

Please see “Peer-to-Peer Transfers” below for more information on other ways that OnChain Shares may be purchased or sold outside of purchase or redemption transactions effected with the Fund through the Transfer Agent.

Tax Information

 

The Fund’s dividends and distributions may be subject to U.S. federal income taxes and may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or are investing through a qualified tax-exempt plan described in section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code, in which case you may be subject to U.S. federal income tax when you withdraw or receive distributions from such tax-deferred arrangements.

Payments to Broker/Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

 

If you purchase OnChain Shares through a Financial Intermediary, the Fund and BlackRock Investments, LLC, the Fund’s distributor, or its affiliates may pay the Financial Intermediary for the sale of OnChain Shares and related services.

These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the Financial Intermediary and your individual financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment.

Ask your individual financial professional or visit your Financial Intermediary’s website for more information.

Certain record owners of OnChain Shares are expected to be trust or other accounts maintained by state or federally chartered crypto banks or other financial intermediaries in the crypto ecosystem (“Crypto Intermediaries”). Crypto Intermediaries may provide custody, staking, governance, and settlement services to their customers, who may be payment stablecoin issuers or end-users of payment stablecoins. In consideration of these shareholder services, BlackRock or its affiliates may make payments to one or more Crypto Intermediaries. Any such payments will be made from the assets of BlackRock and/or such affiliates (and not the Fund).

 

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Details About The Fund

 

 

 

Included in this prospectus are sections that tell you about your shareholder rights, buying and selling OnChain Shares, management information, and shareholder features of BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle (the “Fund”), a government money market fund under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). The Fund is a series of BlackRock FundsSM (the “Trust”).

How The Fund Invests

 

 

 

The Fund seeks to maintain a net asset value (“NAV”) of $1.00 per share.

 

 

The Fund will maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity of 60 days or less and a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less. For a discussion of dollar-weighted average maturity and dollar-weighted average life, please see the Glossary on page [].

 

 

Pursuant to Rule 2a-7, the Fund is subject to a “general liquidity requirement” that requires that the Fund hold securities that are sufficiently liquid to meet reasonably foreseeable shareholder redemptions in light of its obligations under Section 22(e) of the 1940 Act regarding share redemptions and any commitments the Fund has made to shareholders. To comply with this general liquidity requirement, BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) must consider factors that could affect the Fund’s liquidity needs, including characteristics of the Fund’s investors and their likely redemptions. Depending upon the volatility of its cash flows (particularly shareholder redemptions), this may require the Fund to maintain greater liquidity than would be required by the daily and weekly minimum liquidity requirements discussed below.

 

 

The Fund will not acquire any illiquid security (i.e., securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value ascribed to them by the Fund) if, immediately following such purchase, more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets are invested in illiquid securities.

 

 

The Fund will not acquire any security other than a daily liquid asset unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 25% of its total assets would be invested in daily liquid assets, and the Fund will not acquire any security other than a weekly liquid asset unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 50% of its total assets would be invested in weekly liquid assets. For a discussion of daily liquid assets and weekly liquid assets, please see the Glossary on page [].

 

 

The securities purchased by the Fund are subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, and other rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The Fund will only purchase securities that are Eligible Securities. When required under Rule 2a-7, BlackRock will determine whether an instrument presents minimal credit risk pursuant to guidelines approved by the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”). For a discussion of Eligible Securities, please see the Glossary on page [].

 

 

The Fund intends to operate such that OnChain Shares will be “eligible reserve assets” for payment stablecoin issuers under a U.S. law enacted in July 2025 designed to establish a framework for regulation of such issuers and any regulation adopted thereunder (the “GENIUS Act”). The Fund will not invest in any assets that do not qualify as eligible investments under the GENIUS Act (and any regulations thereunder) or that are not permitted under Rule 2a-7 for a government money market fund.

The Board has chosen not to subject the Fund to discretionary liquidity fees. If the Board changes this policy with respect to discretionary liquidity fees, such change would become effective only after shareholders are provided with advance notice of the change.

 

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Investment Objective

The investment objective of the Fund is to seek current income as is consistent with liquidity and stability of principal.

Should the Board determine that the investment objective of the Fund should be changed, shareholders will be given at least 30 days’ notice before any such change is made. However, such change can be effected without shareholder approval.

Investment Process

The Fund will only invest in U.S. Treasury securities with a maturity of 93 days or less (from the settlement of the security in the Fund) and overnight repurchase agreements.

The securities purchased by the Fund are also subject to the quality, diversification, and other requirements of Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, and other rules of the SEC. The Fund will purchase only securities that are Eligible Securities. When required under Rule 2a-7, BlackRock will determine whether an instrument presents minimal credit risk pursuant to guidelines approved by the Board. For a discussion of Eligible Securities, please see the Glossary.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund’s principal investment strategies are described under the heading “Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund” in the “Fund Overview” section of this Prospectus.

Principal Investments

The section below describes the particular types of securities in which the Fund principally invests. The Fund may, from time to time, make other types of investments and pursue other investment strategies in support of its overall investment goal. These supplemental investment strategies are described in the SAI. The SAI also describes the Fund’s policies and procedures concerning the disclosure of portfolio holdings.

Repurchase Agreements.  The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements are similar in certain respects to collateralized loans, but are structured as a purchase of securities by the Fund, subject to the seller’s agreement to repurchase the securities at a mutually agreed upon date and price. Under a repurchase agreement, the seller is required to furnish collateral at least equal in value or market price to the amount of the seller’s repurchase obligation.

U.S. Treasury Obligations.  The Fund may invest in direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury. The Fund may also invest in Treasury receipts where the principal and interest components are traded separately under the Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities (“STRIPS”) program.

When-Issued, Delayed Delivery and Forward Commitment Transactions.  The Fund may transact in securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis. The Fund expects that commitments to purchase securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis will not exceed 25% of the value of its total assets absent unusual market conditions. The Fund does not intend to purchase securities on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis for speculative purposes but only in furtherance of its investment objective. The Fund does not receive income from securities purchased on a when-issued, delayed delivery or forward commitment basis prior to delivery of such securities.

Other Investments

In addition to the principal investments described above, the Fund (except as noted below) may also invest or engage in the following investments/strategies:

Borrowing.  During periods of unusual market conditions, the Fund is authorized to borrow money from banks or other lenders on a temporary basis to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations thereunder and any applicable exemptive relief. The Fund will borrow money when BlackRock believes that the return from securities purchased with borrowed funds will be greater than

 

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the cost of the borrowing. Such borrowings may be secured or unsecured. The Fund will not purchase portfolio securities while borrowings in excess of 5% of such Fund’s total assets are outstanding.

Illiquid Investments.  The Fund will not invest more than 5% of the value of its total assets in illiquid securities that it cannot sell in the ordinary course within seven days at approximately current value.

Investment Risks

 

Risk is inherent in all investing. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. Although the Fund seeks to preserve the value of your investment at $1.00 per share, it cannot guarantee it will do so. An investment in the Fund is not a bank account and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. The Fund’s sponsor is not required to reimburse the Fund for losses, and you should not expect that the sponsor will provide financial support to the Fund at any time, including during periods of market stress.

The following is a description of certain risks of investing in the Fund, including risks related to the use of blockchain technologies. The order of the below risk factors does not indicate the significance of any particular risk factor.

Blockchain Regulatory Risk. The regulation of digital assets (such as OnChain Shares) and related products and services continues to evolve, may take many different forms and will, therefore, impact digital assets and their usage in a variety of manners. Ongoing and future regulatory actions with respect to digital assets could alter, perhaps to a materially adverse extent, the nature of an investment in OnChain Shares, the ability of shareholders to engage in transactions in OnChain Shares or the ability of the Fund to continue to operate. Neither the Fund, the Transfer Agent, nor any persons associated with the operation of the underlying blockchain are licensed under the virtual currency or money transmission regulations of any state in the United States or registered with the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”). If any regulatory authority were to determine that additional licensing or registration was required for any such party, it could affect their operations or viability, and could adversely affect the ability of shareholders to engage in peer-to-peer transfers of OnChain Shares to other whitelisted shareholders. This in turn could have a material adverse effect on the liquidity of OnChain Shares and the shareholders’ ability to transfer OnChain Shares. In addition, the treatment of OnChain Shares under applicable state law, including the Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”) as adopted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is uncertain. For example, while the Fund’s organizational documents provide that it is the intention of the Trust that the Tokens be treated as securities under Article 8 of the UCC (regardless of whether the relevant jurisdiction has adopted Article 12 of the UCC), it is possible that a Massachusetts court (or another court with jurisdiction) could view the Tokens as separable from OnChain Shares and treat the Tokens as “general intangibles” under Article 9 of the UCC.

Blockchain Technology Risk. Blockchain technology is a relatively new and untested technology that operates as a distributed ledger. There are risks associated with the Fund’s issuance, redemption, transfer, and recordkeeping of OnChain Shares on a blockchain, and these risks may not fully emerge until the technology becomes more widely used. Transactions in OnChain Shares on the blockchain are subject to associated risks including: (a) a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape, which might include security, privacy or other regulatory concerns that could require changes to digital systems that disrupt transactions in OnChain Shares; (b) the possibility of undiscovered technical flaws in an underlying technology, including in the process by which transactions are recorded to the blockchain or by which the validity of a copy of such blockchain can be authenticated; (c) the possibility that security measures that authenticate prior transactions could be compromised, or “hacked,” which could allow an attacker to alter the blockchain and thereby disrupt the ability to corroborate definitive transactions recorded on the blockchain; (d) the possibility that new technologies or services will inhibit access to the blockchain; (e) the possibility that a breach to one blockchain could cause investors, and the public generally, to lose trust in blockchain technology and increase reluctance to issue and invest in assets recorded on blockchains; (f) the possibility of breakdowns and transaction halts as a result of undiscovered technology flaws that could prevent transactions for a period of time; (g) the possibility that a digital “wallet” application or interface is hacked by a third party, resulting in a loss of the shareholder’s OnChain Shares; (h) in the event a shareholder’s private key is stolen, the possibility that a third party could liquidate a shareholder’s OnChain Shares and steal the proceeds, potentially leading to irreversible shareholder losses; (i) undiscovered technical flaws in the Transfer Agent’s blockchain-integrated system, or the manner in which private keys are held and secured which among other things could result in unauthorized minting; (j) delays in transaction processing resulting from, among other things, the inability of the network to reach consensus on transactions; (k) the volatility of blockchain network transaction fees; (l) a blockchain network experiencing a “fork” (i.e., “split”) of the network, which would result in the existence of two or more versions of the blockchain network running in parallel, but with each version’s native asset lacking interchangeability, potentially competing with each other for users and other participants; and (m) a data security breach affecting the off-chain database, or sophisticated chain analysis techniques applied to the public onchain record, could result in the theft or reconstruction of information sufficient to link a shareholder’s identity with the corresponding OnChain Share balances recorded on the blockchain, thereby enabling a bad actor to determine such

 

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shareholder’s identity and complete investing history in the Fund. Shareholders are responsible for securing their private key against loss or theft for their wallet where they hold OnChain Shares.

Credit Risk.  Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a debt security (i.e., the borrower) will be unable or unwilling to make timely payments of interest and principal when due or otherwise honor their obligations. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation.

Experience with Digital Securities. The Fund is one of the few registered funds to issue OnChain Shares in the form of digital securities. Given the novel nature of such digital asset security issuance in this format, the Fund and BlackRock are to be considered as having limited experience using blockchain technology to maintain records and facilitate transactions in the interests of a registered fund that issues digital securities. Accordingly, there may be an increased risk of errors or unauthorized transactions involving OnChain Shares. Any such errors or unauthorized transactions could adversely affect the Fund.

Income Risk. The Fund’s yield will vary as the short-term securities in its portfolio mature and the proceeds are reinvested in securities with different interest rates.

Interest Rate Risk.  Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of a debt security may fall when interest rates rise. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will go up or down more in response to changes in interest rates than the market price of shorter-term securities. Due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders own OnChain Shares of the Fund. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk. During periods of very low or negative interest rates, the Fund may be unable to maintain positive returns or pay dividends to Fund shareholders. The Fund may be subject to a greater risk of rising interest rates during a period of historically low interest rates. Changing interest rates may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective.

Market Risk and Selection Risk.  Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. The value of a security or other asset may decline due to changes in general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to the issuer of the security or other asset, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. Local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues like pandemics or epidemics, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments. Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.

Operational and Technology Risks.  The Fund and the entities with which it interacts directly or indirectly are susceptible to operational and technology risks, including those related to human errors, processing errors, communication errors, systems failures, cybersecurity incidents, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (“AI”), which may result in losses for the Fund and its shareholders or impair the Fund’s operations. These entities include, but are not limited to, the Fund’s adviser, administrator, distributor, other service providers (e.g., index and benchmark providers, accountants, custodians, and transfer agents), financial intermediaries, counterparties, market makers, Authorized Participants, listing exchanges, other financial market operators, and governmental authorities, as applicable. Operational and technology risks for the issuers in which the Fund invests could also result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause the Fund’s investments in such issuers to lose value. The Fund may incur substantial costs in order to mitigate operational and technology risks.

Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events against an issuer in which the Fund invests, the Fund or any of its service providers. They include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to systems, misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting or destroying data, and causing operational disruption. Geopolitical tension may increase the scale and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation states or from entities with nation state backing. Cybersecurity incidents may result in any of the following: financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; disclosure of confidential information; impediments to trading; submission of erroneous trades by the Fund or erroneous subscription or redemption orders; the inability of the Fund or its service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines; penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation costs; and other legal and compliance expenses. Furthermore, cybersecurity incidents may render records of the Fund, including records relating to its assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of OnChain Shares, and other data integral to the Fund’s functioning, inaccessible, inaccurate or incomplete. Power outages, natural disasters, equipment malfunctions and processing errors that threaten information and technology systems relied upon by the Fund or its service providers, as well as market events that occur at a pace that overloads these systems, may also

 

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disrupt business operations or impact critical data. In addition, the risks of increased use of AI technologies, such as machine learning, include data risk, transparency risk, and operational risk. The AI technologies, which are generally highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, may incorporate biased or inaccurate data, and it is not possible or practicable to incorporate all relevant data into such technologies. The output or results of any such AI technologies may therefore be incomplete, erroneous, distorted or misleading. Further, AI tools may lack transparency as to how data is utilized and how outputs are generated. AI technologies may also allow the unintended introduction of vulnerabilities into infrastructures and applications. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of these risks associated with AI technologies. AI technologies and their current and potential future applications, and the regulatory frameworks within which they operate, continue to quickly evolve, and it is impossible to anticipate the full scope of future AI capabilities or rules and the associated risks to the Fund.

While the Fund’s service providers are required to have appropriate operational, information security and cybersecurity risk management policies and procedures, their methods of risk management may differ from those of the Fund in the setting of priorities, the personnel and resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. The Fund and BlackRock seek to reduce these risks through controls, procedures and oversight, including establishing business continuity plans and risk management systems. However, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks that may affect the Fund have not been identified or may emerge in the future; that such plans and systems may not completely eliminate the occurrence or mitigate the effects of operational or information security disruptions or failures or of cybersecurity incidents; or that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful or that incidents will go undetected. The Fund cannot control the systems, information security or other cybersecurity of the issuers in which it invests or its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect the Fund.

Lastly, the regulatory climate governing cybersecurity and data protection is developing quickly and may vary considerably across jurisdictions. Regulators continue to develop new rules and standards related to cybersecurity and data protection. Compliance with evolving regulations can be demanding and costly, requiring substantial resources to monitor and implement required changes.

Repurchase Agreements Risk. If the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligation under the agreement, the Fund may suffer delays and incur costs or lose money in exercising its rights under the agreement. If the seller fails to repurchase the security and the market value of the security declines, the Fund may lose money.

Risk of Investing in the United States. A decrease in imports or exports, changes in trade regulations, inflation and/or an economic recession in the United States may have a material adverse effect on the U.S. economy and the securities listed on U.S. exchanges. Proposed and adopted policy and legislative changes in the United States are changing many aspects of financial, commercial, public health, environmental, and other regulation and may have a significant effect on U.S. markets generally, as well as on the value of certain securities. Governmental agencies project that the United States will continue to maintain elevated public debt levels for the foreseeable future. Although elevated debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, elevated public debt service costs may constrain future economic growth.

The United States has developed increasingly strained relations with a number of foreign countries. If relations with certain countries deteriorate, it could adversely affect U.S. issuers as well as non-U.S. issuers that rely on the United States for trade.

Stablecoin Regulatory Risk. The Fund intends to operate such that its OnChain Shares will be “eligible reserve assets” for payment stablecoin issuers under the GENIUS Act. However, aspects of the GENIUS Act remain unclear and subject to interpretation, and federal regulators, including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, are developing implementing standards that have not been finalized as of the date of this Prospectus. Changes in, or new interpretations of, the GENIUS Act or related rules could affect the types of instruments the Fund is permitted to hold under that framework or the methods by which the Fund implements its investment strategy, including operational processes tied to its permissioned use of public blockchains for OnChain Shares. These developments could require the Fund to adjust portfolio holdings or modify operational practices and could adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

Stable Net Asset Value Risk. The Fund may not be able to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share at all times. If the Fund fails to maintain a stable NAV (or if there is a perceived threat of such a failure), the Fund, along with other money market funds, could be subject to increased redemption activity.

Treasury Obligations Risk. Direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury have historically involved little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However, due to fluctuations in interest rates, the market value of such securities may vary during the period shareholders own OnChain Shares of the Fund. In addition, notwithstanding that U.S. Treasury obligations are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, circumstances could arise that could prevent the timely payment of interest or principal, such as reaching the legislative “debt ceiling.” Such non-payment could result in losses to the Fund and substantial negative consequences for the U.S. economy and the global financial system.

 

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When-Issued and Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments Risk. When-issued and delayed delivery securities and forward commitments involve the risk that the security the Fund buys will lose value prior to its delivery. There also is the risk that the security will not be issued or that the other party to the transaction will not meet its obligation. If this occurs, the Fund may lose both the investment opportunity for the assets it set aside to pay for the security and any gain in the security’s price.

Other Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund (except as noted below) may also be subject to certain other non-principal risks associated with its investments and investment strategies, including:

Borrowing Risk. Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the NAV of Fund shares and in the return on the Fund’s portfolio. Borrowing will cost the Fund interest expense and other fees. The costs of borrowing may reduce the Fund’s return. Borrowing may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations.

Expense Risk. Fund expenses are subject to a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the Fund’s net assets. Accordingly, actual expenses may be greater or less than those indicated. For example, to the extent that the Fund’s net assets decrease due to market declines or redemptions, the Fund’s expenses will increase as a percentage of Fund net assets. During periods of high market volatility, these increases in the Fund’s expense ratio could be significant.

Illiquid Investments Risk. The Fund’s liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. There can be no assurance that a security or instrument that is deemed to be liquid when purchased will continue to be liquid for as long as it is held by the Fund. The Fund’s illiquid investments may reduce the returns of the Fund because it may be difficult to sell the illiquid investments at an advantageous time or price. The Fund may be unable to pay redemption proceeds within the time period stated in this prospectus because of unusual market conditions, an unusually high volume of redemption requests, or other reasons.

Large Shareholder and Large-Scale Redemption Risk. Certain shareholders, including a third-party investor, the Fund’s adviser or an affiliate of the Fund’s adviser, partnering entities in the crypto ecosystem, Crypto Intermediaries, or another entity, may from time to time own or manage a substantial amount of OnChain Shares or may invest in the Fund and hold its investment for a limited period of time. There can be no assurance that any large shareholder or large group of shareholders would not redeem their investment or that the size of the Fund would be maintained. Redemptions of a large number of OnChain Shares by these shareholders may adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity and net assets. These redemptions may force the Fund to sell portfolio securities to meet redemption requests when it might not otherwise do so, which may negatively impact the Fund. In addition, large redemptions can result in the Fund’s current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, which generally could result in an increase in the Fund’s expense ratio.

[BlackRock may also enter into partnerships with stablecoin issuers or other entities in the crypto ecosystem that involve cooperation with regards to product development and may include commitments by such partners to maintain certain levels of investment in the Fund. Such partnerships may or may not involve payments but will nonetheless create relationships that will impact the Fund. For example, if such a partnership were to end and the partnering entity were to seek to redeem its OnChain Shares in the Fund, it may adversely affect the Fund’s liquidity and net assets.]

Ownership Limitations Risk. If certain aggregate and/or fund-level ownership thresholds are reached through transactions undertaken by BlackRock, its affiliates or the Fund, or as a result of third-party transactions or actions by an issuer or regulator, the ability of BlackRock and its affiliates on behalf of clients (including the Fund) to purchase or dispose of investments, exercise rights or undertake business transactions may be restricted by law, regulation or rule or otherwise impaired. The capacity of the Fund to invest in certain securities or other assets may be affected by the relevant threshold limits, and such limitations may have adverse effects on the liquidity and performance of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

For example, ownership limits may apply to securities whose issuers operate in certain regulated industries or in certain international markets. Such limits also may apply where the investing entity (such as the Fund) is subject to corporate or regulatory ownership restrictions or invests in certain futures or other derivative transactions. In certain circumstances, aggregate and/or fund-level amounts invested or voted by BlackRock and its affiliates for client funds and accounts managed by BlackRock (including the Fund) may not exceed the relevant limits without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate approval, order, consent, relief or non-disapproval. However, there is no guarantee that permission will be granted, or that, once granted, it will not be modified or revoked at a later date with minimal or no notice. In other cases, exceeding such thresholds may cause BlackRock and its affiliates, the Fund or other client accounts to suffer disadvantages or business restrictions.

 

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Ownership limitations are highly complex. It is possible that, despite BlackRock’s intent to either comply with or be granted permission to exceed ownership limitations, it may inadvertently breach a limit or violate the corporate or regulatory approval, order, consent, relief or non-disapproval that was obtained.

Reliance on Adviser Risk. The Fund is dependent upon services and resources provided by BlackRock, and therefore BlackRock’s parent, BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock is not required to devote its full time to the business of the Fund and there is no guarantee or requirement that any investment professional or other employee of BlackRock will allocate a substantial portion of his or her time to the Fund. The loss of, or changes in, BlackRock’s personnel could have a negative effect on the performance or the continued operation of the Fund.

Risks Related to Transaction Processing on the Blockchain. Transactions on the relevant blockchain are subject to such blockchain’s protocol. Shareholders will generally be required to pay transaction fees (sometimes referred to as “gas” fees) to validators on the blockchain in order to facilitate shareholder-initiated transactions. Such fees, which vary from blockchain to blockchain, are typically in the form of the digital asset native to such blockchain (for example, on [], these fees are paid in []) but may also include other eligible digital assets depending on network design. Gas measures the amount of computational effort required to execute a given transaction. The amount of gas required to execute a transaction will vary from transaction to transaction depending on, among other things, the complexity or size of a particular transaction and the congestion on the relevant blockchain. Congestion on the blockchain may be due to increased transactions involving smart contracts that are unrelated to OnChain Shares, and the Fund cannot control such congestion. The time it takes to complete a transaction will depend on how much gas fees are paid and how congested the blockchain is and typically ranges from seconds up to 15 minutes under normal network conditions. Since the blockchain generally will prioritize transactions offering higher gas fees over those offering lower gas fees, shareholders who wish to have a transaction processed faster should be aware that they may incur higher transaction fees. The Fund does not establish the amount of gas fees required to complete a transaction and there is no limit on the gas fees a transaction may need to complete in a timely manner. For transactions relating to purchases of OnChain Shares and dividend distributions, transaction fees will be the responsibility of BlackRock, and shareholders will not be required to purchase any native digital asset to transact on the applicable network. Redemption transactions or peer-to-peer transactions will require the shareholder to pay the gas fees. Therefore, if a shareholder does not maintain adequate assets in its wallet to pay for gas fees, it will not be able to engage in transactions on the blockchain. If a shareholder is unwilling or unable to pay for gas fees at a high enough rate, the transaction may fail or may not be completed in a timely manner. In some cases, this could mean that even where a shareholder initiates a redemption transaction before the Fund’s cut-off time for redemptions, the Fund may not receive such redemption request in good order before the cut-off time. In these cases, a redeeming shareholder would continue to be a shareholder in the Fund (and subject to fluctuations in the value of its OnChain Shares) until the Fund next determines its net asset value following the receipt of such redemption request in good order. The Fund does not control any blockchain, and there is no guarantee that a blockchain will continue to operate under its current terms in the future. If a blockchain moves to a different mechanism for validating transactions in the future, it could negatively impact the amount or character of the fees due on transactions in OnChain Shares and/or the liquidity of OnChain Shares.

 

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Account Information

 

 

 

Details About the Share Class

 

The Fund currently offers only one share class, OnChain Shares.

The Fund’s OnChain Shares are distributed by BlackRock Investments, LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of BlackRock.

The table below summarizes key features of OnChain Shares of the Fund.

 

OnChain Shares at a Glance
Availability   Generally available to investors who satisfy the minimum investment requirements.
Minimum Initial Investment   $3 million.
Minimum Additional Investment   No subsequent minimum.
Initial Sales Charge   No. Entire purchase price is invested in OnChain Shares of the Fund
Deferred Sales Charge   No.
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees   No.
Redemption Fees   No
Transaction Processing Fees   Shareholders will be required to pay “gas” fees in connection with shareholder-initiated transactions, including redemptions. [These fees are not payable to the Fund or BlackRock, except to the extent that BlackRock may, directly or indirectly, receive compensation in connection with validation-related activities on the relevant blockchain.]

The Fund reserves the right to modify or waive the above-stated policies at any time.

How to Buy, Sell, and Transfer Shares

 

With certain limited exceptions, the Fund is generally available only to investors residing in the United States and may not be distributed by a foreign Financial Intermediary. Under this policy, in order to accept new accounts or additional investments (including by way of exchange from another BlackRock Fund) into existing accounts, the Fund generally requires that (i) a shareholder that is a natural person be a U.S. citizen or resident alien, in each case residing within the United States or a U.S. territory (including APO/FPO/DPO addresses), and have a valid U.S. taxpayer identification number, and (ii) a Financial Intermediary or a shareholder that is an entity be domiciled in the United States and have a valid U.S. taxpayer identification number or be domiciled in a U.S. territory and have a valid U.S. taxpayer identification number or IRS Form W-8. Any existing account that is updated to reflect a non-U.S. address may also be restricted from making additional investments.

The Fund may reject any purchase order, modify or waive the minimum initial investment requirements for any shareholders and suspend and resume the sale of OnChain Shares of the Fund at any time for any reason. In addition, the Fund may waive certain requirements regarding the purchase, sale, exchange or transfer of OnChain Shares described below and on the following pages.

Under certain circumstances, if no activity occurs in an account within a time period specified by applicable state law, a shareholder’s OnChain Shares in the Fund may be transferred to the state in which the shareholder resides.

How to Buy Shares

 

To purchase OnChain Shares, please visit the website: []. Prospective shareholders should follow the instructions on the website to complete a new account application for the Fund. You will be required to submit information and documents necessary for the Fund to

 

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(i) complete “know your client” verification, and (ii) conduct anti-money laundering due diligence and screening. Once the account application is completed and reviewed by the Transfer Agent, you will be notified that you (and your wallet(s)) have been “whitelisted”.

After being whitelisted, you may place purchase orders through the Transfer Agent’s website: [] or the online portal: []. Purchase orders received by the Transfer Agent in good order before 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on each Business Day will be priced based on the next NAV calculated on that day (normally at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)), and payment for such orders is due by Federal funds or other immediately available funds no later than the close of the federal funds wire cut-off (normally 6:45 p.m. (Eastern Time)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, on any day that the principal bond markets close early (as recommended by SIFMA) or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia or the NYSE closes early, the Fund may advance the time on that day by which a purchase order must be placed so that it will be effected and begin to earn dividends that day.

Purchase orders received in good order and funded by 6:45 p.m. (Eastern Time) will result in new Tokens being minted to the investor’s shareholder wallet. Newly minted Tokens resulting from purchase orders received in good order will be “locked”, and therefore unavailable, for peer-to-peer transfers for a 24-hour period from the time of minting. Such newly minted Tokens will, however, be able to move to the Fund’s administrative redemption wallet (the “Redemption Wallet”), and available for relocations between a single investor’s whitelisted wallets after minting.

Payment for OnChain Shares of the Fund may be made only in federal funds or other immediately available funds. You may be charged for any costs incurred by the Fund or its service providers, including any costs incurred to recompute the Fund’s NAV, in connection with a purchase order that has been placed but for which the Fund has not received full payment by the close of the federal funds wire cut-off (normally 6:45 p.m. Eastern Time) on the day the purchase order was placed.

If, after being whitelisted and having already completed an initial purchase order for OnChain Shares, you place an order for OnChain Shares by transmitting the purchase price to the Fund without any corresponding order form, i.e. a “headless subscription”, you must include an appropriate written instruction in the wire indicating the applicable blockchain and Securitize account ID to which the Tokens should be issued. If the wire accompanying the funds does not include such an instruction, the subscription will be rejected as not in good order. Upon receipt of a headless subscription containing the required ID and blockchain designation, the Fund may, in its discretion, deem your transmission to be a subscription in good order for the purchase of a number of OnChain Shares equal in value to the amount submitted, as of the Fund’s next NAV calculation time after the order is received by the Fund. For purposes of determining the applicable NAV calculation time, a headless subscription will be deemed to have been received as of the date on which the wire or funds are received by the Fund, provided that such wire or funds are received by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on such date. Any headless subscription for which the wire or funds are received after 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be deemed to have been received as of the next NAV calculation time following receipt, and the subscribing shareholder will not begin earning dividends until the next Business Day and will not otherwise earn any interest on such subscription amounts before the subscription is accepted. The Fund reserves the right to reject any headless subscription in its sole discretion and to return the funds transmitted without interest.

[], a money services business which facilitates conversion between U.S. dollars and digital assets, and the Transfer Agent have entered into an arrangement (which is subject to certain terms and conditions) pursuant to which a prospective shareholder that is a client of [] may transfer USDC, a payment stablecoin issued by Circle, or other stablecoins to its subledger account at [] (its “[] Account”) and instruct [] to pay subscription amounts in U.S. dollars (with a value equal to such USDC) to the Fund from such [] Account in order to fund subscriptions for OnChain Shares. [] is not an agent of the Fund, and the Fund will not in any way be responsible for any actions or failures to act by [] (including, without limitation, if there are delays with []’s processing of a prospective investor’s [] Account funding instruction). As noted above, purchase orders may not be accepted as of a particular Business Day if subscription orders are not received by the Transfer Agent in good order prior to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) and immediately available funds are not received prior to 6:45 p.m. (Eastern Time) on such Business Day, regardless of when such orders or funds are received by [], provided, however, that in the case of headless subscriptions, immediately available funds must be received by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). USDC transactions are subject to various risks that are outside the control of [] and the Fund. [] has informed the Fund that, as of the date of this Prospectus, [] is licensed to engage in Virtual Currency Business Activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Nothing in this Prospectus shall be interpreted as an endorsement of [] by the Fund, BlackRock or any of their respective affiliates.

Purchase orders placed after 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be priced at the NAV determined on the next Business Day. The Fund determines eligibility to receive a dividend each day at 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time). Please see “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes — Dividends and Distributions” below.

The Fund reserves the right to suspend or discontinue the offer and sale of OnChain Shares of the Fund and reject or cancel any purchase order for any reason.

 

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How to Sell Shares

 

OnChain Shares may be redeemed on a Business Day.

Requests for redemptions must be received in good order by the Transfer Agent by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on any Business Day. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on any day that the principal bond markets close early (as recommended by SIFMA) or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia or the NYSE closes early, the Fund may advance the time on that day by which a redemption order must be placed so that it will be effected that day.

In order for a redemption request to be treated as having been received in good order (and therefore be effective) as of a redemption date, OnChain Shares to be redeemed must be moved to the Fund’s administrative redemption wallet (the “Redemption Wallet”) on the blockchain by the Fund deadline. Shareholders can find information on the Redemption Wallet by visiting []. OnChain Shares moved to the Redemption Wallet after the Fund deadline on a Business Day (or at any time on a non-Business Day) will not be redeemed until the following Business Day. In these circumstances, a redeeming shareholder will not be able to effect further transfers of redeemed OnChain Shares but will be deemed to continue to own such OnChain Shares for all other purposes (including for accrual of dividends) until OnChain Shares are redeemed.

In addition, a shareholder may, but is not required to, submit a redemption request on the Transfer Agent’s website at [] (or such other website as the Transfer Agent may establish for the redemption of OnChain Shares) with respect to any OnChain Shares to be redeemed. A shareholder will be deemed to have submitted a redemption request with respect to any OnChain Shares that it moves to the Redemption Wallet. The Transfer Agent will not consider OnChain Shares to have been moved to the Redemption Wallet until after it determines that the transaction is “final.” A transaction will be considered final only after (a) the transaction has been included in a block published to the blockchain and the timestamp of such block is prior to the applicable deadline and (b) a sufficient number of additional blocks have been added to the same chain. If a redemption request is not received in good order by the deadline on any Business Day, such amount will not be redeemed on such Business Day, unless the deadline is modified by the Board or its duly authorized agent.

If redemption orders are received by the Transfer Agent on a Business Day by the established deadlines, payment for redeemed OnChain Shares will typically be wired in federal funds on that same day, provided the Fund’s custodian is also open for business. Proceeds for redemption orders received on a day when the Fund’s custodian is closed are normally wired in federal funds on the next Business Day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is open for business. The Fund reserves the right to wire redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of the Fund, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund.

Shareholders will generally be required to pay transaction fees (sometimes referred to as “gas” fees) to validators on the blockchain in order to facilitate shareholder-initiated transactions, including redemptions. Such fees, which vary from blockchain to blockchain, are typically in the form of the digital asset native to such blockchain (e.g., [] for []) but may also include other eligible digital assets depending on network design. In connection with shareholder-initiated transactions, an investor must purchase or maintain a sufficient amount of the blockchain network’s native digital asset in such investor’s digital wallet on the blockchain to pay the “gas” fees associated with such transactions. By contrast, with respect to blockchain transactions initiated by the Fund, the Transfer Agent, or another service provider to the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s governing documents and/or applicable law, shareholders will generally not be required to pay associated transaction fees. Under normal and stressed market conditions, the Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents in its portfolio or by selling portfolio assets to generate additional cash.

Redemption proceeds will only be paid to the account of record in the name of the shareholder, except that, if a shareholder is a client of [], payment of redemption proceeds will be paid (i) if such shareholder’s only account of record is such shareholder’s [] Account, to its [] Account and (ii) if such shareholder has a [] Account and has also separately subscribed for OnChain Shares with U.S. dollars from an account which is not its [] Account, to such other account unless otherwise directed by such shareholder. USDC transactions are subject to various risks that are outside the control of [] and the Fund. [] has informed the Fund that, as of the date of this Prospectus, [] is licensed to engage in Virtual Currency Business Activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services.

The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment under the conditions described under “Fund’s Rights”.

 

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Fund’s Rights

 

The Fund may postpone and/or suspend redemption and payment beyond one Business Day only as follows:

 

  a.

For any period during which there is a non-routine closure of the Federal Reserve wire system or applicable Federal Reserve Banks;

 

  b.

For any period (1) during which the NYSE is closed other than customary week-end and holiday closings or (2) during which trading on the NYSE is restricted;

 

  c.

For any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which (1) disposal of securities owned by the Fund is not reasonably practicable or (2) it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to fairly determine the NAV of OnChain Shares of the Fund;

 

  d.

For any period during which the SEC has, by rule or regulation, deemed that (1) trading shall be restricted or (2) an emergency exists;

 

  e.

For any period that the SEC may by order permit for your protection; or

 

  f.

For any period during which the Fund, as part of a necessary liquidation of the Fund, has properly postponed and/or suspended redemption of OnChain Shares and payment in accordance with federal securities laws (as discussed below).

Suspension of Redemptions Upon Liquidation. If the Board, including a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the 1940 Act, determines either that (1) the Fund has invested, at the end of a Business Day, less than 10% of its total assets in weekly liquid assets, or (2) the Fund’s calculated NAV per share has deviated from $1.00 or such deviation is likely to occur; then the Board, subject to certain conditions, may, where the Board has determined to liquidate the Fund irrevocably, suspend redemptions and payment of redemption proceeds in order to facilitate the permanent liquidation of the Fund in an orderly manner. If this were to occur, it would likely result in a delay in your receipt of your redemption proceeds. In such circumstances, the Fund may also suspend the ability of shareholders to engage in peer-to-peer transactions in OnChain Shares.

How to Transfer Shares

 

You are solely responsible for identifying counterparties for peer-to-peer transfers. Neither the Fund, the investment manager, nor the Transfer Agent will arrange, match, broker, or otherwise facilitate contact between transferors and transferees.

Peer-to-Peer Transfers

 

OnChain Shares may be transferred in peer-to-peer transactions from one shareholder wallet to another current shareholder wallet within any approved blockchain network. A record of completed peer-to-peer transactions is viewable on the blockchain due to being recorded by the Transfer Agent’s blockchain-integrated recordkeeping system. Before transferring OnChain Shares, you (as the transferor) and the potential transferee must each have an active, permissioned (i.e., “whitelisted”) account registered with the Transfer Agent.

The Fund imposes no minimum number of OnChain Shares required to effect a transfer. The relevant blockchain will, however, generally impose a minimum fractional token size, which, in practice will place limits on the minimum number of OnChain Shares that can be transferred in a peer-to-peer transaction. OnChain Shares will be coded such that they can only be transferred to wallets that previously have been whitelisted by the Transfer Agent. Peer-to-peer transfers of OnChain Shares can occur at any time on any given day, including outside of the Fund’s normal business hours. Such transfers are completed upon transaction confirmation on the relevant blockchain. A transferee will become a registered owner of OnChain Shares at the time such OnChain Shares are transferred to their wallet, which may occur intra-day or on days or at times when the Fund is closed for business. A transferee will be entitled to receive dividends with respect to OnChain Shares so long as the transferee is the record owner of the share at 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time). To the extent a peer-to-peer transfer occurs after 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on a given day, a transferee’s right to receive dividends with respect to a Share will not begin until the following day. For more information on dividend eligibility, shareholders should consult the “Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes” section of this Prospectus.

The Fund has no ability to control or monitor the price at which peer-to-peer transfers of OnChain Shares occur, and such transfers may be executed at prices that differ from the Fund’s then-current NAV. Engaging in peer-to-peer transfers may, in certain circumstances, have legal and tax implications for those investors under the federal securities laws or otherwise. This Prospectus does not designate any person as authorized to consummate transactions in OnChain Shares. In addition, as of the date of this Prospectus, no person other than the Distributor is authorized by the Fund to act as a dealer in OnChain Shares and no person is permitted to so act without the express written authorization of the Fund.

 

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A whitelisted investor must be aware of other whitelisted investors who are available to enter into peer-to-peer transfers and neither the Fund nor the Transfer Agent will play any role in connecting transferors and transferees or setting the terms on which they transact. The Fund may, in its sole discretion, limit the ability of shareholders to transact on a peer-to-peer basis, including, for example, during periods where the Fund has determined to suspend redemptions in accordance with applicable law as described above under “Fund’s Rights.”

Peer-to-peer transfers do not constitute a public trading market and OnChain Shares will not be listed for trading on any such market, including a national securities exchange or an alternative trading system operating by a registered broker that is subject to Regulation ATS. Neither the blockchain nor any platform maintained by the Fund or the Transfer Agent will provide a display of bids or offers for Tokens or provide any functionality for order matching. The Transfer Agent cannot ensure the reliability of any transfer of other assets negotiated in connection with peer-to-peer transfers.

Blockchain network(s) on which a peer-to-peer transfer is recorded may impose transaction fees to execute the transaction on the network. These fees are typically paid in the native digital asset for the operation of the blockchain network. With respect to peer-to-peer transfers (including wallet-to-wallet transfers by the same person), the parties engaged in such transactions will be responsible for any applicable blockchain transaction fees (e.g., gas fees).

You should consult your own tax advisor regarding your particular circumstances, and about any federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences in connection with the transfer of OnChain Shares.

Short-Term Trading Policy

 

Market timing is an investment technique involving frequent short-term trading of mutual fund shares designed to exploit market movements or inefficiencies in the way a mutual fund prices its shares. The Board has not adopted a market timing policy for the Fund because the Fund seeks to maintain a stable NAV of $1.00 per share and generally the shares are used by investors for short-term investment or cash management purposes. There can be no assurances, however, that the Fund may not, on occasion, serve as a temporary or short-term investment vehicle for those who seek to market time funds offered by other investment companies.

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Payments

 

Payments by BlackRock

From time to time, BlackRock, the Distributor or their affiliates may pay a portion of the fees for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and shareholder services at its or their own expense and out of its or their profits. BlackRock, the Distributor and their affiliates may also compensate affiliated and unaffiliated Financial Intermediaries for the sale and distribution of OnChain Shares of the Fund. These payments would be in addition to the Fund payments described in this prospectus and may be a fixed dollar amount, may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by the Financial Intermediary, may be based on a percentage of the value of OnChain Shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Financial Intermediary or may be calculated on another basis. The aggregate amount of these payments by BlackRock, the Distributor and their affiliates may be substantial and, in some circumstances, may create an incentive for a Financial Intermediary, its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell OnChain Shares of the Fund to you.

Certain record owners of OnChain Shares are expected to be trust or other accounts maintained by state or federally chartered crypto banks or other financial intermediaries in the crypto ecosystem (“Crypto Intermediaries”). Crypto Intermediaries may provide custody, staking, governance, and settlement services to their customers, who may be payment stablecoin issuers or end-users of payment stablecoins. In consideration of these shareholder services, BlackRock or its affiliates may make payments to one or more Crypto Intermediaries. Any such payments will be made from the assets of BlackRock and/or such affiliates (and not the Fund).

Please contact your Financial or Crypto Intermediary for details about payments it may receive from the Fund or from BlackRock, the Distributor or their affiliates. For more information, see the SAI.

 

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Management of The Fund

 

 

 

BlackRock

 

BlackRock, the Fund’s investment manager, manages the Fund’s investments and its business operations subject to the oversight of the Board. While BlackRock is ultimately responsible for the management of the Fund, it is able to draw upon the trading, research and expertise of its asset management affiliates for portfolio decisions and management with respect to certain portfolio securities. BlackRock is an indirect, majority-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.

BlackRock, a registered investment adviser, was organized in 1994 to perform advisory services for investment companies. BlackRock and its affiliates had approximately $[] trillion in investment company and other portfolio assets under management as of [].

Pursuant to the Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock and the Trust (entered into on behalf of the Fund), BlackRock is responsible for substantially all expenses of the Fund, except the management fees, interest expenses, taxes, expenses incurred with respect to the acquisition and disposition of portfolio securities and the execution of portfolio transactions, including brokerage commissions, distribution fees or expenses, litigation expenses and any extraordinary expenses (as determined by a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust).

For its investment advisory services to the Fund, BlackRock will be paid a management fee by the Fund, based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, at an annual rate of []%.

BlackRock may voluntarily agree to waive a portion of its fees and/or reimburse operating expenses to enable the Fund to maintain minimum levels of daily net investment income. BlackRock may discontinue this voluntary waiver and/or reimbursement at any time without notice.

A discussion regarding the basis for the approval by the Board of the Investment Advisory Agreement with BlackRock will be available in the Fund’s Semi-Annual Financial Statements for the period ending [], as filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR.

From time to time, a manager, analyst, or other employee of BlackRock or its affiliates may express views regarding a particular asset class, company, security, industry, or market sector. The views expressed by any such person are the views of only that individual as of the time expressed and do not necessarily represent the views of BlackRock or any other person within the BlackRock organization. Any such views are subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions and BlackRock disclaims any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for the Fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an indication of trading intent on behalf of the Fund.

BlackRock has been granted relief from the SEC that permits BlackRock, subject to Board approval, to hire, terminate and replace sub-advisers for the Fund, and to amend sub-advisory agreements between BlackRock and sub-advisers with respect to the Fund without obtaining shareholder approval. If a new sub-adviser is retained for the Fund or a sub-advisory agreement is materially amended, shareholders will receive notice of such action. The relief does not extend to any increase in the advisory fee paid by the Fund to BlackRock; any such increase would be subject to the approval of Fund shareholders.

Administrative Services

 

Pursuant to an Administration Agreement between the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, and BlackRock, BlackRock and its affiliates provide the following services, among others:

 

   

Supervises the Funds’ administrative operations;

 

   

Provides or causes to be provided management reporting and treasury administration services;

 

   

Financial reporting;

 

   

Legal, blue sky and tax services;

 

   

Preparation of proxy statements and shareholder reports; and

 

   

Engaging and supervising the shareholder servicing agents on behalf of the Funds.

 

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BlackRock is entitled to receive fees for these services at the annual rate of []% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. In addition to performing these services, BlackRock has agreed to bear all costs of operating the Fund, other than brokerage expenses, advisory fees, certain fees and expenses related to the Independent Trustees and their counsel, auditing fees, litigation expenses, taxes and extraordinary expenses.

Conflicts of Interest

 

The investment activities of BlackRock and its affiliates (including BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Affiliates”)), and their respective directors, officers or employees, in managing their own accounts and other accounts, may present conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders.

BlackRock and its Affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset management activities and in the ordinary course of business may engage in activities in which their interests or the interests of other clients may conflict with those of the Fund. BlackRock and its Affiliates act, or may act, as an investor, research provider, investment manager, commodity pool operator, commodity trading advisor, financier, underwriter, adviser, trader, lender, index provider, agent and/or principal. BlackRock and its Affiliates may have other direct and indirect interests in securities, currencies, commodities, derivatives and other assets in which the Fund may directly or indirectly invest.

BlackRock and its Affiliates may engage in proprietary trading and advise accounts and other funds that have investment objectives similar to those of the Fund and/or that engage in and compete for transactions in the same or similar types of securities, currencies and other assets as are held by the Fund. This may include transactions in securities issued by other open-end and closed-end investment companies, including investment companies that are affiliated with the Fund and BlackRock, to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act. The trading activities of BlackRock and its Affiliates are carried out without reference to positions held directly or indirectly by the Fund. These activities may result in BlackRock or an Affiliate having positions in assets that are senior or junior to, or that have interests different from or adverse to, the assets held by the Fund.

The Fund may invest in securities issued by, or engage in other transactions with, entities with which an Affiliate has significant debt or equity investments or other interests. The Fund may also invest in issuances (such as debt offerings or structured notes) for which an Affiliate is compensated for providing advisory, cash management or other services. The Fund also may invest in securities of, or engage in other transactions with, entities for which an Affiliate provides or may provide research coverage or other analysis.

An Affiliate may have business relationships with, and receive compensation from, distributors, consultants or others who recommend the Fund or who engage in transactions with or for the Fund.

Neither BlackRock nor any Affiliate is under any obligation to share any investment opportunity, idea or strategy with the Fund. As a result, an Affiliate may compete with the Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of the Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an Affiliate and of other accounts managed by an Affiliate. It is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and other accounts achieve profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result is also possible.

In addition, the Fund may enter into transactions in which BlackRock or an Affiliate or their directors, officers, employees or clients have an adverse interest. The Fund may be adversely impacted by the effects of transactions undertaken by BlackRock or an Affiliate or their directors, officers, employees or clients.

From time to time, BlackRock or its advisory clients (including other funds and accounts) may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold OnChain Shares of the Fund. The price, availability, liquidity, and (in some cases) expense ratio of the Fund may be impacted by purchases and sales of the Fund by BlackRock or its advisory clients.

The Fund’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable to BlackRock or an Affiliate or their policies designed to comply with such restrictions.

BlackRock and its Affiliates may benefit from the Fund using a BlackRock index by creating increasing acceptance in the marketplace for such indexes. BlackRock and its Affiliates are not obligated to license an index to the Fund, and no fund is under an obligation to use a BlackRock index. The terms of the Fund’s index licensing agreement with BlackRock or its Affiliates may not be as favorable as the terms offered to other licensees.

 

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The activities of BlackRock and its Affiliates and their respective directors, officers or employees, may give rise to other conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts of interest. Please see the SAI for further information.

Valuation of Fund Investments

 

When you buy OnChain Shares, you pay the net asset value (normally $1.00 per share) without a sales charge. This is the offering price. OnChain Shares are also redeemed at their net asset value. The net asset value used in determining your share price is the next one calculated after your purchase or redemption order becomes effective. OnChain Share purchase orders are effective on the date Federal funds become available to the Fund. The amortized cost method is used in calculating net asset value, meaning that the calculation is based on a valuation of the assets held by the Fund at cost, with an adjustment for any discount or premium on a security at the time of purchase. The values of such securities used in computing the net asset value of OnChain Shares are determined as of such times. U.S. government securities, money market instruments and certain fixed income securities are generally priced as of close of regular trading hours on the NYSE.

The Fund normally determines its NAV at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on each Business Day.

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

 

Dividends and Distributions

The Fund declares dividends daily. Unless a shareholder elects to receive dividends in cash, dividends declared will be reinvested daily in additional OnChain Shares of the Fund at NAV on the first Business Day following the day on which they are declared. To effectuate such reinvestment, on each such Business Day, shareholders will automatically (and without any action on their part) be issued additional OnChain Shares with a value equal to the amount of such reinvested dividends to their wallet on record with the Transfer Agent; provided, however, that a shareholder that does not hold OnChain Shares on such Business Day (whether as a result of redeeming all of its OnChain Shares of such class on the Business Day on which the reinvestment would have otherwise occurred or as a result of transferring all of its OnChain Shares on or prior to the Business Day on which the reinvestment would have otherwise occurred) will have such dividends paid to such shareholder in U.S. dollars within 5 Business Days following the Business Day on which they would have otherwise been reinvested. Shareholders will receive monthly statements as to such reinvestments.

A shareholder who desires cash payment of dividends may opt out of daily reinvestment of dividends by following the instructions in the Transfer Agent’s online portal prior to the initial investment or anytime thereafter.

The Fund distributes substantially all of its net investment income to shareholders daily. Shareholders who elect cash dividends will accrue dividends daily and will receive cash payments daily. Because dividends are reinvested in additional OnChain Shares of the Fund daily, a shareholder who opts out of dividend reinvestment and elects to receive cash payments will experience a lower yield than shareholders who participate in the dividend reinvestment program.

OnChain Shares begin accruing dividends on the day the purchase order for OnChain Shares is effected and continue to accrue dividends through the day before such OnChain Shares are redeemed or transferred. Shareholders will be eligible for a dividend on any OnChain Shares that are held by the shareholder as of 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on any day. For this purpose, the record owners of OnChain Shares as of 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on any day (including on non-Business Days) generally will comprise those persons whose wallets on the blockchain hold OnChain Shares as of 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on that day or whose OnChain Shares were transferred to the Redemption Wallet after 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) that day (since such OnChain Shares will not be redeemed until 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the following Business Day). As discussed elsewhere in the Prospectus, peer-to-peer transfers can occur at any time of the day. As a result, a shareholder who transfers OnChain Shares in a peer-to-peer transaction before 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) on any day will not receive a dividend for that day. The table below provides a few examples illustrating who will be entitled to a given day’s dividend on OnChain Shares where there has been a redemption or transfer of OnChain Shares:

 

 
 Timing and Method of Transfer    Entitlement to Dividend
 

Shareholder A moves OnChain Shares to Redemption Wallet before 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on a Business Day.

   Shareholder A generally will not be eligible for a dividend with respect to such OnChain Shares, since such OnChain Shares will be redeemed as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) that day.

 

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Shareholder A moves OnChain Shares to the Redemption Wallet after 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) and before 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time).

   Shareholder A will remain the shareholder of record at the time the Fund determines dividend eligibility (as of 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) that day), since the transferred OnChain Shares will be redeemed as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on the following Business Day. Thus, Shareholder A will remain eligible for that day’s dividend in respect of the transferred OnChain Shares.
 

Shareholder A engages in a peer-to-peer transaction by moving OnChain Shares to Shareholder B’s wallet between 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) and 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time) and the transaction is finalized before 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time).

   Shareholder B will be entitled to the dividend declared on that day with respect to the transferred OnChain Shares; Shareholder A will not.
 

Shareholder A engages in a peer-to-peer transaction by moving OnChain Shares to Shareholder B’s wallet on a non-Business Day before 7:15 p.m.

   Shareholder B will be entitled to the dividend declared on that day with respect to the transferred OnChain Shares; Shareholder A will not.

Federal Taxes

 

Distributions paid by the Fund will generally be taxable to shareholders. The Fund expects that all, or virtually all, of its distributions will consist of ordinary income that is not eligible for the reduced rates applicable to qualified dividend income. You will be subject to income tax on these distributions regardless of whether they are paid in cash or reinvested in additional OnChain Shares. The one major exception to these tax principles is that distributions on OnChain Shares held in an individual retirement account (“IRA”) (or other tax-qualified plan) will not be taxable until you withdraw or receive distributions from the plan.

Distributions derived from taxable interest income or capital gains on portfolio securities, if any, will be subject to federal income taxes and will generally be subject to state and local income taxes. If you redeem OnChain Shares of the Fund, you generally will be treated as having sold your OnChain Shares. Any gain on a redemption, sale or other disposition of OnChain Shares generally will be subject to tax.

A shareholder in a money market fund such as the Fund may elect to adopt a simplified, aggregate accounting method under which gains and losses can be netted based on computation periods rather than reported separately. Capital gains and losses determined under the simplified, aggregate accounting method are treated as short-term capital gains and losses. Because OnChain Shares may be transferred in peer-to-peer transactions, a shareholder disposing of OnChain Shares via peer-to-peer transaction may realize gains and losses generally due to differences between the price at which OnChain Shares were acquired and the price at which OnChain Shares are transferred. Such realized gains and losses generally would be accounted for separately unless the shareholder adopted the simplified, aggregate accounting method. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors.

The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the United States Treasury a percentage of taxable ordinary income or capital gain dividends paid to any non-corporate shareholder who (1) has failed to provide a correct tax identification number, (2) is subject to back-up withholding by the IRS for failure to properly include on his or her return payments of taxable interest or dividends, or (3) has failed to certify to the Fund that he or she is not subject to back-up withholding or that he or she is an “exempt recipient.” Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld generally may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a shareholder’s federal income tax liability provided the required information is timely provided to the IRS.

A 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on the net investment income (which includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends and net gain from investments) of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000, or $250,000 if married filing jointly, and of trusts and estates. Net investment income does not include exempt-interest dividends (if any) received from the Fund.

The discussion above relates solely to U.S. federal income tax law as it applies to U.S. persons. Nonresident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign investors in the Fund whose investment is not connected to a U.S. trade or business of the investor may be eligible for an exemption from U.S. federal income tax on Fund distributions properly reported by the Fund as attributable to U.S.-source interest income and capital gains of the Fund. It is not possible to predict what portion, if any, of the Fund’s distributions will be reported as eligible for this exemption. Furthermore, tax may apply to such distributions if the recipient’s investment in the Fund is connected to a trade or business of the recipient in the United States or if the recipient is present in the United States for 183 days or more in a year and certain other conditions are met.

 

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Separately, a 30% withholding tax is currently imposed on U.S.-source dividends, interest and other income items paid to (i) certain foreign financial institutions and investment funds, and (ii) certain other foreign entities. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions and investment funds will generally either need to (a) collect and report to the IRS detailed information identifying their U.S. accounts and U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures for identifying U.S. accounts and withhold tax on certain payments made to noncomplying foreign entities and account holders or (b) if an intergovernmental agreement is entered into and implementing legislation is adopted, comply with the agreement and legislation. Other foreign entities will generally either need to provide detailed information identifying each substantial U.S. owner or certify there are no such owners.

All foreign investors should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in their country of residence of an investment in the Fund.

State and Local Taxes

 

Shareholders may also be subject to state and local taxes on distributions and dispositions of OnChain Shares. State income taxes may not apply, however, to the portions of the Fund’s distributions, if any, that are attributable to interest on certain U.S. government securities and interest on securities of that state or localities within that state.

* * *

The Fund is generally required to report to each shareholder and to the IRS the amount of Fund distributions to that shareholder, including both taxable and exempt-interest dividends. This is not required, however, for distributions paid to certain types of shareholders that are “exempt recipients,” including foreign and domestic corporations, IRAs, tax-exempt organizations, and the U.S. federal and state governments and their agencies and instrumentalities. As a result, some shareholders may not receive Forms 1099-DIV or 1099-INT with respect to all distributions received from the Fund. The Transfer Agent will send to Fund shareholders that are not exempt recipients, or their authorized representatives, an annual statement reporting the amount, if any, of dividends and distributions made during each year and their federal tax treatment.

Brokers, including the Transfer Agent, are generally required by law to report to each shareholder and to the IRS cost basis information for OnChain Shares acquired on or after January 1, 2012, and sold or redeemed after that date. However, cost basis reporting is not required with respect to a disposition of OnChain Shares in a money market fund, such as the Fund. As a result, shareholders should not expect to receive such information from the Fund or any intermediary. Instead, shareholders will be responsible for maintaining their own cost basis records and for properly reporting on their tax returns any gain or loss from the sale or other disposition of OnChain Shares. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors regarding the determination of cost basis and the proper reporting of gains and losses.

The foregoing is only a summary of certain tax considerations under current law, which may be subject to change in the future. You should consult your tax advisor for further information regarding federal, state, local and/or foreign tax consequences relevant to your specific situation. More information about taxes is included in the SAI.

 

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Financial Highlights

 

 

 

Financial Performance of the Fund

 

Financial highlights for the Fund are not available because, as of the effective date of this Prospectus, the Fund has not commenced operations and therefore has no financial highlights to report.

 

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General Information

 

 

 

Certain Fund Policies

 

Anti-Money Laundering Requirements

The Fund is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act (the “Patriot Act”). The Patriot Act is intended to prevent the use of the U.S. financial system in furtherance of money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities. Pursuant to requirements under the Patriot Act, the Fund is required to obtain sufficient information from shareholders to enable it to form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of its shareholders. This information will be used to verify the identity of investors or, in some cases, the status of Financial Intermediaries. Such information may be verified using third-party sources. This information will be used only for compliance with the requirements of the Patriot Act or other applicable laws, regulations and rules in connection with money laundering, terrorism or economic sanctions.

The Fund reserves the right to (i) reject purchase orders from persons who have not submitted information sufficient to allow the Fund to verify their identity and (ii) redeem any amounts in the Fund from persons whose identity it is unable to verify on a timely basis. The Fund also reserves the right to freeze shareholder wallets or otherwise restrict their ability to send or receive OnChain Shares from other wallets in order to comply with applicable money laundering, sanctions or other laws. It is the Fund’s policy to cooperate fully with appropriate regulators in any investigations conducted with respect to potential money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities.

BlackRock Privacy Principles

BlackRock is committed to maintaining the privacy of its current and former fund investors and individual clients (collectively, “Clients”) and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information BlackRock collects, how we protect that information and why in certain cases we share such information with OnChain parties.

If you are located in a jurisdiction where specific laws, rules or regulations require BlackRock to provide you with additional or different privacy-related rights beyond what is set forth below, then BlackRock will comply with those specific laws, rules or regulations.

BlackRock obtains or verifies personal non-public information from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information we receive from you or, if applicable, your Financial Intermediary, on applications, forms or other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with us, our affiliates, or others; (iii) information we receive from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) from visits to our websites.

BlackRock does not sell or disclose to non-affiliated third parties any non-public personal information about its Clients, except as permitted by law or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service Client accounts. These non-affiliated third parties are required to protect the confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.

We may share information with our affiliates to service your account or to provide you with information about other BlackRock products or services that may be of interest to you. In addition, BlackRock restricts access to non-public personal information about its Clients to those BlackRock employees with a legitimate business need for the information. BlackRock maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the non-public personal information of its Clients, including procedures relating to the proper storage and disposal of such information.

Statement of Additional Information

 

If you would like further information about the Fund, including how it invests, please see the SAI. For a discussion of the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of its portfolio holdings, please see the SAI.

Shareholder Documents

 

Electronic Access to Annual and Semi-Annual Reports, Annual and Semi-Annual Financial Statements and Additional Information and Prospectuses: Electronic copies of most financial reports and prospectuses are available on BlackRock’s website at [].

 

28


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Glossary

 

 

 

Glossary of Investment Terms

 

This glossary contains an explanation of some of the common terms used in this prospectus. For additional information about the Fund, please see the SAI.

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses — the Fund’s pro rata share of the fees and expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund as a result of investing in other investment companies.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses — expenses that cover the costs of operating the Fund.

Daily Liquid Assets — include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within one Business Day; and (iv) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within one Business Day on pending sales of portfolio securities.

Distribution Fees — fees used to support the Fund’s marketing and distribution efforts, such as compensating financial professionals and other Financial Intermediaries, advertising and promotion.

Dollar-Weighted Average Life — the dollar-weighted average maturity of the Fund’s portfolio calculated without reference to the exceptions used for variable or floating rate securities regarding the use of the interest rate reset dates in lieu of the security’s actual maturity date. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security based on its market value in the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average.

Dollar-Weighted Average Maturity — the average maturity of the Fund is the average amount of time until the organizations that issued the debt securities in the Fund’s portfolio must pay off the principal amount of the debt. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security based on its market value in the Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average. To calculate the dollar-weighted average maturity, the Fund may treat a variable or floating rate security as having a maturity equal to the time remaining to the security’s next interest rate reset date or the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand rather than the security’s actual maturity.

Eligible Securities — Applicable Eligible Securities include:

 

   

securities with a remaining maturity of 397 calendar days or less (with certain exceptions) that BlackRock determines present minimal credit risks to the Fund after considering certain factors;

 

   

securities issued by other registered investment companies that are money market funds; or

 

   

securities issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.

Management Fee — a fee paid to BlackRock for managing the Fund.

Other Expenses — include accounting, administration, transfer agency, custody, professional and registration fees.

Shareholder Servicing Fees — fees used to compensate securities dealers and other Financial Intermediaries for certain shareholder servicing activities.

Weekly Liquid Assets — include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) U.S. Government securities issued by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the U.S. Government pursuant to authority granted by the U.S. Congress, that are issued at a discount to the principal amount to be repaid at maturity without provision for the payment of interest and have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less; (iv) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; and (v) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities.

 

29


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For More Information

 

 

Funds and Service Providers

 

 

FUNDS

BlackRock Funds

BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle

100 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, Delaware 19809

[]

MANAGER AND ADMINISTRATOR

BlackRock Advisors, LLC

100 Bellevue Parkway

Wilmington, Delaware 19809

TRANSFER AGENT

Securitize Transfer Agent, LLC

78 SW 7th St Suite 500

Miami, FL 33130

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC

ACCOUNTING FIRM

[]

ACCOUNTING SERVICES PROVIDER

The Bank of New York Mellon

240 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10286

DISTRIBUTOR

BlackRock Investments, LLC

50 Hudson Yards

New York, New York 10001

CUSTODIAN

The Bank of New York Mellon

240 Greenwich Street

New York, New York 10286

COUNSEL

Ropes & Gray LLP

1211 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10036

 

 

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How to Contact BlackRock Funds

 

 

Written correspondence may be sent to BlackRock at:

Securitize Inc.

C/O Studio

66 Hudson Boulevard E, Room 2309

New York, New York 10001

For other information call: (888) 617-2560 or visit our website at www.blackrock.com/cash.


Table of Contents

Additional Information

 

 

The Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) includes additional information about the Fund’s investment policies, organization and management. The SAI, as amended and/or supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The Annual and Semi-Annual Reports and Form N-CSR provide additional information about the Fund’s investments, performance and portfolio holdings. In Form N-CSR, you will find the Fund’s annual and semi-annual financial statements.

[Investors can get free copies of the above named documents, and make shareholder inquiries, by calling their Financial Intermediary.] The above named documents and other information are available on the Fund’s website at www.blackrock.com/prospectus/cash.

Information about the Fund (including the SAI) is available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov; copies of this information may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

BlackRock Funds 1940 Act File No. is [ ].

 

 

LOGO    PRO-BRSRV-0526


Table of Contents

The information in this statement of additional Information is not complete and may be changed. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The securities described herein may not be sold until the registration statement becomes effective. This statement of additional information is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities and is not offering or soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state in which the offer, solicitation or sale would unlawful.

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED MAY 8, 2026

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

BlackRock FundsSM

BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle

100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 • Phone No.[]

 

 

This Statement of Additional Information of BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle (the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock FundsSM (the “Trust”), is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Fund, dated [   ], as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (the “Prospectus”), which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission” or the “SEC”) and can be obtained, without charge, by calling [   ] or by writing to the Fund at the above address. Part I of this Statement of Additional Information and the portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that relate to the Fund have been incorporated by reference into the Fund’s Prospectus. The portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that do not relate to the Fund do not form a part of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, have not been incorporated by reference into the Fund’s Prospectus and should not be relied upon by investors in the Fund. The audited financial statements of the Fund will be incorporated into this Statement of Additional Information by reference to the Fund’s Annual Financial Statements and Additional Information (the “Annual Financial Statements”) when available.

References to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act” or the “1940 Act”), or other applicable law, will include any rules promulgated thereunder and any guidance, interpretations or modifications by the Commission, Commission staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, including court interpretations, and exemptive, no-action or other relief or permission from the Commission, Commission staff or other authority.

 

Class

   Ticker
Symbol
OnChain Shares    []

 

 

BlackRock Advisors, LLC — Manager

BlackRock Investments, LLC — Distributor

 

 

The date of this Statement of Additional Information is [].


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page  

PART I

 

Investment Objective and Policies

    I-1  

Investment Restrictions

    I-4  

Information on Trustees and Officers

    I-5  

Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements

    I-16  

Computation of Offering Price Per Share

    I-17  

Yield Information

    I-17  

Portfolio Transactions

    I-17  

Additional Information

    I-17  

Financial Statements

    I-18  

PART II

 

Investment Risks and Considerations

    II-1  

Management and Other Service Arrangements

    II-25  

Purchase of Shares

    II-41  

Redemption of Shares

    II-60  

Determination of Net Asset Value

    II-65  

Yield Information

    II-66  

Portfolio Transactions

    II-66  

Dividends and Taxes

    II-68  

Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

    II-73  

General Information

    II-73  

Appendix A — Description of Bond Ratings

    A-1  

Appendix B — Proxy Voting Policies

    B-1  


Table of Contents

PART I: INFORMATION ABOUT [BRSRV]

Part I of this Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) sets forth information about BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle (the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock FundsSM (the “Trust”). It includes information about the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), the advisory and management services provided to and the management fees paid by the Fund and information about other fees applicable to and services provided to the Fund. This Part I of this SAI should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s Prospectus and those portions of Part II of this SAI that pertain to the Fund.

The Fund is a “government money market fund” under Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

I.   Investment Objective and Policies

Please see the section “Details About the Fund — How the Fund Invests” in the Fund’s Prospectus for information about the Fund’s investment objective and policies. Additional information regarding the Fund’s investment objective and policies is included below.

The Fund’s manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock” or the “Manager”).

Additional Information on Investment Strategies

All securities acquired by the Fund will be determined at the time of purchase by BlackRock, under guidelines established by the Board, to be “Eligible Securities” as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”). An “Eligible Security” is a security:

1. With a remaining maturity of 397 calendar days or less (with certain exceptions) that BlackRock determines presents minimal credit risks to the Fund after considering certain factors, which must include an analysis of the capacity of the security’s issuer or guarantor to meet its financial obligations, which analysis must include, to the extent appropriate, consideration of the following factors with respect to the security’s issuer or guarantor:

 

   

Financial condition;

 

   

Sources of liquidity;

 

   

Ability to react to future market-wide and issuer- or guarantor-specific events, including ability to repay debt in a highly adverse situation; and

 

   

Strength of the issuer’s or guarantor’s industry within the economy and relative to economic trends, and issuer’s or guarantor’s competitive position within its industry;

2. That is issued by a registered investment company that is a money market fund; or

3. That is issued or guaranteed as to principal or interest by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities.

* * *

Set forth below is a listing of some of the types of investments and investment strategies that the Fund may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. Please see Part II of this SAI for further information on these investments and investment strategies. Information contained in Part II about the risks and considerations associated with investments and/or investment strategies applies only to the extent the Fund makes each type of investment or uses each investment strategy. Also set forth below is a listing of the proxy voting policy and related guidelines applicable to the Fund. Please see “Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures” in Part II of this SAI for further information about these policies. A copy of each policy is included in Appendix B.

Information that does not apply to the Fund does not form a part of the Fund’s SAI and should not be relied on by investors in the Fund. Only information that is clearly identified as applicable to the Fund is considered to form a part of the Fund’s SAI.

 

I-1


Table of Contents
    

BlackRock

Daily

Reinvestment
Stablecoin
Reserve Vehicle

Bank Money Instruments

   

Blockchain

  X

Use of Blockchain

  X

Blockchain Technology

  X

Blockchain Networks

  X

Blockchain Network Suitability

  X

Blockchain Regulation

  X

Stablecoin Regulatory Risk

  X

Commercial Paper and Other Short Term Obligations

   

Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Integration

   

Foreign Bank Money Instruments

   

Foreign Short Term Debt Instruments

   

Forward Commitments

  X

Illiquid Investments

  X

Inflation Risk

  X

Interest Rate Risk

  X

Investment in Other Investment Companies

   

Issuer Insolvency Risk

   

Municipal Investments

   

Municipal Securities

   

Municipal Securities — Derivative Products

   

Municipal Notes

   

Municipal Commercial Paper

   

Municipal Lease Obligations

   

Municipal Securities — Short-Term Maturity Standards

   

Municipal Securities — Quality Standards

   

Municipal Securities — Other Factors

   

Variable Rate Demand Obligations (“VRDOs”)

   

Negative Interest Rate Scenarios

  X

Operational and Technology Risks

   

Proxy Voting Policies

  X

Open-End Active and Fixed Income Index Fund Proxy Voting Policy

  X

BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship Climate and Decarbonization Stewardship Guidelines

   

Index Equity Fund Proxy Voting Policy

   

BlackRock Investment Stewardship Climate and Decarbonization Stewardship Guidelines

   

Purchase of Securities with Fixed Price “Puts”

  X

Recent Market Events

  X

Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts

  X

Reverse Repurchase Agreements

   

Rule 2a-7 Requirements

  X

Securities Lending

   

Short-Term Trading

  X

Structured Notes

   

Taxable Money Market Securities

   

U.S. Government Obligations

  X

Variable and Floating Rate Instruments

  X

When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments

  X

 

I-2


Table of Contents

Regulation Regarding Derivatives. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) subjects advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if a fund that is advised by the investment adviser either (i) invests, directly or indirectly, more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps (“CFTC Derivatives”), or (ii) markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. To the

 

I-3


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extent the Fund uses CFTC Derivatives, it intends to do so below such prescribed levels and will not market itself as a “commodity pool” or a vehicle for trading such instruments. Accordingly, BlackRock has claimed an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”) pursuant to Rule 4.5 under the CEA. BlackRock is not, therefore, subject to registration or regulation as a “commodity pool operator” under the CEA in respect of the Fund.

 

II.   Investment Restrictions

The Fund has adopted restrictions and policies relating to the investment of the Fund’s assets and its activities. Certain of the restrictions are fundamental policies of the Fund and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (which for this purpose and under the Investment Company Act means the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares).

Under these fundamental investment restrictions, the Fund may not:

1. Concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as that term is used in the Investment Company Act.

2. Borrow money, except as permitted under the Investment Company Act.

3. Issue senior securities to the extent such issuance would violate the Investment Company Act.

4. Purchase or hold real estate, except the Fund may purchase and hold securities or other instruments that are secured by, or linked to, real estate or interests therein, securities of real estate investment trusts, mortgage-related securities and securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business, and the Fund may purchase and hold real estate as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments.

5. Underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the sale of portfolio securities by the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriting or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

6. Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except as permitted by the Investment Company Act.

7. Make loans to the extent prohibited by the Investment Company Act.

8. Make any investment inconsistent with the Fund’s classification as a diversified company under the Investment Company Act.

Notations Regarding the Fund’s Fundamental Investment Restrictions

The following notations are not considered to be part of the Fund’s fundamental investment restrictions and are subject to change without shareholder approval.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (1) above, the Investment Company Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The Commission staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. Government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. Finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents. Each foreign government will be considered to be a member of a separate industry. With respect to the Fund’s industry classifications, the Fund currently utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or rating group indexes, and/or as defined by Fund management. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (2) above, the Investment Company Act permits the Fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the Fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the Fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. (The Fund’s total assets include the amounts being borrowed.) To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the Investment Company Act requires the Fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the Fund’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other

 

I-4


Table of Contents

than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. The policy in (2) above will be interpreted to permit the Fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing or to involve leverage to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy. The Fund does not currently intend to borrow for investment purposes.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (5) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit the Fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, in the case of diversified funds, the Investment Company Act permits a fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the fund’s investments in issuers where the fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Although it is not believed that the application of the Securities Act provisions described above would cause the Fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act or is otherwise engaged in the underwriting business to the extent permitted by applicable law.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (7) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit the Fund from making loans (including lending its securities); however, Commission staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets (including lending its securities), except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments (as applicable), as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

The Fund is currently classified as a diversified fund under the Investment Company Act. Pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, a money market fund that satisfies the applicable diversification requirements of Rule 2a-7 shall be deemed to have satisfied the diversification requirements of the Investment Company Act and the rules adopted thereunder. Pursuant to Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act, the Fund will generally limit its purchases of any one issuer’s securities (other than U.S. Government obligations and repurchase agreements collateralized by such securities) to 5% of the Fund’s total assets, except that up to 25% of its total assets may be invested in securities of one issuer for a period of up to three business days; provided that the Fund may not invest in the securities of more than one issuer in accordance with the foregoing exception at any one time. Additionally, pursuant to Rule 2a-7, the Fund will generally not invest more than 10% of its total assets in securities issued by or subject to demand features or guarantees from the institutional that issued the demand feature or guarantee. Under the Investment Company Act, the Fund cannot change its classification from diversified to non-diversified without shareholder approval (including class approval by preferred shareholders, if any).

Non-Fundamental Investment Restrictions of the Fund:

Under its non-fundamental investment restriction, which may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval, the Fund may not:

a. Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act. As a matter of policy, however, the Fund will not purchase shares of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust, in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or (G) (the “fund of funds” provisions) of the Investment Company Act, at any time the Fund has knowledge that its shares are purchased by another investment company investor in reliance on the provisions of subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1).

Unless otherwise indicated, all limitations under the Fund’s fundamental or non-fundamental investment restrictions apply only at the time that a transaction is undertaken. Any change in the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in certain securities or other instruments resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in the Fund’s total assets will not require the Fund to dispose of an investment until the Manager determines that it is practicable to sell or close out the investment without undue market or tax consequences.

 

III.   Information on Trustees and Officers

The Board consists of thirteen individuals (each, a “Trustee”), eleven of whom are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Investment Company Act (the “Independent Trustees”). The registered investment companies advised by the Manager or its affiliates (the “BlackRock-advised Funds”) are organized into the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex, and the iShares Complex (each, a “BlackRock Fund Complex”). The Trust is included in the BlackRock Fund Complex referred to as the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex. The Trustees also oversee as board members the operations of the other open-end registered investment companies included in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex.

 

I-5


Table of Contents

The Board has overall responsibility for the oversight of the Trust and the Fund. The Chair of the Board is an Independent Trustee, and the Chair of each Board committee (each, a “Committee”) is an Independent Trustee. The Board has five standing Committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance and Nominating Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Performance Oversight Committee and an Ad Hoc Topics Committee. The role of the Chair of the Board is to preside at all meetings of the Board and to act as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chair of each Committee performs a similar role with respect to the Committee. The Chair of the Board or the Chair of a Committee may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board or the Committee from time to time. The Independent Trustees meet regularly outside the presence of Fund management, in executive session or with other service providers to the Fund. The Board has regular meetings five times a year, and may hold special meetings if required before its next regular meeting. Each Committee meets regularly to conduct the oversight functions delegated to that Committee by the Board and reports its findings to the Board. The Board and each standing Committee conduct annual assessments of their oversight function and structure. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise independent judgment over management and to allocate areas of responsibility among Committees and the full Board to enhance effective oversight.

The Board has engaged the Manager to manage the Fund on a day-to-day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Manager, other service providers, the operations of the Fund and associated risks in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, state law, other applicable laws, the Trust’s charter, and the Fund’s investment objective and strategies. The Board reviews, on an ongoing basis, the Fund’s performance, operations and investment strategies and techniques. The Board also conducts reviews of the Manager and its role in running the operations of the Fund.

Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Fund is the responsibility of the Manager or of sub-advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to the supervision of the Manager. The Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks, among others. While there are a number of risk management functions performed by the Manager and the sub-advisers or other service providers, as applicable, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable to the Fund. Risk oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of the Fund and is addressed as part of various Board and Committee activities. The Board, directly or through a Committee, also reviews reports from, among others, management, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund, sub-advisers and internal auditors for the investment adviser or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Fund and management’s or the service provider’s risk functions. The Committee system facilitates the timely and efficient consideration of matters by the Trustees, and facilitates effective oversight of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and of the Fund’s activities and associated risks. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer, who oversees the implementation and testing of the Trust’s compliance program and reports to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Fund and its service providers. The Independent Trustees have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.

Audit Committee. The members of the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) are Henry R. Keizer (Chair), Neil A. Cotty, Lori Richards, Kenneth L. Urish and Claire A. Walton, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to approve, and recommend to the full Board for approval, the selection, retention, termination and compensation of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm (the “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm”) and to oversee the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm’s work. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation, to (1) evaluate the qualifications and independence of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm; (2) approve all audit engagement terms and fees for the Fund; (3) review the conduct and results of each independent audit of the Fund’s annual financial statements; (4) review any issues raised by the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm or Fund management regarding the accounting or financial reporting policies and practices of the Fund and the internal controls of the Fund and certain service providers; (5) oversee the performance of the Fund’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm; (6) review and discuss with management and the Fund’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm the performance and findings of the Fund’s internal auditors; (7) discuss with Fund management its policies regarding risk assessment and risk management as such matters relate to the Fund’s financial reporting and controls; (8) resolve any disagreements between Fund management and the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm regarding financial reporting; and (9) undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may from time to time be delegated by the Board to the Audit Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Audit Committee. During the fiscal year ended [   ], the Audit Committee met [   ] times.

Governance and Nominating Committee. The members of the Governance and Nominating Committee (the “Governance Committee”) are Cynthia A. Montgomery (Chair), Christopher J. Ailman, Susan J. Carter, Collette Chilton

 

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and Henry R. Keizer, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The principal responsibilities of the Governance Committee are to (1) identify individuals qualified to serve as Independent Trustees of the Trust and recommend Independent Trustee nominees for election by shareholders or appointment by the Board; (2) advise the Board with respect to Board composition, procedures and committees (other than the Audit Committee); (3) oversee periodic self-assessments of the Board and committees of the Board (other than the Audit Committee); (4) review and make recommendations regarding Independent Trustee compensation; (5) monitor corporate governance matters and develop appropriate recommendations to the Board; (6) act as the administrative committee with respect to Board policies and procedures, committee policies and procedures (other than the Audit Committee) and codes of ethics as they relate to Independent Trustees; and (7) undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may from time to time be delegated by the Board to the Governance Committee. The Governance Committee may consider nominations for Trustees made by the Fund’s shareholders as it deems appropriate. Under the Trust’s Amended and Restated Code of Regulations (“Bylaws”), shareholders must follow certain procedures to nominate a person for election as a Trustee at a shareholder meeting at which Trustees are to be elected. Under these advance notice procedures, notice of the proposed nominee to the Secretary of the Trust must be delivered to or mailed and received at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than the close of business on the fifth day following the day on which notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or public disclosure of the date of the meeting was made, whichever first occurs. The Trust’s Bylaws provide that notice of a proposed nomination must include certain information about the shareholder and the nominee, as well as certain other information, including a written consent of the proposed nominee to serve if elected. Reference is made to the Trust’s Bylaws for more details. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Governance Committee. During the fiscal year ended [   ], the Governance Committee met [   ] times.

Compliance Committee. The members of the Compliance Committee (the “Compliance Committee”) are Claire A. Walton (Chair), Cynthia A. Montgomery, Donald C. Opatrny, Lori Richards and Kenneth L. Urish, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The Compliance Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee regulatory and fiduciary compliance matters involving the Trust, the fund-related activities of BlackRock and any sub-adviser and the Trust’s third-party service providers. The Compliance Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation, to (1) oversee the compliance policies and procedures of the Trust and its service providers and recommend changes or additions to such policies and procedures; (2) review information on and, where appropriate, recommend policies concerning the Trust’s compliance with applicable law; (3) review reports from, oversee the annual performance review of, and make certain recommendations and determinations regarding the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer (the “CCO”), including determining the amount and structure of the CCO’s compensation and recommending such amount and structure to the full Board for approval and ratification; and (4) undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may from time to time be delegated by the Board to the Compliance Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Compliance Committee. During the fiscal year ended [   ], the Compliance Committee met [   ] times.

Performance Oversight Committee. The members of the Performance Oversight Committee (the “Performance Oversight Committee”) are Donald C. Opatrny (Chair), Christopher J. Ailman, Susan J. Carter, Collette Chilton and Neil A. Cotty, all of whom are Independent Trustees. The Performance Oversight Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee the Fund’s investment performance relative to its agreed-upon performance objectives and to assist the Independent Trustees in their consideration of investment advisory agreements. The Performance Oversight Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation, to (1) review information on, and make recommendations to the full Board in respect of, the Fund’s investment objective, policies and practices; (2) review information on the Fund’s investment performance; (3) review information on appropriate benchmarks and competitive universes and unusual or exceptional investment matters; (4) review personnel and other resources devoted to management of the Fund and evaluate the nature and quality of information furnished to the Performance Oversight Committee; (5) recommend any required action regarding changes in fundamental and non-fundamental investment policies and restrictions, fund mergers or liquidations; (6) request and review information on the nature, extent and quality of services provided to the shareholders; (7) make recommendations to the Board concerning the approval or renewal of investment advisory agreements; and (8) undertake such other duties and responsibilities as may from time to time be delegated by the Board to the Performance Oversight Committee. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Performance Oversight Committee. During the fiscal year ended [   ], the Performance Oversight Committee met [   ] times.

Ad Hoc Topics Committee. The members of the Ad Hoc Topics Committee (the “Ad Hoc Topics Committee”) are Mark Stalnecker (Chair) and Claire A. Walton, both of whom are Independent Trustees, and John M. Perlowski, who serves as an interested Trustee. The principal responsibilities of the Ad Hoc Topics Committee are to (1) act on routine matters between meetings of the Board; (2) act on such matters as may require urgent action between meetings of the Board; and (3) exercise such other authority as may from time to time be delegated to the Ad Hoc Topics Committee by the Board. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Ad Hoc Topics Committee. During the fiscal year ended [   ], the Ad Hoc Topics Committee did not meet.

The Governance Committee has adopted a statement of policy that describes the experience, qualifications, skills and attributes that are necessary and desirable for potential Independent Trustee candidates (the “Statement of Policy”). The Board believes that each Independent Trustee satisfied, at the time he or she was initially elected or appointed a Trustee, and continues to satisfy, the standards contemplated by the Statement of Policy. Furthermore, in determining that a particular Independent Trustee was and continues to be qualified to serve as a Trustee, the Board has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. The Board believes that, collectively, the Independent Trustees have

 

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balanced and diverse experience, skills, attributes and qualifications, which allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the Trust and protecting the interests of shareholders. Among the attributes common to all Independent Trustees are their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Fund’s investment adviser, sub-advisers, other service providers, counsel and the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Trustees.

Each Trustee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her educational background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member of the Trust and the other funds in the BlackRock Fund Complexes (and any predecessor funds), other investment funds, public companies, non-profit entities or other organizations; ongoing commitment to and participation in Board and Committee meetings, as well as his or her leadership of standing and ad hoc committees throughout the years; or other relevant life experiences.

Trustees Elect. Jeffrey Jarczyk and Marc D. Stern have been appointed as Trustees of the Trust effective July 1, 2026 (each, a “Trustee Elect”). Each Trustee Elect is expected to qualify as an Independent Trustee at the time of his service. Each Trustee Elect has been retained as a consultant to the Independent Trustees to assist the Independent Trustees in the performance of their duties to the Trust and is expected to serve in that capacity until July 1, 2026.

The table below discusses some of the experiences, qualifications and skills of each of the Trustees that support the conclusion that each Trustee should serve on the Board.

 

Trustees

 

Experience, Qualifications and Skills

Independent Trustees  
Christopher J. Ailman   Christopher Ailman has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including most recently serving as Chief Investment Officer of the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS) from 2000 to June 2024 where he led its investment program. Mr. Ailman currently is a principal at Ailman Advisers. In addition, he has held various roles in the industry, including as member and chair of the asset owner committee of the Kroner Center for Financial Research, chairman of the North American Chapter of the 300 Club of Global CIOs, and co-chair of the Milken Global Capital Markets Advisory Council. These positions have provided Mr. Ailman with considerable investment expertise across asset classes and strategies, and insight and perspective on the markets and the economy. In addition, Mr. Ailman serves as a member of the Governance Committee and the Performance Oversight Committee.
Susan J. Carter   Susan J. Carter has over 35 years of experience in investment management. She has served as President & Chief Executive Officer of Commonfund Capital, Inc. (“CCI”), a registered investment adviser focused on non-profit investors, from 1997 to 2013, Chief Executive Officer of CCI from 2013 to 2014 and Senior Advisor to CCI in 2015. Ms. Carter also served as director of the Pacific Pension Institute from 2014 to 2018, trustee to the Financial Accounting Foundation from 2017 to 2021, Advisory Board Member for the Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business from 1997 to 2021, Advisory Board Member for Bridges Fund Management from 2016 to 2018, Advisory Board Member for Girls Who Invest from 2015 to 2018 and Board Member thereof from 2018 to 2022, and Practitioner Advisory Board Member for Private Capital Research Institute (“PCRI”) from 2017 to 2024. She currently serves as Member of the President’s Counsel for Commonfund. These positions have provided her with insight and perspective on the markets and the economy.
Collette Chilton   Collette Chilton has over 20 years of experience in investment management. She held the position of Chief Investment Officer of Williams College from October 2006 to June 2023. Prior to that she was President and Chief Investment Officer of Lucent Asset Management Corporation, where she oversaw approximately $40 billion in pension and retirement savings assets for the company. These positions have provided her with insight and perspective on the markets and the economy.
Neil A. Cotty  

Neil A. Cotty has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including 19 years at Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates, where he served, at different times, as the Chief Financial Officer of various businesses including Investment Banking, Global Markets, Wealth Management and Consumer and also served ten years as the Chief Accounting Officer for Bank of America Corporation.

 

Mr. Cotty has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in the applicable Commission rules.

 

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Trustees

 

Experience, Qualifications and Skills

Henry R. Keizer  

Henry R. Keizer brings over 40 years of executive, financial, operational, strategic and global expertise gained through his 35 year career at KPMG, a global professional services organization and by his service as a director to both publicly and privately held organizations. He has extensive experience with issues facing complex, global companies and expertise in financial reporting, accounting, auditing, risk management, and regulatory affairs for such companies. Mr. Keizer’s experience also includes service as an audit committee chair to both publicly and privately held organizations across numerous industries including professional services, property and casualty reinsurance, insurance, diversified financial services, banking, direct to consumer, business to business and technology. Mr. Keizer is a certified public accountant and also served on the board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Mr. Keizer has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in the applicable Commission rules.

Cynthia A. Montgomery   Cynthia A. Montgomery has served for over 20 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of certain BlackRock-advised Funds and predecessor funds, including the legacy Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, L.P. (“MLIM”) funds. The Board benefits from Ms. Montgomery’s more than 20 years of academic experience as a professor at Harvard Business School where she taught courses on corporate strategy and corporate governance. Ms. Montgomery also has business management and corporate governance experience through her service on the corporate boards of a variety of public companies. She has also authored numerous articles and books on these topics.
Donald C. Opatrny   Donald C. Opatrny has more than 40 years of business, oversight and executive experience, including through his service as president, director and investment committee chair for academic and not-for-profit organizations, and his experience as a partner, managing director and advisory director at Goldman Sachs for 32 years. He also has investment management experience as a board member of Athena Capital Advisors LLC.
Lori Richards   Lori Richards has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, most notably as the first Director of the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (“OCIE”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) from 1995 to 2009. During 14 years as the Director of OCIE, she led the SEC’s nationwide examination oversight program for advisers, mutual funds, hedge funds, broker-dealers, stock exchanges, and other industry firms. Prior to that, from 1985 to 1995, she held various roles at the SEC, including Associate Director for Enforcement for the SEC’s Pacific Regional Office and executive assistant and senior advisor to then SEC Chairman Arthur Levitt. More recently, Ms. Richards served as Chief Compliance Officer of the Asset and Wealth Management global lines of business at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from 2013 to 2018 where she led its global compliance program, advised business leaders on compliance issues, oversaw risk assessment, monitoring, testing and training, and maintained relationships with regulators. In addition, Ms. Richards served as a member of the National Adjudicatory Council of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) from 2019 to 2022 and held the chair and vice chair posts during her tenure. Prior thereto, from 2010 to 2013, she was a Principal at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (“PwC”) and co-leader of its Asset Management Regulatory group. At PwC, she assisted a broad range of financial services clients in designing and implementing risk management and compliance programs, and preparing for new regulatory expectations. These positions have provided her with insight and perspective on the markets and the economy, as well as asset management regulation and compliance. In addition, Ms. Richards serves as a member of the Audit Committee and the Compliance Committee.
Mark Stalnecker  

Mark Stalnecker has gained a wealth of experience in investing and asset management from his over 13 years of service as the Chief Investment Officer of the University of Delaware as well as from his various positions with First Union Corporation, including Senior Vice President and State Investment

Director of First Investment Advisors. The Board benefits from his experience and perspective as the Chief Investment Officer of a university endowment and from the oversight experience he gained from service on various private and non-profit boards.

Kenneth L. Urish   Kenneth L. Urish has served for over 15 years on the boards of registered investment companies, most recently as a member of the boards of certain BlackRock-advised Funds and predecessor funds, including the legacy BlackRock funds. He has over 30 years of experience in public accounting. Mr. Urish has served as a managing member of an accounting and consulting firm. Mr. Urish has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in the applicable Commission rules.
Claire A. Walton   Claire A. Walton has over 25 years of experience in investment management. She has served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Liberty Square Asset Management, LP from 1998 to 2015, an investment manager that specialized in long/short non-U.S. equity investments, and was an owner and General Partner of Neon Liberty Capital Management, LLC from 2003 to 2023, a firm focusing on long/short equities in global emerging and frontier markets. These positions have provided her with insight and perspective on the markets and the economy. Ms. Walton has been determined by the Audit Committee to be an audit committee financial expert, as such term is defined in the applicable Commission rules.
Trustees Elect  
Jeffrey Jarczyk   Mr. Jarczyk is a CPA and has more than 30 years of experience in the financial services industry, including over 19 years at Fidelity Investments, where he served, at different times, as the Chief Auditor and the Chief Accounting Officer of Fidelity Investments’ parent company, FMR LLC. Prior to working at Fidelity, Mr. Jarczyk was a partner at Deloitte and Arthur Andersen for approximately 17 years. These positions have allowed him to work extensively with audit and risk committees and company executives helping to identify, manage and mitigate risks for financial services companies.

 

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Trustees

 

Experience, Qualifications and Skills

Marc D. Stern   Mr. Stern has more than 30 years of experience in investing and asset management. Mr. Stern served as the Chief Executive Officer at Bessemer Trust, a wealth management business, for 13 years. During his tenure at Bessemer Trust, Mr. Stern served on the firm’s board of directors, chaired the board’s trust and investment committee, and led the firm’s executive committee. He also served as Bessemer’s Chief Investment Officer for 8 years, where he was Chair of the Investment Policy and Strategy Committee with responsibility for overall asset allocation and investment strategy. Mr. Stern also served as Chair of the Private Clients Investment group at AllianceBernstein. These positions provide Mr. Stern with insight and perspective into investment management, the economy, and fiduciary governance.
Interested Trustees  
Robert Fairbairn   Robert Fairbairn has more than 25 years of experience with BlackRock, Inc. and over 30 years of experience in finance and asset management. In particular, Mr. Fairbairn’s positions as Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc., Member of BlackRock’s Global Operating Committee and Co-Chair of BlackRock’s Human Capital Committee provide the Board with a wealth of practical business knowledge and leadership. In addition, Mr. Fairbairn has global investment management and oversight experience through his former positions as Member of BlackRock’s Global Executive Committee, Global Head of BlackRock’s Retail and iShares® businesses, Head of BlackRock’s Global Client Group, Chairman of BlackRock’s international businesses and his previous oversight over BlackRock’s Strategic Partner Program and Strategic Product Management Group. Mr. Fairbairn also serves as a board member for the funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
John M. Perlowski   John M. Perlowski’s experience as Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since [2026], as Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009, as the Head of BlackRock Global Accounting and Product Services since 2009, and as President and Chief Executive Officer of the BlackRock-advised Funds provides him with a strong understanding of the BlackRock-advised Funds, their operations, and the business and regulatory issues facing the BlackRock-advised Funds. Mr. Perlowski’s prior position as Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Global Product Group at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and his former service as Treasurer and Senior Vice President of the Goldman Sachs Mutual Funds and as Director of the Goldman Sachs Offshore Funds provides the Board with the benefit of his experience with the management practices of other financial companies. Mr. Perlowski also serves as a board member for the funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. Mr. Perlowski is a member of BlackRock’s Global Executive Committee.

Biographical Information

Certain biographical and other information relating to the Trustees of the Trust is set forth below, including their address and year of birth, principal occupations for at least the last five years, length of time served, total number of registered investment companies and investment portfolios overseen in the BlackRock-advised Funds and any currently held public company and other investment company directorships.

 

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Name and

Year of Birth1, 2

  Position(s)
Held (Length
of Service)3
 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

 

Number of
BlackRock-
Advised
Registered
Investment
Companies
(“RICs”)
Consisting of
Investment
Portfolios
(“Portfolios”)
Overseen

 

Public
Company and
Other
Investment
Company
Directorships
Held During
Past Five Years

Independent Trustees        

Mark Stalnecker

1951

  Chair of
the Board
(Since 2019)
and
Trustee

(Since 2015)

  Chief Investment Officer, University of Delaware from 1999 to 2013; Trustee and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committees, Winterthur Museum and Country Estate from 2005 to 2016; Member of the Investment Committee, Delaware Public Employees’ Retirement System from 2002 to 2024; Member of the Investment Committee, Christiana Care Health System from 2009 to 2017; Member of the Investment Committee, Delaware Community Foundation from 2013 to 2014; Director and Chair of the Audit Committee, SEI Private Trust Co. from 2001 to 2014.   [  ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None
Christopher J. Ailman 1958   Trustee

(Since 2024)

  Principal, Ailman Advisers, since 2024; Chief Investment Officer, California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS) from 2000 to 2024.   [   ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None

Susan J. Carter

1956

  Trustee

(Since 2016)

  Trustee, Financial Accounting Foundation from 2017 to 2021; Advisory Board Member, Center for Private Equity and Entrepreneurship at Tuck School of Business from 1997 to 2021; Director, Pacific Pension Institute from 2014 to 2018; Senior Advisor, CCI (investment adviser) in 2015; Chief Executive Officer, CCI from 2013 to 2014; President & Chief Executive Officer, CCI from 1997 to 2013; Advisory Board Member, Girls Who Invest from 2015 to 2018 and Board Member thereof from 2018 to 2022; Advisory Board Member, Bridges Fund Management from 2016 to 2018; Practitioner Advisory Board Member, PCRI from 2017 to 2024; Lecturer in the Practice of Management, Yale School of Management since 2019; Advisor to Finance Committee, Altman Foundation from 2020 to 2024; Investment Committee Member, Tostan since 2021; Member of the President’s Counsel, Commonfund since 2023.   [   ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None

Collette Chilton

1958

  Trustee

(Since 2015)

  Trustee, UC Berkeley Foundation Board since 2024; Committee member, Oxford University Endowment Management since 2024; Senior advisor, Insignia since 2024; Chief Investment Officer, Williams College from 2006 to 2023; Chief Investment Officer, Lucent Asset Management Corporation from 1998 to 2006; Director, Boys and Girls Club of Boston since 2017; Director, B1 Capital since 2018; Director, David and Lucile Packard Foundation since 2020.   [   ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None

 

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Name and

Year of Birth1, 2

 

Position(s)
Held (Length
of Service)3

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

  Number of
BlackRock-
Advised
Registered
Investment
Companies
(“RICs”)
Consisting of
Investment
Portfolios
(“Portfolios”)
Overseen
 

Public
Company and
Other
Investment
Company
Directorships
Held During
Past Five Years

Neil A. Cotty

1954

 

Trustee

(Since 2016)

  Bank of America Corporation from 1996 to 2015, serving in various senior finance leadership roles, including Chief Accounting Officer from 2009 to 2015, Chief Financial Officer of Global Banking, Markets and Wealth Management from 2008 to 2009, Chief Accounting Officer from 2004 to 2008, Chief Financial Officer of Consumer Bank from 2003 to 2004, Chief Financial Officer of Global Corporate Investment Bank from 1999 to 2002.   [  ]
RICs
consisting
of
[  ] Portfolios
  None

Henry R. Keizer

1956

 

Trustee

(Since 2019)

  Director, Park Indemnity Ltd. (captive insurer) from 2010 to 2022.   [  ]
RICs
consisting
of
[  ] Portfolios
  GrafTech International Ltd. (materials manufacturing); WABCO (commercial vehicle safety systems) from 2015 to 2020; Sealed Air Corp. (packaging); Hertz Global Holdings (car rental) from 2015 to 2021.

Cynthia A. Montgomery

1952

 

Trustee

(Since 2009)

  Professor, Harvard Business School since 1989.   [  ]
RICs
consisting
of
[  ] Portfolios
  None

Donald C. Opatrny

1952

 

Trustee

(Since 2019)

  Chair of the Board of Phoenix Art Museum since 2022 and Trustee thereof since 2018; Chair of the Investment Committee of The Arizona Community Foundation since 2022 and Trustee thereof since 2020; Director, Athena Capital Advisors LLC (investment management firm) from 2013 to 2020; Trustee, Vice Chair, Member of the Executive Committee and Chair of the Investment Committee, Cornell University from 2004 to 2019; Member of Affordable Housing Supply Board of Jackson, Wyoming from 2017 to 2022; Member, Investment Funds Committee, State of Wyoming from 2017 to 2023; Member of the Investment Committee, Mellon Foundation from 2009 to 2015; President, Trustee and Member of the Investment Committee, The Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum from 2007 to 2014; Trustee and Chair of the Investment Committee, Community Foundation of Jackson Hole since 2014.   [  ]
RICs
consisting
of
[  ] Portfolios
  None

Lori Richards

1960

 

Trustee

(Since 2024)

  Trustee, SEC Historical Society since 2018; Trustee, Garrett College Foundation since 2019; Director, PharmaCann, Inc. from 2021 to 2024; Director, Wahed Invest from 2022 to 2024.   [  ]
RICs
consisting
of
[  ] Portfolios
  None

 

 

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Name and

Year of Birth1,2

 

Position(s)

Held (Length

of Service)3

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

 

Number of
BlackRock-
Advised
Registered
Investment
Companies
(“RICs”)
Consisting of
Investment
Portfolios
(“Portfolios”)
Overseen

 

Public

Company and
Other

Investment
Company
Directorships
Held During

Past Five Years

Kenneth L. Urish

1951

 

Trustee

(Since 2009)

  Managing Partner, Urish Popeck & Co., LLC (certified public accountants and consultants) since 1976; Past-Chairman of the Professional Ethics Committee of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Committee Member thereof since 2007; Member of External Advisory Board, The Pennsylvania State University Accounting Department since 2001, Emeritus since 2022; Principal, UP Strategic Wealth Investment Advisors, LLC since 2013; Trustee, The Holy Family Institute from 2001 to 2010; President and Trustee, Pittsburgh Catholic Publishing Associates from 2003 to 2008; Director, Inter-Tel from 2006 to 2007; Member, Advisory Board, ESG Competent Boards since 2020.   [  ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None

Claire A. Walton

1957

 

Trustee

(Since 2016)

  Director/Treasurer, Reading Community Trust since 2024; Advisory Board Member, Grossman School of Business at the University of Vermont since 2023; Advisory Board Member, Scientific Financial Systems since 2022; General Partner of Neon Liberty Capital Management, LLC from 2003 to 2023; Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Liberty Square Asset Management, LP from 1998 to 2015; Director, Boston Hedge Fund Group from 2009 to 2018; Director, Massachusetts Council on Economic Education from 2013 to 2015; Director, Woodstock Ski Runners from 2013 to 2022   [   ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None
Trustees Elect4        

Jeffrey Jarczyk

1964

  Trustee Elect   Director, The Friends of the Public Garden since 2021; Executive Vice President, Chief Auditor, Fidelity Investments from 2016 to 2021; Executive Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer, Fidelity Investments from 2007 to 2016.   [  ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None

Marc D. Stern

1962

  Trustee Elect   Chief Executive Officer and Director, Bessemer Trust from 2013 to 2026.   [  ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None
Interested Trustees5        

Robert Fairbairn

1965

 

Trustee

(Since 2018)

 

Vice Chairman of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Member of BlackRock’s Global Operating Committee;

Co-Chair of BlackRock’s Human Capital Committee; Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. from 2010 to 2019; oversaw BlackRock’s Strategic Partner Program and Strategic Product Management Group from 2012 to 2019; Member of the Board of Managers of BlackRock Investments, LLC from 2011 to 2018; Global Head of BlackRock’s Retail and iShares® businesses from 2012 to 2016.

  [  ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None

 

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Name and

Year of Birth1,2

 

Position(s)

Held (Length

of Service)3

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

 

Number of

BlackRock-

Advised

Registered

Investment

Companies

(“RICs”)

Consisting of

Investment

Portfolios

(“Portfolios”)

Overseen

 

Public

Company and

Other

Investment

Company

Directorships

Held During

Past Five Years

John M. Perlowski6

1964

 

Trustee (Since 2015) President (Since 2018) and Chief Executive Officer

(Since 2010)

  Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since [2026], Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009; Head of BlackRock Global Accounting and Product Services since 2009; Advisory Director of Family Resource Network (charitable foundation) since 2009; Member of BlackRock’s Global Executive Committee since 2025.   [  ] RICs consisting of [  ] Portfolios   None
 
1    The address of each Trustee is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001.
2    Independent Trustees serve until their resignation, retirement, removal or death, or until December 31 of the year in which they turn 75. The Board may determine to extend the terms of Independent Trustees on a case-by-case basis, as appropriate.
3    In connection with the acquisition of Barclays Global Investors by BlackRock, Inc. in December 2009, certain Independent Trustees were elected to the Board. Furthermore, effective January 1, 2019, three BlackRock Fund Complexes were realigned and consolidated into two BlackRock Fund Complexes. As a result, although the chart shows the year that each Independent Trustee joined the Board, certain Independent Trustees first became members of the boards of other BlackRock-advised Funds as follows: Cynthia A. Montgomery, 1994; Kenneth L. Urish, 1999; Henry R. Keizer, 2016; Donald C. Opatrny, 2015.
4    Jeffrey Jarczyk and Marc D. Stern have been appointed as Trustees of the Trust effective July 1, 2026. Each Trustee Elect is expected to qualify as an Independent Trustee at the time of his service. Each Trustee Elect has been retained as a consultant to the Independent Trustees to assist the Independent Trustees in the performance of their duties to the Trust and is expected to serve in that capacity until July 1, 2026.
5    Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Perlowski are both “interested persons,” as defined in the 1940 Act, of the Trust based on their positions with BlackRock, Inc. and its affiliates. Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Perlowski are also board members of the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.
6    Mr. Perlowski is also a trustee of the BlackRock Credit Strategies Fund and BlackRock Private Investments Fund.

Certain biographical and other information relating to the officers of the Trust who are not Trustees is set forth below, including their address and year of birth, principal occupations for at least the last five years and length of time served.

 

Name and

Year of Birth7, 8

 

Position(s)
Held (Length

of Service)

 

Principal Occupation(s)

During Past Five Years

Officers Who Are Not Trustees    

Roland Villacorta

1971

  Vice President (Since 2022)   Senior Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since [2026], Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2002; Head of Global Cash Management and Head of Securities Lending within BlackRock’s Global Markets Group since 2022; Member of BlackRock’s Global Operating Committee since 2016 and Human Capital Committee since 2023.

Jennifer McGovern

1977

  Vice President (Since 2014)   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2016.

Trent Walker

1974

  Chief Financial Officer (Since 2021)   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Executive Vice President of PIMCO from 2016 to 2019.

Jay M. Fife

1970

  Treasurer (Since 2009)   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2007.

Aaron Wasserman

1974

  Chief Compliance Officer (Since 2023)   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018; Chief Compliance Officer of the BlackRock-advised funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex and the iShares Complex since 2023; Deputy Chief Compliance Officer for the BlackRock-advised funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex and the iShares Complex from 2014 to 2023.

Lisa Belle

1968

  Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (Since 2019)   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2019; Global Financial Crime Head for Asset and Wealth Management of JP Morgan from 2013 to 2019.

Janey Ahn

1975

  Secretary (Since 2019)   Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2018.
 
7    The address of each Officer is c/o BlackRock, Inc., 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001.
8    Officers of the Trust serve at the pleasure of the Board.

 

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Share Ownership

Information relating to each Trustee’s share ownership in the Fund and in all BlackRock-advised Funds that are currently overseen by the respective Trustee (“Supervised Funds”) as of [   ] is set forth in the chart below. Amounts shown may include shares as to which a Trustee has indirect beneficial ownership, such as through participation in certain family accounts, 529 college savings plan interests, or similar arrangements where the Trustee has beneficial economic interest but not a direct ownership interest.

 

Name

    

Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities in the
Fund

    

Aggregate Dollar
Range of Equity
Securities in
Supervised Funds

Independent Trustees          

Christopher J. Ailman

     [  ]      [  ]

Susan J. Carter

     [  ]      [  ]

Collette Chilton

     [  ]      [  ]

Neil A. Cotty

     [  ]      [  ]

Henry R. Keizer

     [  ]      [  ]

Cynthia A. Montgomery

     [  ]      [  ]

Donald C. Opatrny

     [  ]      [  ]

Lori Richards

     [  ]      [  ]

Mark Stalnecker

     [  ]      [  ]

Kenneth L. Urish

     [  ]      [  ]

Claire A. Walton

     [  ]      [  ]
Interested Trustees          

Robert Fairbairn

     [  ]      [  ]

John M. Perlowski

     [  ]      [  ]

As of [   ], the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group directly or indirectly beneficially owned an aggregate of less than 1% of any class of the outstanding shares of the Fund. As of [   ], none of the Independent Trustees of the Trust or their immediate family members owned beneficially or of record any securities of the Fund’s investment adviser, sub-adviser, principal underwriter, or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with such entities.

Compensation of Trustees

Each Trustee who is an Independent Trustee is paid as compensation an annual retainer of $375,000 per year for his or her services as a board member of the BlackRock-advised Funds in the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, including the Trust, and a $20,000 board meeting fee to be paid for each in-person board meeting attended (and may receive a board meeting fee for telephonic attendance at board meetings), for up to five board meetings held in a calendar year (compensation for meetings in excess of this number to be determined on a case-by-case basis), together with out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with a board policy on travel and other business expenses relating to attendance at meetings. The Chairs of the Audit Committee, Compliance Committee, Governance Committee and Performance Oversight Committee are paid as compensation an additional annual retainer of $45,000, respectively. The Chair of the Board is paid an additional annual retainer of $150,000.

Each Trustee Elect currently serves as a consultant to the Independent Trustees in the performance of the Independent Trustees’ duties to the Trust and is paid compensation at the same rate as the compensation paid to any Independent Trustees who are not the Chair of the Board or a Chair of a Committee. This compensation arrangement will continue until July 1, 2026, when each Trustee Elect is expected to begin serving as an Independent Trustee and will be compensated in a manner similar to other Independent Trustees.

The following table sets forth the compensation the Trust paid to the Trustees, on behalf of the Fund, for the fiscal year ended [   ] and the aggregate compensation paid to them by all BlackRock-advised Funds for the calendar year ended [   ].

 

Name

    

Compensation
from the Fund

    

Estimated Annual
Benefits upon
Retirement

    

Aggregate
Compensation from
the Fund and

Other BlackRock-
Advised Funds

Independent Trustees               

Christopher J. Ailman

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Susan J. Carter

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

 

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Collette Chilton

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Neil A. Cotty

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Henry R. Keizer9

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Cynthia A. Montgomery10

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Donald C. Opatrny11

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Lori Richards

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Mark Stalnecker12

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Kenneth L. Urish

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]

Claire A. Walton13

     $[  ]      None      $[  ]
Interested Trustees               

Robert Fairbairn

     None      None      None

John M. Perlowski

     None      None      None
 
9    Chair of the Audit Committee.
10    Chair of the Governance Committee.
11    Chair of the Performance Oversight Committee.
12    Chair of the Board and Chair of the Ad Hoc Topics Committee.
13    Chair of the Compliance Committee.

 

IV.   Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements

Management Agreement

The Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has entered into a management agreement with BlackRock pursuant to which BlackRock provides the Fund with investment advisory services (the “Management Agreement”).

Pursuant to the Management Agreement, BlackRock may from time to time, in its sole discretion to the extent permitted by applicable law, appoint one or more sub-advisers, including, without limitation, affiliates of the Manager, to perform investment advisory services with respect to the Fund. In addition, the Manager may delegate certain of its investment advisory functions under the Management Agreement to one or more of its affiliates to the extent permitted by applicable law. BlackRock may terminate any or all sub-advisers or such delegation arrangements in its sole discretion at any time to the extent permitted by applicable law.

As of the date of this SAI, the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has not made any payments to BlackRock for investment advisory services.

The Fund’s allocable portion of the fees and expenses of the Independent Trustees, counsel to the Independent Trustees, and the independent registered public accounting firm that provides audit services in connection with the Fund (collectively referred to as the “Independent Expenses”) are paid directly by the Fund. BlackRock has contractually undertaken to reimburse or provide an offsetting credit to the Fund for such Independent Expenses through June 30, 2028.

Administration Agreement

BlackRock serves as the Fund’s administrator (in such capacity, the “Administrator”) pursuant to an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”). The Administrator has agreed provide certain administration services to the Funds. BAL and its affiliates provide the Funds with administration services, including management reporting and treasury administration services, financial reporting, legal and tax services, and supervision of the Funds’ administrative operations, preparation of proxy statements and shareholder reports.

For providing such services, the Administrator is entitled to a monthly fee at an annual rate of [ ]% of the Fund’s average daily net assets attributable to OnChain Shares.

The Trust and its service providers may engage third party plan administrators who provide trustee, administrative and recordkeeping services for certain employee benefit, profit-sharing and retirement plans as agents for the Trust with respect to such plans, for the purpose of accepting orders for the purchase and redemption of shares of the Trust.

Accounting Services

BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (“BNY MIS”) serves as the accounting services provider for the Fund. Among other services, BNY MIS maintains records of purchases and sales of securities, receipts and disbursements of cash and other debits and credits; keeps accounting journals and ledgers; records capital share transactions; calculates expense caps, waivers and recoupments (if any); computes the Fund’s net income and capital gains and dividends payable; calculates and reports net asset value; works with independent pricing sources; reconciles securities and cash positions with the Fund’s custodian; prepares certain financial statements, notices and reports; and prepares certain tax reports. In connection with its accounting services, BNY MIS also provides certain administrative services.

Custodian

The Bank of New York Mellon, which has its principal offices at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286, serves as a custodian for the Fund. Among other responsibilities, The Bank of New York Mellon maintains a custody account or accounts in the name of the Fund, receives and delivers all assets for the Fund upon purchase and upon sale or maturity, and collects and receives all income and other payments and distributions on account of the assets of the Fund.

 

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Transfer Agent

Securitize Transfer Agent, LLC, which has its principal place of business at [78 SW 7th St, Suite 500, Miami, FL 33130], serves as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for the Fund.

 

VI.   Computation of Offering Price Per Share

The offering price for the Fund’s share class is equal to the share class’s net asset value computed by dividing the value of the share class’ net assets by the number of shares of that share class outstanding. For more information on the purchasing and valuation of shares, please see “Purchase of Shares” and “Determination of Net Asset Value” in Part II of this SAI.

 

VII.   Yield Information

The yield on the Fund’s shares normally will fluctuate on a daily basis. Therefore, the yield for any given past period is not an indication or representation by the Fund of future yields or rates of return on its shares. The yield is affected by such factors as changes in interest rates on the Fund’s portfolio securities, average portfolio maturity, the types and quality of portfolio securities held and operating expenses. The yield on Fund shares for various reasons may not be comparable to the yield on bank deposits, shares of other money market funds or other investments.

 

VIII.   Portfolio Transactions

See “Portfolio Transactions” in Part II of this SAI for more information.

 

IX.   Additional Information

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. [   ], with offices located at [   ], serves as the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.

Counsel. Ropes & Gray LLP, with offices at [   ], serves as the Fund’s counsel.

The Trust

The Trust was organized as a Massachusetts business trust on December 22, 1988, and is registered under the Investment Company Act as an open-end, management investment company. The Fund is diversified pursuant to the Investment Company Act. Effective January 31, 1998, the Trust changed its name from Compass Capital Funds to BlackRock Funds. The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest with a par value of $0.001 per share, which may be divided into different series and classes. Effective on December 27, 2017, all of the issued and outstanding Investor B Shares of the Fund were converted into Investor A Shares of the Fund.

Under the Declaration of Trust, the ownership of shares shall be recorded on the record books of the Trust. In the case of OnChain Shares, the blockchain forms part of the official record book of the Trust and, together with an off-chain register associating wallet addresses with shareholder personal identifying information, and in the absence of a technical failure of either of these systems, shall be conclusive as to the identity of holders of OnChain Shares and as to the number of OnChain Shares held by each shareholder. The Second Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Trust (the “Bylaws”) expressly permit the issuance of shares in digital cryptographic form as “tokens” or similar digital embodiments, in each case existing on a blockchain-based computing platform or blockchain-based operating system. Additionally, the Bylaws explicitly contemplate the maintenance of a share register containing the names and addresses of the shareholders of each class of shares, the number of shares of that class held by each of them respectively and a record of all transfers thereof, in the form of any information storage device, method, or one or more electronic networks, databases or ledgers (including one or more distributed electronic networks, databases or ledgers) or such open source or closed source, public or private, permissioned or permissionless, distributed or centralized, blockchain-based computing platforms and operating systems, including those featuring smart contract functionality (or any combination of any of the foregoing).

Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of a business trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for the obligations of the Trust. However, the Trust’s Declaration of Trust provides that shareholders shall not be subject to any personal liability in connection with the assets of the Trust for the acts or obligations of the Trust, and that every note, bond, contract, order or other undertaking made by the Trust shall contain a provision to the effect that the shareholders are not personally liable thereunder. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of Trust property of any shareholder held personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a shareholder and not because of such shareholder’s acts or omissions or some other reason. The Declaration of Trust also provides that the Trust shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust, and shall satisfy any judgment thereon.

The Declaration of Trust further provides that all persons having any claim against the Trustees or Trust shall look solely to the Trust property for payment; that no Trustee of the Trust shall be personally liable for or on account of any

 

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contract, debt, tort, claim, damage, judgment or decree arising out of or connected with the administration or preservation of the Trust property or the conduct of any business of the Trust; and that no Trustee shall be personally liable to any person for any action or failure to act except by reason of such Trustee’s own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties as a Trustee.

With the exception stated, the Declaration of Trust provides that a Trustee is entitled to be indemnified against all liabilities and expenses reasonably incurred by such Trustee in connection with the defense or disposition of any proceeding in which he may be involved or with which he may be threatened by reason of his being or having been a Trustee, and that the Trust will indemnify officers, representatives and employees of the Trust to the same extent that trustees are entitled to indemnification.

 

X.   Financial Statements

Additional copies of the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders and the Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Financial Statements and Additional Information may be obtained at no charge by telephoning the Distributor at the telephone number appearing on the front page of this SAI, when available.

 

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PART II

Part II of this Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) contains information about the following funds: BlackRock Government Money Market Portfolio, a series of BlackRock Series Fund, Inc.; BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund, a series of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc.; BlackRock Wealth Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund (“WeLEAF”), Circle Reserve Fund (“Circle Reserve”) and BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle (“BRSRV”), each a series of BlackRock Funds (the “Trust”); and BlackRock Summit Cash Reserves Fund (“Summit Cash Reserves”), a series of BlackRock Financial Institutions Series Trust (“FIST”).

Throughout this SAI, each of the above listed funds may be referred to as a “Fund” or collectively as the “Funds.”

Each Fund is organized as a Massachusetts business trust, with the exception of BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. and BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc., which are Maryland corporations. For ease and clarity of presentation, common shares of beneficial interest are referred to herein as “shares,” the trustees or directors of each Fund are referred to herein as “Trustees” and the boards of trustees/directors of each Fund are referred to as the “Board of Trustees” or the “Board.” BlackRock Advisors, LLC is the manager of each Fund and is referred to as “BlackRock” or the “Manager,” and the management agreement applicable to each Fund is referred to as the “Management Agreement.” The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, is referred to herein as the “Investment Company Act.” The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is referred to herein as the “Securities Act.” The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, is referred to herein as the “Exchange Act.” The Securities and Exchange Commission is referred to herein as the “Commission” or the “SEC.”

In addition to containing information about the Funds, Part II of this SAI contains general information about all funds in the BlackRock-advised fund complex. Certain information contained herein may not be relevant to the Funds.

INVESTMENT RISKS AND CONSIDERATIONS

Set forth below are descriptions of some of the types of investments and investment strategies that one or more of the Funds may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. Please see each Fund’s prospectus (the “Prospectus”) and the “Investment Objective and Policies,” “Investment Objectives and Policies” or “Investment Strategies and Risks of the Fund” as applicable, section of Part I of this SAI for further information about each Fund’s investment policies and risks. Information contained in this section about the risks and considerations associated with a Fund’s investments and/or investment strategies applies only to those Funds specifically identified in Part I of this SAI as making each type of investment or using each investment strategy (each, a “Covered Fund”). Information that does not apply to a Covered Fund does not form a part of that Covered Fund’s SAI and should not be relied upon by investors in that Covered Fund.

Only information that is clearly identified as applicable to a Covered Fund is considered to form a part of that Covered Fund’s SAI.

Bank Money Instruments. Certain Funds may invest in U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of U.S. and foreign depository institutions, including commercial and savings banks, savings and loan associations, and other institutions. Such obligations include but are not limited to certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits, bank notes and deposit notes. For example, the obligations may be issued by (i) U.S. or foreign depository institutions, (ii) foreign branches or subsidiaries of U.S. depository institutions (“Eurodollar” obligations), (iii) U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign depository institutions (“Yankeedollar” obligations) or (iv) foreign branches or subsidiaries of foreign depository institutions. Eurodollar and Yankeedollar obligations and obligations of branches or subsidiaries of foreign depository institutions may be general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch or subsidiary by the terms of the specific obligations or by government regulation. Investments in obligations of foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries will only be made if determined to be of comparable quality to other investments permissible for each Fund. No Fund will invest more than 25% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of each investment) in obligations of foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries or in obligations of foreign branches or subsidiaries of U.S. depository institutions that are not backed by the U.S. parent. The Funds treat bank money instruments issued by U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks as obligations issued by domestic banks (not subject to the 25% limitation) if the branch or subsidiary is subject to the same bank regulation as U.S. banks.

Eurodollar and Yankeedollar obligations, as well as other obligations of foreign depository institutions and short term obligations issued by other foreign entities, may involve additional investment risks, including adverse political and economic developments, the possible imposition of withholding taxes on interest income payable on such obligations, the possible seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits and the possible establishment of exchange

 

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controls or other foreign governmental laws or restrictions that might adversely affect the repayment of principal and the payment of interest. The issuers of such obligations may not be subject to U.S. regulatory requirements. Foreign branches or subsidiaries of U.S. banks may be subject to less stringent reserve requirements than U.S. banks. U.S. branches or subsidiaries of foreign banks are subject to the reserve requirements of the states in which they are located. There may be less publicly available information about a U.S. branch or subsidiary of a foreign bank or other issuer than about a U.S. bank or other issuer, and such entities may not be subject to the same accounting, auditing and financial record keeping standards and requirements as U.S. issuers. Evidence of ownership of Eurodollar and foreign obligations may be held outside the United States, and the Funds may be subject to the risks associated with the holding of such property overseas. Eurodollar and foreign obligations of the Funds held overseas will be held by foreign branches of each Fund’s custodian or by other U.S. or foreign banks under subcustodian arrangements complying with the requirements of the Investment Company Act.

The Manager will carefully consider the above factors in making investments in Eurodollar obligations, Yankeedollar obligations of foreign depository institutions and other foreign short term obligations, and will not knowingly purchase obligations that, at the time of purchase, are subject to exchange controls or withholding taxes. Generally, a Fund will limit its Yankeedollar investments to obligations of banks organized in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United Kingdom or other industrialized nations.

Bank money instruments in which certain Funds invest must be issued by depository institutions with total assets of at least $1 billion, except that such Funds may invest in certificates of deposit of smaller institutions if such certificates of deposit are Federally insured and if, as a result of such purchase, no more than 10% of total assets (taken at market value), are invested in such certificates of deposit.

Blockchain

This discussion of blockchain-related features and risks is intended to provide a high-level overview tailored to the Fund’s current operations and supported networks and does not purport to be a complete or exhaustive description of all risks, developments or considerations associated with distributed ledger technology, blockchain networks, smart contracts, or digital wallets. New or unanticipated regulatory, operational, technological, or market risks may emerge over time, and the applicability or materiality of any risk may vary based on the blockchain network used, wallet or custody configuration, and future changes to the Fund’s operations. Investors should review the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI in their entirety and consult their own legal, tax and technology advisers regarding the risks of transacting in OnChain Shares.

Use of Blockchain. The Fund’s transfer agent maintains the official record of ownership of OnChain Shares on the public blockchains that are used by the Fund’s investors. In particular, the Fund’s transfer agent utilizes a permissioned system that operates in connection with multiple public, permissionless blockchains. As of the date of this SAI, these public blockchains include [•] and [•] and in the future may include other supported networks, subject to eligibility and other requirements that the Fund or the Fund’s transfer agent may impose. OnChain Shares will be digitally represented on such blockchains using token standards that vary by blockchain. Such blockchain records, together with an off-chain register associating wallet addresses with shareholder personal identifying information, will constitute the official shareholder register of the Fund and, in the absence of a technical failure of either of these systems, conclusively govern the record ownership of OnChain Shares.

A blockchain is a distributed ledger that digitally records transactions in a verifiable way using cryptography, with records designed to be immutable (i.e., extremely difficult to alter once confirmed). A distributed ledger is a database in which data is stored in a decentralized manner. Cryptography is a method of storing and transmitting data in a particular form so that only those for whom it is intended can read and process it. Transactions on the blockchain are verified and authenticated by computers on the network (referred to as “nodes” or “validators”) that receive, propagate, verify, and execute transactions. The process of authenticating a transaction before it is recorded ensures that only valid and authorized transactions are recorded on the blockchain in collections of transactions called “blocks.” Blockchain networks are based upon software source code that establishes and governs their respective cryptographic systems for verifying transactions. The Fund’s transfer agent maintains controls to correct errors in the share registry or remediate unauthorized transactions. In the event such a correction were warranted, the Fund’s transfer agent would make the correction by adding an appropriate instruction to another subsequent block on the applicable blockchain (i.e., the prior activity on the blockchain would not be deleted, although the blockchain would be updated with the correct transactional history).

In order to facilitate the use of blockchain technology, each investor will use a “blockchain wallet,” which is a software application (but can also be a hardware device or managed by an institutional custody solution) that stores a user’s “private key” for related digital assets and is used to facilitate the transfer of assets on a particular blockchain. A “private key” is one of two numbers in a cryptographic “key pair.” A key pair consists of a “public key” and its corresponding private key, both of which are lengthy alphanumeric codes, where the public key is mathematically derived from the private key. The private key is used by the owner of a blockchain wallet to send (i.e., digitally sign and authenticate) instructions to the blockchain to update the ownership records of the digital assets and is private to the wallet owner. The public key is, as the name implies, public and allows other wallets on the applicable blockchain to transfer digital assets to a wallet’s public key address when permitted. The blockchain will record transaction data, including wallet addresses and digital signatures, but does not record the private key information. Each investor is responsible for their own blockchain wallet.

The Fund’s transfer agent utilizes a permissioned system that operates in connection with public, permissionless blockchains. The permissioned system is established through a combination of policies, procedures, and technological controls which collectively seek to ensure that the blockchain operates as an integrated recordkeeping mechanism under the oversight of the Fund’s transfer agent. To create and maintain this permissioned structure on public blockchains, the Fund’s transfer agent registers and associates each blockchain wallet with relevant personal identifying information which is maintained in an off-chain registry (i.e., a separate database that is not available to the public and is used, among other

 

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purposes, to satisfy anti-money laundering regulations). Permission to hold OnChain Shares is granted only to registered wallets, sometimes referred to as “whitelisting”, thereby restricting the ability to transact in tokenized OnChain Shares to pre-approved potential shareholders.

Protocols referred to as “smart contracts” are used as part of the operational framework that the Fund’s transfer agent uses to enforce compliance with the Fund’s policies and procedures, as applicable. Smart contracts are self-executing computer code that effectuate actions based upon predetermined conditions. Specifically, smart contracts have been developed to support functions such as “minting” (creating a new token balance) and “burning” (removing a token balance from circulation), as well as restrictions to prevent unauthorized interaction with the token balances (e.g., transfers of token balances to unapproved addresses) and the ability to claw back tokens under certain circumstances. In this manner, this permissioned system is intended to prevent transactions in token balances by or with unknown persons or unknown blockchain addresses, even if the underlying blockchain network is permissionless.

Different blockchain networks rely on distinct methods to validate and finalize transactions. Some networks utilize a broad, permissionless set of independent validators that participate in an open validation process designed to confirm transactions without reliance on a central authority. On such networks, transactions may be included in a proposed block and recorded on the blockchain quickly, but they are not necessarily immediately final. Instead, finality is reached after sufficient validator participation and consensus under the network’s specific rules, which may occur within seconds or may require additional time and confirmations given the permissionless nature of such networks and the potential size of the validator set. These systems typically rely on economic incentive mechanisms, such as staking and penalties for dishonest behavior, to encourage honest participation and maintain security among a decentralized and trust-minimized set of participants.

Other networks may rely on a more limited, permissioned group of institutional validators operating pursuant to defined governance and validation rules. On networks that rely on a limited set of validators, transactions may be validated and finalized through multi-step voting or approval processes among approved participants, with transactions becoming final once a required supermajority has confirmed their validity. In some designs, transactions may be considered final immediately upon inclusion in a validated block. Because validator identities are known and subject to governance frameworks, these systems may place less reliance on open economic incentive mechanisms, although such incentives may be introduced validator sets expand or as networks seek to further align participant behavior with system integrity. These designs are generally intended to provide transaction finality and operational resilience while emphasizing predictability, oversight, and institutional participation. The specific validation method used by any supported network may evolve over time, and the Fund does not control or operate the underlying blockchain networks. The specific validation method used by any supported network may evolve over time, and the Fund does not control or operate the underlying blockchain networks, nor it is responsible in any way for them. Before investing in OnChain Shares on a particular blockchain, an investor should review the validation method of the applicable blockchain.

The maintenance of the records of OnChain Shares on the blockchain will not affect the Fund’s investments in securities; the Fund will continue to invest in accordance with the requirements in Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act and the terms of this SAI. The Fund will not invest in any digital assets, including any virtual currencies.

Information Available via the Blockchain

Information recorded on a public blockchain will be available to the public and will store the complete transaction history of token balances beginning with their issuance on the blockchain. As a result, robust and transparent data, other than shareholder identifying information, will be publicly available through one or more “blockchain explorer” tools capable of displaying activity on the applicable blockchain. Accordingly, OnChain Shares’ issuance, redemption and transfer data (but not a shareholder’s identifying information) will be exposed to the public. The identifying information necessary to associate a given token balance with the record owner of an OnChain Share will be maintained in one or more off-chain databases that are not available to the public. However, if there are data security breaches resulting in theft of the information necessary to link identity with the token balances, the stolen information could be used to determine a shareholder’s identity and complete investing history in OnChain Shares.

In the event of a conflict between the transaction history on the blockchain and the records maintained by the Fund’s transfer agent, the Fund’s transfer agent shall update its records as necessary to align with the blockchain records, except where the blockchain record is found to be erroneous, in which case the transfer agent will update the blockchain to remediate errors to the extent practicable. Conflicts may arise due to, among other things, a chain outage (i.e., the blockchain becomes unavailable or unreliable), a bug resulting in erroneous minting or burning of Tokens, a reversal of a previously finalized transaction (which would represent a fundamental compromise of the network’s security guarantees), or a blockchain fork resulting in two competing chains. Typically, the Fund’s transfer agent will reconcile its records with blockchain transactions on at least a daily basis.

Blockchain Fees, Functionality, and Transaction Processing

Public blockchain networks require the payment of certain transaction fees to execute a transaction on the applicable network. These fees are typically paid in the native digital asset for the operation of the blockchain network (such as, on

 

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the Ethereum blockchain, for example, in the form of “ether,” the native digital asset for the operation of Ethereum) but may also include other eligible digital assets depending on network design. These transaction fees (sometimes called “gas fees”) are paid to execute a transaction. Gas measures the amount of computational effort that it will take to execute a given transaction. The amount of gas required to execute a transaction will vary from transaction to transaction depending on, among other things, the complexity or size of a particular transaction and the congestion on the relevant blockchain. Congestion on the blockchain may be due to increased transactions involving smart contracts that are unrelated to OnChain Shares, and the Fund cannot control such congestion.

Delays in transaction processing have occurred on the blockchain networks. Such a delay may occur because of, among other things, the inability of nodes to reach consensus on transactions or upgrades or changes to the applicable blockchain protocol. During a network delay, recording transactions in OnChain Shares on the blockchain will not be possible and as such may cause discrepancies between the blockchain record and the backup off-chain record maintained by the Fund’s transfer agent. Should such a delay occur for an extended period of time, the Fund could choose to effect transactions with shareholders manually (i.e., in book-entry form) or to provide shareholders with a means to submit transaction requests on a different network approved for use by the Fund, in each case until such time as the network has resumed normal operation. The Fund may choose to reevaluate a particular network for the Fund’s OnChain Shares in the event of future or recurring delays.

Peer-to-Peer Transfers

OnChain Shares may be transferred in peer-to-peer transactions from one shareholder wallet to another current shareholder wallet within any approved blockchain network. A record of completed peer-to-peer transactions is viewable on the blockchain due to being recorded by the Fund’s transfer agent’s blockchain-integrated recordkeeping system. Before transferring OnChain Shares, you (as the transferor) and the potential transferee must each have an active, permissioned (i.e., “whitelisted”) account registered with the Fund’s transfer agent.

The Fund imposes no minimum number of OnChain Shares required to effect a transfer. The relevant blockchain will, however, generally impose a minimum fractional token size, which, in practice will place limits on the minimum number of OnChain Shares that can be transferred in a peer-to-peer transaction. OnChain Shares will be coded such that they can only be transferred to wallets that previously have been whitelisted by the Fund’s transfer agent. Peer-to-peer transfers of OnChain Shares can occur at any time on any given day, including outside of the Fund’s normal business hours. Such transfers are deemed complete upon confirmation of the transaction on the applicable blockchain. A transferee will become a registered owner of OnChain Shares at the time such OnChain Shares are transferred to their wallet, which may occur intra-day or on days or at times when the Fund is closed for business. Dividend eligibility with respect to transferred OnChain Shares will be determined in accordance with the Fund’s prospectus. For more information on dividend eligibility related to peer-to-peer transfers of OnChain Shares, shareholders should consult the “Dividends, Distributions, and Taxes” section of the Fund’s prospectus.

The Fund has no ability to control or monitor the price at which peer-to-peer transfers of OnChain Shares occur, and such transfers may be executed at prices that differ from the Fund’s then-current NAV. You should consult your own tax advisor regarding your particular circumstances, and about any federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences in connection with the transfer of OnChain Shares. The Fund’s transfer agent cannot ensure the reliability of any transfer other than transfers of OnChain Shares that a shareholder instructs the Fund’s transfer agent to make. To the extent investors or potential investors engage in transfers between each other at a price other than NAV, such transfers may, in certain circumstances, have legal implications for those persons under the federal securities laws or otherwise. Neither the Prospectus nor this SAI designates any person as authorized to consummate transactions in OnChain Shares. In addition, as of the date of this SAI, no person other than the Distributor is authorized by the Fund to act as a dealer in OnChain Shares and no person is permitted to so act without the express written authorization of the Fund.

Neither the Fund nor the transfer agent can ensure the reliability of any transfer of other assets negotiated in connection with peer-to-peer transfers.

Digital Wallet Security

An investor in OnChain Shares or its third-party wallet custodian is responsible for securing the investor’s own private key against loss or theft. Although the Fund’s transfer agent maintains controls to correct errors or unauthorized transactions when an investor loses its own private key (or it is stolen), such intervention may require information collection and operational tasks to accomplish and may render the investor’s token balances unavailable while these activities take place. The immediacy with which an investor notifies the Fund of the loss or theft of a private key has a direct bearing on the time required by the Fund to perform corrections. The Fund, however, has sole discretion in determining if, and under what circumstances, it will perform any such corrections. The Fund is not obligated to make any such corrections, and its decision in this regard, including any action or inaction taken by the Fund, is dispositive. For additional information on procedures in the event of a lost or stolen private key and potential corrective measures taken by the Fund or the Fund’s transfer agent, investors should consult the Fund’s prospectus.

 

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Investors in OnChain Shares can mitigate the risk associated with a lost or stolen private key for their investor-managed wallet by:

 

   

Using a “multi-sig configuration” where multiple private keys are required to sign an instruction from the wallet;

 

   

Using a backup recovery phrase, secured in a safe place, or other two-factor authentication method;

 

   

Physically securing storage for investor-managed wallet devices that are implemented in hardware;

 

   

Using PINs or other equivalent per-transaction authentication methods if supported by the investor-managed wallet solution; and/or

 

   

Being aware of phishing and social manipulation techniques commonly used to extract sensitive information from you via written or verbal communication.

Blockchain Technology. Blockchain technology is a relatively new and untested technology which operates as a distributed ledger. Blockchain systems could be vulnerable to fraud, particularly if a significant portion of network validators colluded to defraud the rest. Access to a given blockchain requires an individualized private key, which, if compromised, could result in loss due to theft, destruction or inaccessibility. Regulation of blockchain technology is evolving and may vary significantly across jurisdictions. Any future regulatory developments could affect the viability and expansion of the use of blockchain technology.

Because blockchain technology systems may operate across many national boundaries and regulatory jurisdictions, it is possible that blockchain technology may be subject to widespread and inconsistent regulation. Blockchain technology is not a product or service that provides identifiable revenue for companies that implement, or otherwise use it. Currently, blockchain technology is commonly used for the recording of transactions in digital currency, which may be extremely speculative and volatile. Problems in digital currency markets could have a wider effect on companies associated with blockchain technology. Blockchain technology also may never be implemented to a scale that provides identifiable economic benefit. There are currently a number of competing blockchain platforms with competing intellectual property claims. The uncertainty inherent in these competing technologies could cause companies to use alternatives to blockchain. Finally, because digital assets registered on a blockchain do not have a standardized exchange, like a stock market, there is less liquidity for such assets and greater possibility of fraud or manipulation.

There are risks associated with the issuance, redemption, transfer, custody and record keeping of OnChain Shares maintained and recorded primarily on a blockchain. For example, shares that are issued using blockchain technology would be subject to the following risks, among others:

 

  1.

Delays in processing of shareholder transactions on the blockchain

 

  2.

A rapidly-evolving regulatory landscape in the United States and in other countries, which might result in security, privacy or other regulatory concerns that could require changes to the way transactions in the shares are recorded;

 

  3.

The possibility of undiscovered technical flaws in an underlying technology, including in the process by which transactions are recorded to a blockchain, or by which the validity of a copy of such blockchain can be proven;

 

  4.

The possibility that cryptographic or other security measures that authenticate prior transactions for a blockchain could be compromised, or “hacked,” which could allow an attacker to alter the blockchain and thereby disrupt the ability to corroborate definitive transactions recorded on the blockchain;

 

  5.

The possibility that new technologies or services inhibit access to a blockchain;

 

  6.

The volatility of transaction fees, particularly during periods of network congestion, could make the cost of operating the Fund’s proprietary blockchain-integrated system less predictable; and

 

  7.

The possibility that a breach to one blockchain could cause investors, and the public generally, to lose trust in blockchain technology and increase reluctance to issue and invest in assets recorded on blockchains.

In addition, blockchain technology risk can carry with it additional sub-risks, including: Fork Risk and Network Attack Risk. The following discussion describes these risks in the context of the blockchain architectures expected to be utilized by the Fund. For illustrative purposes only, the below discussion refers in places to features specific to Ethereum, which operates as a proof-of-stake network as of the date of this SAI. These features, and the related risks, will vary among different proof-of-stake blockchains and will differ with respect to blockchains that operate by other consensus mechanisms, such as those that employ a permissioned set of validators. The Fund expects OnChain Shares to be deployed on multiple blockchains with different consensus architectures.

 

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Fork Risk

Blockchain software is generally open-source. Any user can download the software, modify it and then propose that the network adopt the modification. In practice, modifications to blockchain networks are typically introduced through a structured governance process, including formal improvement proposals, community review, developer consensus-building, and extensive testing on development and test networks before deployment on the main network.

When a modification is introduced and a substantial majority of users and validators consent to the modification, the change typically is implemented and the blockchain network remains uninterrupted. Most protocol upgrades on Ethereum, for example, are implemented as planned network-wide upgrades (commonly referred to as “hard forks”) in which the entire community upgrades together and the prior version of the network is effectively abandoned.

However, if less than a substantial majority of users and validators consent to a proposed modification, and the modification is not compatible with the software prior to its modification, the consequence could be what is known as a contentious “fork” (i.e., “split”) of the blockchain network (and the blockchain), with one version running the pre-modified software and the other running the modified software. The effect of such a fork would be the existence of two (or more) versions of the blockchain network running in parallel, but with each version’s native asset lacking interchangeability. For example, while such contentious forks have historically been rare on Ethereum, a notable example occurred in 2016 when the Ethereum network split into Ethereum and Ethereum Classic. Additionally, a fork could be introduced by an unintentional, unanticipated software flaw in the multiple versions of otherwise compatible software users run.

Certain blockchains, such as Ethereum, operate under a proof-of-stake consensus mechanism. Under proof-of-stake, validators are required to stake a specified minimum amount of the blockchain’s native digital asset as collateral to participate in block proposal and attestation. The proof-of-stake mechanism typically includes a finality process under which checkpoint blocks are considered final once they attract attestations representing a supermajority of the total staked native tokens. Once finalized, a block generally cannot be reverted without the attacking validators forfeiting a substantial portion of all staked native tokens through a penalty mechanism known as “slashing.” Slashing also penalizes validators who engage in other protocol violations, such as proposing conflicting blocks. These economic penalties serve as a significant deterrent against validators supporting a competing chain in a fork scenario.

Notwithstanding these deterrents, the proof-of-stake consensus mechanism introduces certain risks that are distinct from those present under a proof-of-work system. These include, but are not limited to, the theoretical “nothing at stake” problem (in which validators could attempt to validate on multiple competing chains simultaneously because proof-of-stake does not require the expenditure of computational resources), as well as certain attack vectors specific to proof-of-stake, such as block withholding. Although slashing mechanisms are designed to mitigate these risks, no assurance can be given that such mitigation will be effective under all circumstances.

A protocol modification may also be implemented as a “soft fork,” which is a backward-compatible change that does not result in a split of the blockchain network. Unlike a hard fork, a soft fork tightens or adds rules to the protocol such that non-upgraded nodes continue to recognize new blocks as valid. While soft forks generally do not carry the same risk of a chain split, they may still introduce changes that affect the functionality or features available on the network.

If a contentious fork occurs, the original blockchain and the forked blockchain could potentially compete with each other for users, validators, and other participants, leading to a loss of these for the original blockchain. Such competition could reduce the security, functionality, and value of the network on which the Fund’s shares are issued. In an instance where a fork occurs on a blockchain on which OnChain Shares are deployed, [the Fund and] the Fund’s transfer agent will determine OnChain Share ownership based on immediately prior available information [and will announce on the Fund’s website which version of the blockchain on which OnChain Shares are deployed.] During this time, the Fund may choose to freeze blockchain activity in OnChain Shares and effect transactions with shareholders manually (i.e., in book-entry form) until such time as the fork is resolved or the network otherwise has resumed normal operations. Tokens existing on any non-designated fork will not constitute valid OnChain Shares and will have no claim on the Fund’s assets.

Network Attack Risk

If a significant portion of staked native token on a proof-of-stake blockchain is controlled by a bad actor, whether singularly or as a group, the bad actor may be able to alter the blockchain on which the blockchain network and network transactions rely. The specific capabilities available to a bad actor depend on the proportion of total staked ether it controls, with escalating thresholds as described below.

Possession of 33% of the staked ether on the Ethereum blockchain is the minimum required to disrupt or attack the network, such as by preventing block finalization. Ethereum’s consensus mechanism requires attestations representing at least two-thirds of total staked ether to finalize checkpoint blocks. Accordingly, an attacker controlling one-third or more of staked ether can prevent the chain from finalizing by withholding or misaligning attestations. The Ethereum protocol includes an “inactivity leak” mechanism designed to mitigate this type of attack, which progressively reduces the staked

 

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ether of non-participating validators until the remaining active validators regain a two-thirds supermajority, thereby restoring finality. However, no assurance can be given that this mechanism will be effective under all circumstances or that it will operate without significant disruption to the network.

Control of more than 50% of staked ether enables more extensive attacks. An attacker with a majority of staked ether could dominate the fork choice algorithm used by the Ethereum network, enabling it to censor certain transactions, perform short-range reorganizations of the blockchain, and extract value by reordering transactions in its favor. The attacker could also “double-spend” its own ether (i.e., spend the same ether in more than one transaction) and prevent the confirmation of other users’ transactions for so long as it maintained control. Notably, under Ethereum’s current proof-of-stake consensus mechanism, an attacker at the 51% threshold could potentially sustain such an attack without triggering the protocol’s slashing penalties, as the fork choice algorithm may not distinguish between malicious attestations and legitimate disagreement among validators. This makes a “51% attack” particularly difficult for the protocol to detect and counter through automated means.

If a malicious actor possesses 66% or more of the staked ether, it could effectively control the network, including the ability to finalize its preferred version of the blockchain without the cooperation of honest validators. At this threshold, the attacker could decide which transactions are processed, censor or reorder transactions, and rewrite the recent history of the blockchain. While the attacker could not forge transactions or generate new ether, it could exercise near-total control over the contents of finalized blocks.

A proof-of-stake consensus mechanism includes several built-in defenses against these attacks. Validators who engage in provably malicious behavior, such as proposing conflicting blocks or submitting contradictory attestations, are subject to “slashing”—the partial or total confiscation and destruction of their staked native tokens, followed by removal from the validator set. These penalties are designed to make attacks economically irrational, as the attacker’s staked capital is directly at risk of destruction. The cost of mounting a 51% attack on a proof-of-stake blockchain may be substantial, potentially requiring the acquisition and staking of a significant portion of the total supply of the native digital asset, all of which would be at risk in the event of a detected attack. Additionally, in the event of a successful attack at any threshold, a blockchain’s community may coordinate an out-of-band social consensus response, including adopting an honest minority fork of the blockchain and thereby rendering the attacker’s staked assets worthless on the community-adopted chain. Such social layer defenses have historical precedent across various blockchain networks.

Notwithstanding these defenses, the risk of a staking-based attack may be heightened by concentration in the ownership and staking of the native digital asset on a given blockchain. A significant portion of staked assets on certain blockchains may be pooled through liquid staking protocols and centralized staking services, with a small number of entities potentially controlling a majority of validating nodes. While such entities may not be single actors and their operations may be distributed across multiple node operators, the concentration of staking power in a small number of entities could increase the feasibility of a coordinated attack or create correlated failure risks. Additionally, a bug or vulnerability in a dominant consensus client (i.e., the software that validators use to participate in the network) could cause correlated failures among a large proportion of validators, potentially mimicking the effects of an attack meeting or exceeding a critical consensus threshold even absent malicious intent.

In addition, a malicious actor may also obtain control over the blockchain network through its influence over core developers by gaining direct control over a core developer or an otherwise influential programmer. For example, to the extent that a proof-of-stake ecosystem does not grow or diversify, the possibility that a malicious actor may be able to obtain control of the staking power, client software, or development direction of the blockchain network will remain heightened. If the feasibility of a bad actor gaining control of the blockchain network increases, it may negatively affect the ability of the Fund’s OnChain Shares to be held on the blockchain undergoing such an attack, and could reduce the security, functionality, and value of the network on which OnChain Shares are issued.

On blockchains that do not operate using a proof-of-stake system and instead rely on a relatively small set of validators, such as Tempo as of the date hereof, there is a risk of network attacks through validator coordination or collusion. These networks generally operate as expected under the assumption that fewer than one-third of validators are faulty and that at least two-thirds are online and acting honestly. If more than one-third of validators were to act in a coordinated or malicious manner, this could disrupt the network’s ability to process or finalize transactions, and if two-thirds or more of validators were involved, this could result in the validation of incorrect transactions or inconsistent ledger states. This risk may be mitigated to some extent if the validators are vetted institutional actors or ensuring that validators operate under defined governance frameworks with compliance obligations.

Additionally, for relatively nascent stage blockchain networks, the full range of potential failure modes, including fork-related risks, may not be as well understood or as extensively tested as in more mature networks such as Ethereum. As a result, there may be uncertainty regarding how these systems would behave under adverse or unexpected conditions, including validator disagreement or network partition events. Furthermore, the consensus mechanisms for these networks may evolve over time as the networks mature, which could introduce new or different risk considerations.

Before investing in OnChain Shares on a particular blockchain, an investor should carefully consider the risks of using such blockchain network and should conduct their own assessment of the suitability of such network for making their investment in the Fund.

 

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Blockchain Networks. The suitability of the blockchain networks (and underlying blockchain ledgers) approved for use by the Fund could decline due to a variety of causes, adversely affecting the functionality of the token balances and an investment in the Fund. Blockchain networks are based on software protocols that govern the peer-to-peer interactions between computers connected to these networks. The suitability of a network for the blockchain-based functionality provided in connection with OnChain Shares depends upon a variety of factors, including, but not limited to:

 

  1.

The effectiveness of the informal groups of (often uncompensated) developers contributing to the protocols that underlie the network;

 

  2.

Effectiveness of the validators and the network’s consensus mechanisms to effectively secure the network against confirmation of invalid transactions;

 

  3.

The continued participation of a number of trusted validators;

 

  4.

The lack of collusion between trusted validators;

 

  5.

Disputes among the developers or validators of the network;

 

  6.

Changes in the consensus or validation scheme that underlies the network;

 

  7.

The failure of cybersecurity controls or security breaches of the network;

 

  8.

The inability of validators to reach consensus and the consequential halting of transaction verification on the network;

 

  9.

The existence of undiscovered technical flaws in the network;

 

  10.

The development of new or existing hardware or software tools or mechanisms that could negatively impact the functionality of the systems;

 

  11.

The price of the blockchain asset associated with the respective network;

 

  12.

The cost of “gas” fees to use the network;

 

  13.

Intellectual property rights-based or other claims against the network’s participants;

 

  14.

The continued adoption of the network; and

 

  15.

The maturity of the computer software programming software development kit used in connection with the network.

Unfavorable developments or characteristics of any of the above or other circumstances could adversely affect the Fund’s operations or the functionality of OnChain Shares. Furthermore, a blockchain record stores the complete transaction history from issuance of OnChain Shares. As a result, robust and transparent data, other than shareholder personal identifying information, will be publicly available via the published blockchain and tools such as block explorers. Such transaction data is secured by cryptography and only a public-key-derived wallet address (and not a shareholder’s personal identifying information) will be exposed to the public on the blockchain. The personal identifying information necessary to associate a public key representing a given block of OnChain Shares with the record owner of those OnChain Shares will be maintained by the Fund’s transfer agent and will not be available to the public. However, if there are data security breaches with respect to such database(s) resulting in theft of the information necessary to link personal identity with the public key and related OnChain Share transactions, the stolen information could be used to determine a shareholder’s identity and complete transaction history in OnChain Shares.

Concerns over these privacy issues may limit adoption of public-ledger blockchain technology, reducing the potential market acceptance for OnChain Shares and the size of the Fund.

Blockchain Network Suitability. Although the Fund’s transfer agent does not endorse or recommend any particular

blockchain, and an investor should independently assess any blockchain for their own purposes and use cases, the Fund’s transfer agent will nonetheless review information related to a blockchain in relation to allowing a blockchain to be used to support OnChain Shares, including the following:

 

   

Operational Integrity and Scalability: Each supported blockchain should generally demonstrate consistent performance and adequate scalability.

 

   

Transaction Costs: Each supported blockchain should have reasonably understandable transaction fees.

 

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Permissioning Compatibility: Each supported blockchain should be able to support the Fund’s transfer agent’s permissioned framework on public, permissionless blockchains in seeking to ensure that only pre-approved wallets can participate in transactions involving OnChain Shares.

 

   

Burning and Minting Process: If an investor wishes to move between two supported blockchains, the investor will need to contact the transfer agent to communicate their intent. The process is manual and is only supported during business days and operating hours. Each of the supported blockchains should be able to support the Fund’s transfer agent’s management of a burning and minting process. This process involves reducing the balance of OnChain Shares on the originating blockchain to zero by recording a “burning” transaction and then minting an equivalent number of OnChain Shares on the destination blockchain. This controlled burning and minting process seeks to ensure that the movement of OnChain Shares between blockchains does not result in any dilution or duplication of OnChain Shares.

In addition to review by the Fund’s transfer agent, BlackRock conducts multi-layered technical and operational due diligence, in coordination with the Fund’s transfer agent, prior to supporting the Fund’s OnChain Shares on any blockchain network. This process includes blockchain diligence and transfer agent oversight.

Investors should note that they may experience materially different service levels on different blockchains.

Blockchain Regulation. Regulation of digital assets (such as OnChain Shares), blockchain technologies and digital asset platforms is currently developing and likely to rapidly evolve, varies significantly among international, federal, state and local jurisdictions and is subject to significant uncertainty. Various legislative and executive bodies in the United States and in other countries are currently considering, or may in the future consider, laws, regulations, guidance, or other actions, which may severely impact the Fund, and thus the Fund’s shareholders. Failure by the Fund or any Fund service provider to comply with any laws, rules or regulations, some of which may not exist yet or are subject to interpretation and may be subject to change, could result in a variety of adverse consequences to the Fund (and thus to the Fund’s shareholders), including civil penalties and fines. New or changing laws and regulations or interpretations of existing laws and regulations may adversely impact the Fund’s ability to issue and redeem OnChain Shares or otherwise make distributions on OnChain Shares, the secondary market liquidity and market price of OnChain Shares, shareholders’ ability to access or otherwise utilize an exchange or platform for trading of OnChain Shares (should such a platform or exchange exist in the future and such activity be permitted by the Fund) and the structure, rights and transferability of OnChain Shares (should shareholders be permitted to transfer or exchange OnChain Shares in the future). Therefore, there can be no assurance that any new or continuing regulatory scrutiny or initiatives will not have an adverse impact on OnChain Shares or impede the Fund’s current or future activities. In addition, because of the differences between the way OnChain Shares are issued and recorded as compared to shares in a traditional mutual fund, there is a risk that issues that might easily be resolved by existing law if traditional methods were involved may not be easily resolved for OnChain Shares. The occurrence of any related issue or dispute could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s current or future business or OnChain Shares. Blockchain networks currently face an uncertain regulatory landscape in not only the United States but also in many foreign jurisdictions such as the European Union and China. Various foreign jurisdictions may, in the near future, adopt laws, regulations or directives that affect a blockchain network and its users, developers and service providers that fall within such jurisdictions’ regulatory scope. Such laws, regulations or directives may conflict with those of the United States or may directly and negatively impact the Fund and its service providers. The effect of any future regulatory change is impossible to predict, but such change could be substantial and adverse to the shareholders, the Fund and the Fund’s service providers.

Stablecoin Regulatory Risk. The Fund intends to operate such that its OnChain Shares will be “eligible reserve assets” for payment stablecoin issuers under a U.S. law enacted in July 2025 designed to establish a framework for regulation of such issuers and any regulation adopted thereunder (the “GENIUS Act”). However, aspects of the GENIUS Act remain unclear and subject to interpretation, and federal regulators, including the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, are developing implementing standards that have not been finalized as of the date of this Prospectus. Changes in, or new interpretations of, the GENIUS Act or related rules could affect the types of instruments the Fund is permitted to hold under that framework or the methods by which the Fund implements its investment strategy, including operational processes tied to its permissioned use of public blockchains for OnChain Shares. These developments could require the Fund to adjust portfolio holdings or modify operational practices and could adversely affect the Fund or its shareholders.

Commercial Paper and Other Short Term Obligations. Commercial paper (including variable amount master demand notes and other variable rate securities, with or without forward features) refers to short term unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations, partnerships, trusts or other entities to finance short term credit needs and non-convertible debt securities (e.g., bonds and debentures) with no more than 397 days remaining to maturity at the date of purchase. Short term obligations issued by trusts, corporations, partnerships or other entities include mortgage-related or asset-backed instruments, including pass-through certificates such as participations in, or bonds and notes backed by, pools of mortgage, automobile, manufactured housing or other types of consumer loans; credit card or trade receivables or pools of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities. These structured financings will be supported by sufficient collateral and other credit enhancements, including letters of credit, insurance, reserve funds and guarantees by third parties, to enable such instruments to obtain a quality rating by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”), if applicable. Some structured financings also use various types of swaps, among other things, to issue instruments that have interest rate, quality or maturity characteristics necessary or desirable for a Fund. These swaps may include so-called credit default

 

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swaps that might depend for payment not only on the credit of a counterparty, but also on the obligations of another entity, the “reference entity.” Commercial paper is generally considered to be short-term unsecured debt of corporations. Like all fixed income securities, commercial paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. If interest rates rise, commercial paper prices will decline and vice versa. However, the short-term nature of a commercial paper investment generally makes it less susceptible to volatility than many other fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase. Commercial paper tends to yield smaller returns than longer-term corporate debt because securities with shorter maturities typically have lower effective yields than those with longer maturities.

Environmental, Social and Governance (“ESG”) Integration. Although a Fund does not seek to implement a specific sustainability objective, strategy or process unless disclosed in the Fund’s Prospectus, BlackRock will consider ESG factors as part of the credit research and investment process for a Fund. BlackRock views ESG integration as the practice of incorporating financially material ESG data or information into investment processes with the objective of enhancing risk-adjusted returns. All securities purchases by a Fund are selected from approved lists maintained by BlackRock. All instruments on an approved list used by a Fund have met the minimal credit risk requirement of Rule 2a-7, if required. In reviewing instruments, BlackRock will consider the capacity of the issuer or guarantor to meet its obligations. BlackRock considers ESG data within the total data available during its review. This may include third party research as well as considerations of proprietary BlackRock research across the ESG risks and opportunities regarding an issuer.

The ESG characteristics utilized in a Fund’s investment processes are anticipated to evolve over time and one or more characteristics may not be relevant with respect to all issuers that are eligible for investment. Certain of these considerations may affect the Fund’s exposure to certain companies or industries. While BlackRock views ESG considerations as having the potential to contribute to a Fund’s long-term performance, there is no guarantee that such results will be achieved.

 

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Foreign Bank Money Instruments. Foreign bank money instruments refer to U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries, such as, but not limited to, certificates of deposit, bankers’ acceptances, time deposits, bank notes and deposit notes. The obligations of such foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries may be the general obligations of the parent bank or may be limited to the issuing branch or subsidiary by the terms of the specific obligation or by government regulation. Such investments will only be made if determined to be of comparable quality to other investments permissible for a Fund. A Fund will not invest more than 25% of its total assets (taken at market value at the time of each investment) in these obligations. Investments in foreign entities generally involve the same risks as those described above in connection with investments in Eurodollar and Yankeedollar obligations and obligations of foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries. See “Bank Money Instruments.”

Foreign Short Term Debt Instruments. Foreign short term debt instruments refer to U.S. dollar-denominated commercial paper and other short term obligations issued by foreign entities. Such investments are subject to quality standards similar to those applicable to investments in comparable obligations of domestic issuers. These investments generally involve the same risks as those described above in connection with investments in Eurodollar and Yankeedollar obligations and obligations of foreign depository institutions and their foreign branches and subsidiaries. See “Bank Money Instruments.”

Forward Commitments. Certain Funds may purchase or sell money market securities on a forward commitment basis at fixed purchase terms. The purchase or sale will be recorded on the date a Fund enters into the commitment, and the value of the security will thereafter be reflected in the calculation of the Fund’s NAV. The value of the security on the delivery date may be more or less than its purchase price. Although a Fund generally will enter into forward commitments with the intention of acquiring securities for its portfolio, a Fund may dispose of a commitment prior to settlement if the Manager deems it appropriate to do so.

There can be no assurance that a security purchased or sold through a forward commitment will be delivered. The value of securities in these transactions on the delivery date may be more or less than a Fund’s purchase price. The Fund may bear the risk of a decline in the value of the security in these transactions and may not benefit from appreciation in the value of the security during the commitment period.

Illiquid Investments. No Fund will acquire any illiquid security (i.e., securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value ascribed to them by the Fund) if, immediately following such purchase, more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets are invested in illiquid securities. The Manager will monitor the liquidity of illiquid investments under the supervision of the Board.

Inflation Risk. The Funds are subject to inflation risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the present value of assets or income from investments will be less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the present value of a Fund’s assets can decline as can the value of a Fund’s distributions. Inflation rates may change frequently and significantly due to a number of potential factors, including, among others, unexpected economic shifts or changes in fiscal or monetary policies.

Interest Rate Risk. The value of fixed income securities in the Funds can be expected to vary inversely with changes in prevailing interest rates. Fixed income securities with longer maturities, which tend to produce higher yields, are subject to potentially greater capital appreciation and depreciation than securities with shorter maturities.

Investment in Other Investment Companies. Each Fund may, subject to applicable law, invest in other investment companies (including investment companies managed by BlackRock and its affiliates), including money market funds and exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”), which are typically open-end funds or unit investment trusts listed on a stock exchange. Under Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act, however, a Fund may invest up to 10% of its total assets in securities of other investment companies (measured at the time of such investment). In addition, under Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the Investment Company Act a Fund may not acquire securities of an investment company if such acquisition would cause the Fund to own more than 3% of the total outstanding voting stock of such investment company and a Fund may not invest in another investment company if such investment would cause more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets to be invested in securities of such investment company. (These limits do not restrict a feeder fund from investing all of its assets in shares of its master portfolio.) In addition to the restrictions on investing in other investment companies discussed above, under Section 12(d)(1)(C) of the Investment Company Act a Fund may not invest in a registered closed-end investment company if such investment would cause the Fund and other BlackRock-advised investment companies to own more than 10% of the total outstanding voting stock of such closed-end investment company. Pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the Investment Company Act, these percentage limitations do not apply to investments in affiliated investment companies, including ETFs, subject to certain conditions. In addition, a Fund may be able to rely on certain rules under the Investment Company Act to invest in shares of money market funds or other investment companies beyond the statutory limits noted above, but subject to certain conditions.

As with other investments, investments in other investment companies are subject to market and selection risk.

 

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Shares of investment companies, such as closed-end fund investment companies, that trade on an exchange may at times be acquired at market prices representing premiums to their NAVs. In addition, investment companies held by a Fund that trade on an exchange could trade at a discount from NAV, and such discount could increase while the Fund holds the shares. If the market price of shares of an exchange-traded investment company decreases below the price that the Fund paid for the shares and the Fund were to sell its shares of such investment company at a time when the market price is lower than the price at which it purchased the shares, the Fund would experience a loss.

In addition, if a Fund acquires shares in investment companies, including affiliated investment companies, shareholders would bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund and, indirectly, the expenses of such investment companies. Such expenses, both at the Fund level and acquired investment company level, would include management and advisory fees, unless such fees have been waived by BlackRock. Please see the relevant Fund’s Prospectus to determine whether any such management and advisory fees have been waived by BlackRock. Investments by a Fund in wholly owned investment entities created under the laws of certain countries will not be deemed an investment in other investment companies. Pursuant to guidance issued by the staff of the Commission, fees and expenses of money market funds used for the investment of cash collateral received in connection with loans of Fund securities are not treated as “acquired fund fees and expenses,” which are fees and expenses charged by other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles in which a Fund invests a portion of its assets.

To the extent shares of a Fund are held by another fund, the ability of the Fund itself to purchase other funds may be limited. In addition, a fund-of-funds (e.g., an investment company that seeks to meet its investment objective by investing significantly in other investment companies) may be limited in its ability to purchase underlying funds if such underlying funds themselves own shares of underlying funds.

A number of publicly traded closed-end investment companies have been organized to facilitate indirect foreign investment in developing countries, and certain of such countries, such as Thailand, South Korea, Chile and Brazil, have specifically authorized such funds. There also are investment opportunities in certain of such countries in pooled vehicles that resemble open-end investment companies. The restrictions on investments in securities of investment companies set forth above may limit opportunities for a Fund to invest indirectly in certain developing countries.

Issuer Insolvency Risk. Certain Funds’ potential exposure to financially or operationally troubled issuers involves a high degree of credit and market risk, which may be heightened during an economic downturn or recession. Should an issuer of securities held by a Fund become involved in a bankruptcy proceeding, reorganization or financial restructuring, a wide variety of considerations make an evaluation of the outcome of the Fund’s exposure to the issuer uncertain.

During the period of a bankruptcy proceeding, reorganization or financial restructuring, it is unlikely that a Fund will receive any interest payments on the securities of the issuer. A Fund will be subject to significant uncertainty as to whether the reorganization or restructuring will be completed, and the Fund may bear certain extraordinary expenses to protect and recover its investment. A Fund will also be subject to significant uncertainty as to when and in what manner and for what value the obligations evidenced by the securities of the issuer held by the Fund will eventually be satisfied.

Even if a plan of reorganization or restructuring is adopted with respect to the securities of the issuer held by the Fund, there can be no assurance that the securities or other assets received by a Fund in connection with such plan of reorganization or restructuring will not have a lower value or income potential than may have been anticipated or no value. A Fund may be unable to enforce its claims or rights in any collateral or may have its claims or security interest in any collateral challenged, disallowed or subordinated to the claims or security interests of other creditors. In addition, amendments to the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or other relevant laws could alter the expected outcome or introduce greater uncertainty regarding the outcome of the Fund’s securities holdings in the issuer. In a bankruptcy proceeding, a reorganization or restructuring, the securities of the issuer held by a Fund could be re-characterized or a Fund may receive different securities or other assets, including equity securities. These types of equity securities include, but are not limited to: common stock; preferred stock (including convertible preferred stock); bonds, notes and debentures convertible into common or preferred stock; stock purchase warrants and rights; equity interests in trusts; and depositary receipts. Equity securities are subject to changes in value, and their value may be more volatile than those of other asset classes. Holders of equity securities are subject to more risk than holders of debt securities because the status of equity holders is subordinate to debtholders in an issuer’s capital structure. The value of equity securities received by a Fund could decline if the financial condition of the issuer deteriorates or if overall market and economic conditions, or conditions within the issuer’s region or industry, deteriorate.

 

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To the extent that a Fund receives other assets in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding, reorganization or financial restructuring, the Fund may also be subject to additional risks associated with the assets received. One example of assets that a Fund could receive is an interest in one or more loans made to the issuer as part of a workout agreed to by a consortium of lienholders and creditors of the issuer. A Fund may receive such interests in loans to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act.

Securities or other assets received in a reorganization or restructuring typically entail a higher degree of risk than investments in securities of issuers that have not undergone a reorganization or restructuring and may be subject to heavy selling or downward pricing pressure after completion of the reorganization or restructuring. The post- reorganization/restructuring assets and securities may also be illiquid and difficult to sell or value. If a Fund participates in negotiations with respect to a plan of reorganization or restructuring with respect to securities of the issuer held by a Fund, the Fund also may be restricted from disposing such securities for a period of time. If a Fund becomes involved in such proceedings, the Fund may have more active participation in the affairs of the issuer than that assumed generally by an investor.

Market Risks/Recent Market Events. Securities may decline in value due to factors affecting securities markets generally or particular industries represented in the markets. The value of a security may decline due to general market conditions, economic trends or events that are not specifically related to a company or to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, or factors that affect a particular issuer or issuers, exchange, country, group of countries, region, market, industry, group of industries, sector or asset class. The success of a Fund’s activities could be affected by interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in laws, trade barriers, economic sanctions, currency exchange controls, and local, regional or global events such as war, acts of terrorism, natural and environmental disasters, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, recessions, or other events could have a significant impact on a Fund and its investments. During a general economic downturn in the securities markets, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. These factors may affect the level and volatility of securities prices and the liquidity of a Fund’s investments, which could impair a Fund’s profitability or result in losses. A Fund may maintain substantial trading positions that can be adversely affected by the level of volatility in the financial markets; the larger the positions, the greater the potential for loss. Unpredictable or unstable market conditions may result in reduced opportunities to find suitable investments to deploy capital or make it more difficult to exit and realize value from a Fund’s existing investments. It is important to understand that a Fund can incur material losses even if it reacts quickly to difficult market conditions and there can be no assurance that a Fund will not suffer material adverse effects from broad and rapid changes in market conditions.

Periods of unusually high volatility in the financial markets and restrictive credit conditions, sometimes limited to a particular sector or a geography, can occur. Some countries, including the United States, have adopted and/or are considering the adoption of more protectionist trade policies, a move away from the tighter financial industry regulations that followed the financial crisis of 2008, and/or substantially reducing corporate taxes. The exact shape of these policies is still being considered, but the equity and debt markets may react strongly to expectations of change, which could increase volatility, especially if the market’s expectations are not borne out. A rise in protectionist trade policies, and the possibility of changes to some international trade agreements, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. In addition, geopolitical and other risks, including environmental and public health, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Economies and financial markets throughout the world are increasingly interconnected. As a result, whether or not a Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to countries experiencing economic, political and/or financial difficulties, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected by such events.

Governments and regulators may take actions that affect the regulation of a Fund or the instruments in which a Fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Future legislation or regulation or other governmental actions could limit or preclude a Fund’s abilities to achieve its investment objectives or otherwise adversely impact an investment in a Fund. Recent policy initiatives undertaken by the U.S. government have the potential to impact international relations, trade agreements and the overall regulatory environment in ways that could create uncertainty and instability in domestic and global markets and could adversely affect the investment performance of a Fund. In particular, actions taken by the U.S. government in respect of international trade relations could lead to trade wars, increased costs for imported goods, disruptions in supply chains, reduced foreign investment, and instability in regions where a Fund invests. Political and diplomatic events within the United States, including a contentious domestic political environment, changes in political party control of one or more branches of the U.S. Government, the U.S. Government’s inability at times to agree on a long-term budget and deficit reduction plan, the threat of a U.S. Government shutdown, and disagreements over, or threats not to increase, the U.S.

 

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Government’s borrowing limit (or “debt ceiling”), as well as political and diplomatic events abroad, may affect investor and consumer confidence and may adversely impact financial markets and the broader economy, perhaps suddenly and to a significant degree. A downgrade of the ratings of U.S. Government debt obligations, or concerns about the U.S. Government’s credit quality in general, could have a substantial negative effect on the U.S. and global economies. For example, concerns about the U.S. Government’s credit quality may cause increased volatility in the stock and bond markets, higher interest rates, reduced prices and liquidity of U.S. Treasury securities, and/or increased costs of various kinds of debt. Moreover, although the U.S. Government has honored its credit obligations, there remains a possibility that the United States could default on its obligations. The consequences of such an unprecedented event are impossible to predict, but it is likely that a default by the United States would be highly disruptive to the U.S. and global securities markets and could significantly impair the value of a Fund’s investments.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant market volatility, exchange suspensions and closures, declines in global financial markets, higher default rates, supply chain disruptions, and a substantial economic downturn in economies throughout the world. The impact of this coronavirus, and other epidemics and pandemics that may arise in the future, could affect the economies of many nations, individual companies and the market in general in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. These health crises may be short term or long term, and may exacerbate other pre-existing political, social and economic risks, disrupt normal market conditions and operations, and negatively impact performance. In addition, the impact of infectious diseases in emerging developing or emerging market countries may be greater due to less established health care systems.

Legal and Regulatory Risks. The Manager is part of a larger firm with multiple business lines active in multiple jurisdictions that are governed by a multitude of legal systems and regulatory regimes, some of which are new and evolving. As a result, the Funds and the Manager and its affiliates are subject to extensive and sophisticated legal, tax and regulatory risks, including changing laws and regulations, developing interpretations of such laws and regulations, as well as existing laws, and increased scrutiny by regulators and law enforcement authorities. Unexpected economic, political, regulatory and diplomatic events within the United States and abroad can trigger new and complex regulations that the Manager and/or the Funds may need to comply with. The implementation of changes to comply with current and/or new regulations applicable to the Funds and/or the Manager could have a material adverse effect on the Funds (including by imposing material costs on the Funds, reducing profit margins, reducing investment opportunities or by otherwise restricting the Funds and/or the Manager).

Tariff and Trade Policy Risks. Some countries, including the U.S., have adopted more protectionist trade policies. The U.S. government recently altered its approach to international trade policy, resulting in significant impacts on international trade relations, certain tax and immigration policies, and other aspects of the national and international political and financial landscape. The rise in protectionist trade policies, slowing economic growth, changes to some major international trade agreements, risks associated with trade agreements between the U.S. and the European Union, and the risks associated with trade negotiations between the U.S. and China, could affect the economies of many nations in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen at the present time. Global trade disruption, significant introductions of trade barriers, and bilateral trade frictions, together with any future downturns in the global economy resulting therefrom, could adversely affect the financial performance of a Fund and its investments. Trade policy may be an ongoing source of instability, potentially resulting in significant currency fluctuations and/or having other adverse effects on international markets, international trade agreements, and/or other existing cross-border cooperation arrangements (whether economic, tax, fiscal, legal, regulatory, or otherwise). To the extent trade disputes escalate globally, there could be additional significant impacts on the sectors or industries in which a Fund invests and other adverse impacts on a Fund’s overall performance.

Municipal Investments

Municipal Securities. Certain Funds invest in short term municipal obligations issued by or on behalf of the states, their political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities and obligations of other qualifying issuers, such as issuers located in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam, the interest on which (and/or, in the case of property taxes, the value of which) is excludable, in the opinion of bond counsel to the issuer, from gross income for purposes of Federal income taxes and the applicable state’s income taxes (“State Taxes”). Obligations that pay interest that is excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes are referred to herein as “Municipal Securities,” and obligations that pay interest that is excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes and are exempt from the applicable State Taxes are referred to as “State Municipal Securities.” Unless otherwise indicated, references to Municipal Securities shall be deemed to include State Municipal Securities.

Municipal Securities include debt obligations issued to obtain funds for various public purposes, including construction of a wide range of public facilities, refunding of outstanding obligations and obtaining funds for general operating expenses and loans to other public institutions and facilities. In addition, certain types of bonds are issued by or on behalf of public authorities to finance various facilities operated for private profit. Such obligations are included within the term Municipal Securities if the interest paid thereon is excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes.

 

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The two principal classifications of Municipal Securities are “general obligation” bonds and “revenue” or “special obligation” bonds. General obligation bonds are secured by the issuer’s pledge of its faith, credit and taxing power for the repayment of principal and the payment of interest. Revenue or special obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue source such as from the user of the facility being financed. Private activity bonds (or “industrial development bonds” under pre-1986 law) are in most cases revenue bonds and do not generally constitute the pledge of the credit or taxing power of the issuer of such bonds. The repayment of the principal and the payment of interest on such private activity bonds depends solely on the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds to meet its financial obligation and the pledge, if any, of real and personal property so financed as security for such payment. In addition, private activity bonds may pay interest that is subject to the Federal alternative minimum tax. A Fund’s portfolio may include “moral obligation” bonds, which are normally issued by special purpose public authorities. If an issuer of moral obligation bonds is unable to meet its debt service obligations from current revenues, it may draw on a reserve fund, the restoration of which is a moral commitment but not a legal obligation of a state or municipality.

Yields on Municipal Securities are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general condition of the money market and of the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation, and the rating of the issuer. The ability of a Fund to achieve its investment objective is also dependent on the continuing ability of the issuers of the Municipal Securities in which the Fund invests to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and the repayment of principal when due. There are variations in the risks involved in holding Municipal Securities, both within a particular classification and between classifications, depending on numerous factors. Furthermore, the rights of holders of Municipal Securities and the obligations of the issuers of such Municipal Securities may be subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws and court decisions affecting the rights of creditors generally, and such laws, if any, which may be enacted by Congress or state legislatures affecting specifically the rights of holders of Municipal Securities.

A Fund’s ability to distribute dividends exempt from Federal income tax will depend on the exclusion from gross income of the interest income that it receives on the Municipal Securities in which it invests. A Fund will only purchase a Municipal Security if it is accompanied by an opinion of counsel to the issuer, which is delivered on the date of issuance of that security, that interest on such securities is excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes (the “tax exemption opinion”).

Events occurring after the date of issuance of the Municipal Securities, however, may cause the interest on such securities to be includable in gross income for Federal income tax purposes. For example, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) establishes certain requirements, such as restrictions as to the investment of the proceeds of the issue, limitations as to the use of proceeds of such issue and the property financed by such proceeds, and the payment of certain excess earnings to the Federal government, that must be met after the issuance of the Municipal Securities for interest on such securities to remain excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes. The issuers and the conduit borrowers of the Municipal Securities generally covenant to comply with such requirements and the tax exemption opinion generally assumes continuing compliance with such requirements. Failure to comply with these continuing requirements, however, may cause the interest on such Municipal Securities to be includable in gross income for Federal income tax purposes retroactive to their date of issue.

In addition, the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) has an ongoing enforcement program that involves the audit of tax exempt bonds to determine whether an issue of bonds satisfies all of the requirements that must be met for interest on such bonds to be excludable from gross income for Federal income tax purposes. From time to time, some of the Municipal Securities held by a Fund may be the subject of such an audit by the IRS, and the IRS may determine that the interest on such securities is includable in gross income for Federal income tax purposes either because the IRS has taken a legal position adverse to the conclusion reached by the counsel to the issuer in the tax exemption opinion or as a result of an action taken or not taken after the date of issue of such obligation.

If interest paid on a Municipal Security in which a Fund invests is determined to be taxable subsequent to the Fund’s acquisition of such security, the IRS may demand that such Fund pay taxes on the affected interest income and, if the Fund agrees to do so, its yield could be adversely affected. If the interest paid on any Municipal Security held by a Fund is determined to be taxable, such Fund will dispose of the security as soon as practicable. A determination that interest on a security held by a Fund is includable in gross income for Federal or state income tax purposes retroactively to its date of issue may, likewise, cause a portion of prior distributions received by shareholders to be taxable to those shareholders in the year of receipt.

 

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From time to time, proposals have been introduced before Congress for the purpose of restricting or eliminating the Federal income tax exclusion for interest on Municipal Securities. Similar proposals may be introduced in the future. If such a proposal were enacted, the ability of each Fund to pay “exempt-interest dividends” would be affected adversely and the Fund would re-evaluate its investment objectives and policies and consider changes in structure. See “Dividends and Taxes — Taxes.”

Municipal Securities — Derivative Products. Derivative Products are typically structured by a bank, broker-dealer or other financial institution. A Derivative Product generally consists of a trust or partnership through which a Fund holds an interest in one or more underlying bonds coupled with a right to sell (“put”) the Fund’s interest in the underlying bonds at par plus accrued interest to a financial institution (a “Liquidity Provider”). Typically, a Derivative Product is structured as a trust or partnership that provides for pass-through tax-exempt income. There are currently three principal types of derivative structures: (1) “Tender Option Bonds,” which are instruments that grant the holder thereof the right to put an underlying bond at par plus accrued interest at specified intervals to a Liquidity Provider; (2) “Swap Products,” in which the trust or partnership swaps the payments due on an underlying bond with a swap counterparty who agrees to pay a floating municipal money market interest rate; and (3) “Partnerships,” which allocate to the partners portions of income, expenses, capital gains and losses associated with holding an underlying bond in accordance with a governing agreement. A Fund may also invest in other forms of short term Derivative Products eligible for investment by money market funds.

Investments in Derivative Products raise certain tax, legal, regulatory and accounting issues that may not be presented by investments in municipal bonds. There is some risk that certain issues could be resolved in a manner that could adversely impact the performance of a Fund. For example, the tax-exempt treatment of the interest paid to holders of Derivative Products is premised on the legal conclusion that the holders of such Derivative Products have an ownership interest in the underlying bonds. Were the IRS or any state taxing authority to issue an adverse ruling or take an adverse position with respect to the taxation of Derivative Products, there is a risk that the interest paid on such Derivative Products or, in the case of property taxes, the value of such Fund to the extent represented by such Derivative Products, would be deemed taxable at the Federal and/or state level. Before purchasing a Derivative Product, the Manager is required by the Funds’ procedures to conclude that the tax-exempt security and the supporting short-term obligation involve minimal credit risks and are Eligible Securities under the Funds’ Rule 2a-7 procedures. In evaluating the creditworthiness of the entity obligated to purchase the tax-exempt security, the Manager will review periodically the entity’s relevant financial information.

Municipal Notes. Municipal notes are shorter term municipal debt obligations. They may provide interim financing in anticipation of tax collection, bond sales or revenue receipts. If there is a shortfall in the anticipated proceeds, the note may not be fully repaid and a Fund may lose money.

Municipal Commercial Paper. Municipal commercial paper is generally unsecured and issued to meet short term financing needs. The lack of security presents some risk of loss to a Fund since, in the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy, unsecured creditors are repaid only after the secured creditors are paid out of the assets, if any, that remain.

Municipal Lease Obligations. Also included within the general category of State Municipal Securities are Certificates of Participation (“COPs”) issued by governmental authorities or entities to finance the acquisition or construction of equipment, land and/or facilities. The COPs represent participations in a lease, an installment purchase contract or a conditional sales contract (hereinafter collectively called “lease obligations”) relating to such equipment, land or facilities. Although lease obligations do not constitute general obligations of the issuer for which the issuer’s unlimited taxing power is pledged, a lease obligation is frequently backed by the issuer’s covenant to budget for, appropriate and make the payments due under the lease obligation. However, certain lease obligations contain “non-appropriation” clauses that provide that the issuer has no obligation to make lease or installment purchase payments in future years unless money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although “non-appropriation” lease obligations are secured by the leased property, disposition of the property in the event of foreclosure might prove difficult. The securities represent a type of financing that has not yet developed the depth of marketability associated with more conventional securities. Certain investments in lease obligations may be illiquid.

Municipal Securities — Short-Term Maturity Standards. All of the investments of a Fund in Municipal Securities will be in securities with remaining maturities of 397 days or less. The dollar-weighted average maturity of each Fund’s portfolio will be 60 days or less. For purposes of this investment policy, an obligation will be treated as having

 

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a maturity earlier than its stated maturity date if such obligation has technical features that, in the judgment of the Manager, will result in the obligation being valued in the market as though it has such earlier maturity.

The maturities of Variable Rate Demand Obligations (“VRDOs”) are deemed to be the longer of (i) the notice period required before a Fund is entitled to receive payment of the principal amount of the VRDOs on demand or (ii) the period remaining until the VRDO’s next interest rate adjustment. If not redeemed by a Fund through the demand feature, VRDOs mature on a specified date, which may range up to 30 years from the date of issuance. See “VRDOs” below.

Municipal Securities — Quality Standards. A Fund’s portfolio investments in municipal notes and short term tax-exempt commercial paper will be limited to those obligations that are (i) secured by a pledge of the full faith and credit of the United States or (ii) otherwise are determined by the Manager to present minimal credit risks to the Fund. A Fund’s investments in municipal bonds will be in securities that have been determined by the Manager to present minimal credit risks to the Fund. In addition, certain Funds may require that portfolio investments (or their issuers) receive minimum credit ratings from one or more NRSROs, or if not rated, are determined by the Manager to be of comparable quality to securities that have received such rating(s). Certain tax-exempt obligations (primarily VRDOs) may be entitled to the benefit of letters of credit or similar credit enhancements issued by financial institutions. In such instances, in assessing the quality of such instruments, the Trustees and the Manager will take into account not only the creditworthiness of the issuers, but also the creditworthiness and type of obligation of the financial institution. The type of obligation of the financial institution concerns, for example, whether the letter of credit or similar credit enhancement being issued is conditional or unconditional. For a description of debt ratings, see Appendix A — “Description of Bond Ratings.”

Certain Funds may not invest in any security issued by a depository institution unless such institution is organized and operating in the United States, has total assets of at least $1 billion and is federally insured. While the types of money market securities in which the Funds invest generally are considered to have low principal risk, such securities are not completely risk free. There is a risk of the failure of issuers or credit enhancers to meet their principal and interest obligations. With respect to repurchase agreements and purchase and sale contracts, there is also the risk of the failure of the parties involved to repurchase at the agreed-upon price, in which event each Fund may suffer time delays and incur costs or possible losses in connection with such transactions.

Municipal Securities — Other Factors. Management of the Funds will endeavor to be as fully invested as reasonably practicable in order to maximize the yield on each Fund’s portfolio. Not all short term municipal securities trade on the basis of same day settlements and, accordingly, a portfolio of such securities cannot be managed on a daily basis with the same flexibility as a portfolio of money market securities, which can be bought and sold on a same day basis. There may be times when a Fund has uninvested cash resulting from an influx of cash due to large purchases of shares or the maturing of portfolio securities. A Fund also may be required to maintain cash reserves or incur temporary bank borrowings to make redemption payments, which are made on the same day the redemption request is received. Such inability to be invested fully would lower the yield on such Fund’s portfolio.

Because certain Funds may at times invest a substantial portion of their assets in Municipal Securities secured by bank letters of credit or guarantees, an investment in a Fund should be made with an understanding of the characteristics of the banking industry and the risks that such an investment in such credit enhanced securities may entail. Banks are subject to extensive governmental regulations that may limit both the amounts and types of loans and other financial commitments that may be made and interest rates and fees that may be charged. The profitability of the banking industry is largely dependent on the availability and cost of capital funds for the purpose of financing lending operations under prevailing money market conditions. Furthermore, general economic conditions play an important part in the operations of this industry and exposure to credit losses arising from possible financial difficulties of borrowers might affect a bank’s ability to meet its obligations under a letter of credit.

Changes to the Code may limit the types and volume of securities qualifying for the Federal income tax exemption of interest; this may affect the availability of Municipal Securities for investment by the Funds, which could, in turn, have a negative impact on the yield of the portfolios. A Fund reserves the right to suspend or otherwise limit sales of its shares if, as a result of difficulties in acquiring portfolio securities or otherwise, it is determined that it is not in the interests of the Fund’s shareholders to issue additional shares.

VRDOs. VRDOs are tax-exempt obligations that contain a floating or variable interest rate adjustment formula and right of demand on the part of the holder thereof to receive payment of the unpaid balance plus accrued interest upon a short notice period not to exceed seven days. There is, however, the possibility that because of default or insolvency the demand feature of VRDOs may not be honored. The interest rates are adjustable at periodic intervals to some prevailing market rate of the VRDOs at approximately the par value of the VRDOs on the adjustment date.

 

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The adjustment may be based upon the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (“SIFMA”) Municipal Swap Index or some other appropriate interest rate adjustment index. Each Fund may invest in all types of tax-exempt instruments currently outstanding or to be issued in the future that satisfy its short term maturity and quality standards.

Because of the interest rate adjustment formula on VRDOs, the VRDOs are not comparable to fixed rate securities. A Fund’s yield on VRDOs will decline and its shareholders will forego the opportunity for capital appreciation during periods when prevailing interest rates have declined. On the other hand, during periods where prevailing interest rates have increased, a Fund’s yield on VRDOs will increase and its shareholders will have a reduced risk of capital depreciation.

Negative Interest Rate Scenarios. Should a negative interest rate scenario ever occur that causes a government or retail money market fund to have a negative gross yield, the fund may account for the negative gross yield by either using a floating NAV or a reverse distribution mechanism that seeks to maintain a stable net asset value of the fund by cancelling shareholders’ shares in the amount of the negative gross yield. If a fund converts to a floating NAV, any losses the fund experiences due to negative interest rates will be reflected in a declining NAV per share. Under a reverse distribution mechanism, shareholders in a fund would observe a stable share price but a declining number of shares for their investment. This means that such an investor would lose money when the fund cancels shares. In either situation, the Board will need to determine that the approach is in the best interests of the fund and will need to ensure shareholders are provided adequate disclosures around the consequences of the approach chosen by the Board for the fund.

Operational and Technology Risks — Each Fund and the entities with which it interacts directly or indirectly are susceptible to operational and technology risks, including those related to human errors, processing errors, communication errors, systems failures, cybersecurity incidents, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning (“AI”), which may result in losses for a Fund and its shareholders or impair a Fund’s operations. These entities include, but are not limited to, a Fund’s adviser, administrator, distributor, other service providers (e.g., index and benchmark providers, accountants, custodians, and transfer agents), financial intermediaries, counterparties, market makers, Authorized Participants, listing exchanges, other financial market operators, and governmental authorities, as applicable. Operational and technology risks for the issuers in which a Fund invests could also result in material adverse consequences for such issuers and may cause a Fund’s investments in such issuers to lose value. A Fund may incur substantial costs in order to mitigate operational and technology risks.

Cybersecurity incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events against an issuer in which a Fund invests, a Fund or any of its service providers. They include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to systems, misappropriating assets or sensitive information, corrupting or destroying data, and causing operational disruption. Geopolitical tension may increase the scale and sophistication of deliberate attacks, particularly those from nation states or from entities with nation state backing. Cybersecurity incidents may result in any of the following: financial losses; interference with a Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV; disclosure of confidential information; impediments to trading; submission of erroneous trades by a Fund or erroneous subscription or redemption orders; the inability of a Fund or its service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines; penalties; reputational damage; reimbursement or other compensation costs; and other legal and compliance expenses. Furthermore, cybersecurity incidents may render records of a Fund, including records relating to its assets and transactions, shareholder ownership of Fund shares, and other data integral to a Fund’s functioning, inaccessible, inaccurate or incomplete. Power outages, natural disasters, equipment malfunctions and processing errors that threaten information and technology systems relied upon by a Fund or its service providers, as well as market events that occur at a pace that overloads these systems, may also disrupt business operations or impact critical data. Recent advances in AI technology pose risks to a Fund and its portfolio investments. These advancements could harm a Fund and its portfolio investments by reducing the demand for both the technology and software offerings of a Fund’s portfolio investments. Additionally, these advancements could significantly disrupt the Fund’s portfolio investments and subject them to increased competition, which could have a material adverse effect on business, financial condition, and results of operations. AI technology advancements, including efficiency improvements, without related increases in the adoption and development of such technologies, could also negatively impact demand for, and the valuation of, digital infrastructure assets.

Each Fund and its portfolio investments could be exposed to the risks of AI technology if third-party service providers or any counterparties, whether or not known to a Fund, also use AI technology in their business activities. Each Fund and its service providers may not be in a position to control the use of AI technology in third-party products or services.

Use of AI technology could include the input of confidential information in contravention of applicable policies, contractual or other obligations or restrictions, resulting in such confidential information becoming accessible by other third-party AI technology applications and users.

Independent of its context of use, AI technology is generally highly reliant on the collection and analysis of large amounts of data, may incorporate biased or inaccurate data, and it is not possible or practicable to incorporate all relevant data into the models that AI technology utilizes to operate. Certain data in such models will inevitably contain a degree of inaccuracy and error, or could otherwise be inadequate or flawed, which would be likely to degrade the effectiveness of AI technology. The output or results of any such AI technologies may therefore be incomplete, erroneous, distorted or misleading. Further, AI tools may lack transparency as to how data is utilized and how outputs are generated. AI technologies may also allow the unintended introduction of vulnerabilities into infrastructures and applications. To the extent that a Fund or its portfolio investments are exposed to the risks of AI technology use, any such inaccuracies or errors could have adverse impacts on a Fund or its investments. Regulations related to AI technology could also impose

 

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certain obligations and costs related to monitoring and compliance. For example, in April 2023, the Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Justice, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a joint statement on artificial intelligence demonstrating interest in monitoring the development and use of automated systems and enforcement of their respective laws and regulations. In October 2023, an executive order established new standards for AI safety and security. In addition to the U.S. regulatory framework, in 2024, the EU adopted the Artificial Intelligence Act, which applies to certain AI technology and the data used to train, test, and deploy them, which may create additional compliance burdens, higher administrative costs, and significant penalties should a Fund, the adviser, or a Fund’s portfolio investments fail to comply.

AI technology and its applications, including in the investment and financial sectors, continue to develop rapidly, and it is impossible to predict the future risks that may arise from such developments. The full extent of current or future risks related thereto is not possible to predict, and a Fund may not be able to anticipate, prevent, mitigate, or remediate all of the potential risks, challenges, or impacts of such changes.

While each Fund’s service providers are required to have appropriate operational, information security and cybersecurity risk management policies and procedures, their methods of risk management may differ from those of a Fund in the setting of priorities, the personnel and resources available or the effectiveness of relevant controls. Each Fund and its adviser seek to reduce these risks through controls, procedures and oversight, including establishing business continuity plans and risk management systems. However, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems, including the possibility that certain risks that may affect a Fund have not been identified or may emerge in the future; that such plans and systems may not completely eliminate the occurrence or mitigate the effects of operational or information security disruptions or failures or of cybersecurity incidents; or that prevention and remediation efforts will not be successful or that incidents will go undetected. A Fund cannot control the systems, information security or other cybersecurity of the issuers in which it invests or its service providers, counterparties, and other third parties whose activities affect a Fund.

Lastly, the regulatory climate governing cybersecurity and data protection is developing quickly and may vary considerably across jurisdictions . Regulators continue to develop new rules and standards related to cybersecurity and data protection. Compliance with evolving regulations can be demanding and costly, requiring substantial resources to monitor and implement required changes.

Purchase of Securities with Fixed Price “Puts.” Certain Funds have authority to purchase fixed rate Municipal Securities and, for a price, simultaneously acquire the right to sell such securities back to the seller at an agreed-upon rate at any time during a stated period or on a certain date. Such a right is generally denoted as a fixed price put. Puts with respect to fixed rate instruments are to be distinguished from the demand or repurchase features of VRDOs that enable certain Funds to dispose of such a security at a time when the market value of the security approximates its par value.

Repurchase Agreements. Funds may invest in Taxable Securities (as defined below, see “Taxable Money Market Securities”) pursuant to repurchase agreements. Repurchase agreements may be entered into only with a member bank of the Federal Reserve System or primary dealer in U.S. Government securities or an affiliate thereof that meets the creditworthiness standards adopted by the Manager. Under such agreements, the bank or primary dealer or an affiliate thereof agrees, upon entering into the contract, to repurchase the security at a mutually agreed upon time and price, thereby determining the yield during the term of the agreement. This results in a fixed rate of return insulated from market fluctuations during such period. Repurchase agreements may be construed to be collateralized loans by the purchaser to the seller secured by the securities transferred to the purchaser. In the case of a repurchase agreement, a Fund will require the seller to provide additional collateral if the market value of the securities falls below the repurchase price at any time during the term of the repurchase agreement. One common type of repurchase agreement a Fund may enter into is a “tri-party” repurchase agreement. In “tri-party” repurchase agreements, an unaffiliated third party custodian maintains accounts to hold collateral for the Fund and its counterparties and, therefore, the Fund may be subject to the credit risk of those custodians. In any repurchase transaction to which a Fund is a party, collateral for a repurchase agreement may include cash items and obligations issued by the U.S. Government or its agencies or instrumentalities. Collateral, however, is not limited to the foregoing and may include, for example, obligations rated below the highest category by NRSROs, including collateral that may be below investment grade. Collateral for a repurchase agreement may also include securities that a Fund could not hold directly without the repurchase obligation. Irrespective of the type of collateral underlying the repurchase agreement, the Fund must determine that a repurchase obligation with a particular counterparty involves minimal credit risk to the Fund and otherwise satisfies any additional credit quality standards applicable to the Fund.

In the event of default by the seller under a repurchase agreement construed to be a collateralized loan, the underlying securities are not owned by the Fund but only constitute collateral for the seller’s obligation to pay the repurchase price. Therefore, a Fund may suffer time delays and incur costs or possible losses in connection with the disposition of the collateral. In the event of a default under a repurchase agreement that is construed to be a collateralized loan, instead of the contractual fixed rate of return, the rate of return to a Fund will depend upon intervening fluctuations of the market value of such security and the accrued interest on the security. In such event, a

 

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Fund would have rights against the seller for breach of contract with respect to any losses arising from market fluctuations following the failure of the seller to perform. In general, for Federal income tax purposes, repurchase agreements are treated as collateralized loans secured by the securities “sold.” Therefore, amounts earned under such agreements, even if the underlying securities are tax-exempt securities, will not be considered tax-exempt interest.

Repurchase agreements pose certain risks for a Fund that utilizes them. Such risks are not unique to the Fund but are inherent in repurchase agreements. The Funds seek to minimize such risks but because of the inherent legal uncertainties involved in repurchase agreements, such risks cannot be eliminated. Lower quality collateral and collateral with longer maturities may be subject to greater price fluctuations than higher quality collateral and collateral with shorter maturities. If the repurchase agreement counterparty were to default, lower quality collateral may be more difficult to liquidate than higher quality collateral. Should the counterparty default and the amount of collateral not be sufficient to cover the counterparty’s repurchase obligation, a Fund would retain the status of an unsecured creditor of the counterparty (i.e., the position the Fund would normally be in if it were to hold, pursuant to its investment policies, other unsecured debt securities of the defaulting counterparty) with respect to the amount of the shortfall. As an unsecured creditor, a Fund would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and income involved in the transaction.

Regulations adopted by global prudential regulators require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many repurchase agreements, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as a Fund, to terminate such agreements, take foreclosure action, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. It is possible that these requirements, as well as potential additional government regulation and other developments in the market, could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to terminate existing repurchase agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements. The SEC has also finalized rules that will require certain transactions involving U.S. Treasuries, including repurchase agreements, to be centrally cleared. Compliance with these rules is expected to be required by the middle of 2027. Although the impact of these rules on the Funds is difficult to predict, they may reduce the availability or increase the costs of such transactions and may adversely affect a Fund’s performance.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. A Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with the same parties with whom it may enter into repurchase agreements. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, a Fund sells securities to another party and agrees to repurchase them at a mutually agreed-upon date and price. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that (i) the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by a Fund may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obligated to repurchase and (ii) the price of the securities sold may decline below the price at which the Fund is required to repurchase them. In addition, if the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce a Fund’s obligations to repurchase the securities and the Fund’s use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision.

Additionally, regulations adopted by global prudential regulators that require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many reverse repurchase agreements, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as a Fund, to terminate such agreements, take foreclosure action, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. It is possible that these requirements, as well as potential additional government regulation and other developments in the market, could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to terminate existing reverse repurchase agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements. The SEC has also finalized rules that will require certain transactions involving U.S. Treasuries, including reverse repurchase agreements, to be centrally cleared. Compliance with these rules is expected to be required by the middle of 2027. Although the impact of these rules on the Funds is difficult to predict, they may reduce the availability or increase the costs of such transactions and may adversely affect a Fund’s performance.

 

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Rule 2a-7 Requirements. Rule 2a-7 under the Investment Company Act sets forth portfolio maturity, liquidity, diversification and quality requirements applicable to all money market funds.

Maturity. Each Fund is managed so that the dollar-weighted average maturity of all of its investments will be 60 days or less, and the dollar-weighted average life of all of its investments will be 120 days or less. In addition, the Funds will not acquire any instrument with a remaining maturity of greater than 397 days. The “dollar-weighted average maturity” of a Fund is the average amount of time until the issuers of the debt securities in the Fund’s portfolio must pay off the principal amount of the debt. “Dollar-weighted” means the larger the dollar value of a debt security based on its market value in a Fund, the more weight it gets in calculating this average. To calculate the dollar-weighted average maturity, the Fund may treat a variable or floating rate security under certain circumstances as having a maturity equal to the time remaining to the security’s next interest rate reset date or the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand rather than the security’s actual maturity. “Dollar-weighted average life” of a Fund’s portfolio is calculated without reference to the exceptions used in calculating the dollar-weighted average maturity for variable or floating rate securities regarding the use of interest rate reset dates.

Liquidity. Rule 2a-7 contains a “general liquidity requirement” that requires that each Fund hold securities that are sufficiently liquid to meet reasonably foreseeable shareholder redemptions in light of its obligations under section 22(e) of the Investment Company Act, and any commitments the Fund has made to shareholders. To comply with this general liquidity requirement, each Fund’s adviser or sub-adviser must consider factors that could affect the Fund’s liquidity needs, including characteristics of the Fund’s investors and their likely redemptions. Depending upon the volatility of its cash flows (particularly shareholder redemptions), this provision may require a Fund to maintain greater liquidity than would be required by the daily and weekly minimum liquidity requirements discussed below. The Funds will not acquire any security other than daily liquid assets unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 25% of its total assets would be invested in daily liquid assets. The Funds will not acquire any security other than weekly liquid assets unless, immediately following such purchase, at least 50% of its total assets would be invested in weekly liquid assets. “Daily Liquid Assets” include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within one business day; and (iv) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within one business day on pending sales of portfolio securities. “Weekly Liquid Assets” include (i) cash; (ii) direct obligations of the U.S. Government; (iii) U.S. Government securities issued by a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an instrumentality of the U.S. Government pursuant to authority granted by the U.S. Congress, that are issued at a discount to the principal amount to be repaid at maturity without provision for the payment of interest and have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less; (iv) securities that will mature, as determined without reference to the maturity shortening provisions of Rule 2a-7 regarding interest rate readjustments, or are subject to a demand feature that is exercisable and payable within five business days; and (v) amounts receivable and due unconditionally within five business days on pending sales of portfolio securities. No Fund will invest more than 5% of the value of its total assets in securities that are illiquid (i.e., securities that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the value ascribed to them by the Fund).

Portfolio Diversification and Quality. Immediately after the acquisition of any security, taxable money market funds must not have invested more than: Five percent of its total assets in securities issued by the issuer of the security, provided, however, such a fund may invest up to twenty-five percent of its total assets in the securities of a single issuer for a period of up to three business days after the acquisition thereof; provided, further, that the fund may not invest in the securities of more than one issuer in accordance with the foregoing proviso at any time; and ten percent of its total assets in securities issued by or subject to demand features or guarantees from the institution that issued the demand feature or guarantee.

Government Money Market Funds. A government money market fund invests at least 99.5% of its total assets in obligations of the U.S. Government, including obligations of the U.S. Treasury and federal agencies and instrumentalities, as well as repurchase agreements collateralized by government securities. Under Rule 2a-7, a government money market fund may, but is not required to, impose discretionary liquidity fees. The Board of Trustees has determined that each Fund that is a government money market fund will not be subject to discretionary liquidity fees under Rule 2a-7.

Retail Money Market Funds. A retail money market fund is a money market fund that has policies and procedures reasonably designed to limit all beneficial owners of the fund to natural persons. Under Rule 2a-7, a retail money market fund is subject to the discretionary liquidity fees provisions; however, a retail money market fund is permitted to use the amortized cost method of accounting or the penny rounding method, allowing a retail money market fund to maintain a stable NAV.

 

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Securities Lending. Each Fund may lend portfolio securities to certain borrowers that BlackRock determines to be creditworthy, including borrowers affiliated with BlackRock. The borrowers provide collateral that is maintained in an amount at least equal to the current market value of the securities loaned. No securities loan shall be made on behalf of a Fund if, as a result, the aggregate value of all securities loans of the particular Fund exceeds one-third of the value of such Fund’s total assets (including the value of the collateral received). A Fund may terminate a loan at any time and obtain the return of the securities loaned. Each Fund receives, by way of substitute payment, the value of any interest or cash or non-cash distributions paid on the loaned securities that it would have otherwise received if the securities were not on loan.

With respect to loans that are collateralized by cash, the borrower may be entitled to receive a fee based on the amount of cash collateral. The Funds are compensated by any positive difference between the amount earned on the reinvestment of cash collateral and the fee paid to the borrower. In the case of collateral other than cash, a Fund is compensated by a fee paid by the borrower equal to a percentage of the market value of the loaned securities. Any cash collateral received by the Fund for such loans, and uninvested cash, may be reinvested in certain short-term instruments either directly on behalf of the Fund or through one or more joint accounts or money market funds, including those affiliated with BlackRock; such investments are subject to investment risk.

Securities lending involves exposure to certain risks, including operational risk (i.e., the risk of losses resulting from problems in the settlement and accounting process), “gap” risk (i.e., the risk of a mismatch between the return on cash collateral reinvestments and the fees each Fund has agreed to pay a borrower), foreign exchange risk (i.e., the risk of a shortfall at default when a cash collateral investment is denominated in a currency other than the currency of the assets being loaned due to movements in foreign exchange rates), and credit, legal, counterparty and market risks (including the risk that market events, including but not limited to corporate actions, could lead a Fund to lend securities that are trading at a premium due to increased demand, or to recall loaned securities or to lend less or none at all, which could lead to reduced securities lending revenue). If a Fund were to lend out securities that are subject to a corporate action and commit to the borrower a particular election as determined by the Fund’s investment adviser, the benefit the Fund would receive in respect of committing to such election may or may not be less than the benefit the Fund would have received from making a different election in such corporate action. If a securities lending counterparty were to default, a Fund would be subject to the risk of a possible delay in receiving collateral or in recovering the loaned securities, or to a possible loss of rights in the collateral. In the event a borrower does not return a Fund’s securities as agreed, the Fund’s ability to participate in a corporate action event may be impacted, or the Fund may experience losses if the proceeds received from liquidating the collateral do not at least equal the value of the loaned security at the time the collateral is liquidated, plus the transaction costs incurred in purchasing replacement securities. This latter event could trigger adverse tax consequences for a Fund. A Fund could lose money if its short-term investment of the collateral declines in value over the period of the loan. Substitute payments received by a Fund representing dividends paid on securities loaned out by the Fund will not be considered qualified dividend income, and distributions by the Fund of such substitute payments will not constitute qualified dividend income. Additionally, substitute payments received by a Fund representing qualified REIT dividends paid on REIT securities loaned out by the Fund will not be considered qualified REIT dividends, and distributions by the Fund of such substitute payments will not be eligible for a 20% deduction currently available for ordinary REIT dividends paid to non-corporate shareholders provided certain other requirements are satisfied. The securities lending agent will take into account the tax effects on shareholders caused by these differences in connection with a Fund’s securities lending program. Substitute payments received on tax-exempt securities loaned out will not be tax-exempt income. There could also be changes in the status of issuers under applicable laws and regulations, including tax regulations, that may impact the regulatory or tax treatment of loaned securities and could, for example, result in a delay in the payment of dividend equivalent payments owed to a Fund (as permitted by applicable law).

Regulations adopted by global prudential regulators require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many securities lending agreements, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as the Fund, to terminate such agreements, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. It is possible that these requirements, as well as potential additional government regulation and other developments in the market, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to terminate existing securities lending agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements. Prudential regulation may also favor lenders that can provide additional protections, such as liens that are exercisable in connection with a lender default, to borrowers. Certain Funds expect to provide additional protections to borrowers, where permitted pursuant to a Fund’s investment policies and if BlackRock believes doing so is in the best interest of the Fund.

 

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The SEC has adopted a rule that will require reporting and public disclosure of securities loan transaction information (not including party names); this may include, but is not limited to, information about securities loans entered into in connection with short sales. Compliance with this rule is expected to be required in late 2028, although in response to the outcome of a legal challenge against the rule, the SEC may amend the rule and/or delay the current expected compliance date.

Short-Term Trading. The Fund may engage in short-term trading for liquidity purposes. Increased trading may provide greater potential for capital gains and losses and also involves correspondingly greater trading costs which are borne by the Fund. The Manager will consider such costs in determining whether or not the Fund should engage in such trading.

Structured Notes. Structured notes and other related instruments purchased by a Fund are generally privately negotiated debt obligations where the principal and/or interest is determined by reference to the performance of a specific asset, benchmark asset, market or interest rate (“reference measure”). Issuers of structured notes generally include corporations and banks. The interest rate or the principal amount payable upon maturity or redemption may increase or decrease, depending upon changes in the value of the reference measure. The terms of a structured note may provide that, in certain circumstances, no principal is due at maturity and, therefore, may result in a loss of invested capital by a Fund. The interest and/or principal payments that may be made on a structured product may vary widely, depending on a variety of factors, including the volatility of the reference measure.

Structured notes may be positively or negatively indexed, so the appreciation of the reference measure may produce an increase or a decrease in the interest rate or the value of the principal at maturity. The rate of return on structured notes may be determined by applying a multiplier to the performance or differential performance of reference measures. Application of a multiplier involves leverage that will serve to magnify the potential for gain and the risk of loss.

The purchase of structured notes exposes a Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the structured product. Structured notes may also be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to price accurately than less complex securities and instruments or more traditional debt securities. The secondary market for structured notes could be illiquid making them difficult to sell when the Fund determines to sell them. The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for structured notes and the resulting inability of the Fund to sell a structured note could expose the Fund to losses and could make structured notes more difficult for the Fund to value accurately.

Taxable Money Market Securities. Certain Funds may invest in a variety of taxable money market securities (“Taxable Securities”). The Taxable Securities in which certain Funds may invest consist of U.S. Government securities, U.S. Government agency securities, domestic bank certificates of deposit and bankers’ acceptances, short term corporate debt securities such as commercial paper and repurchase agreements. These investments must have a maturity not in excess of 397 days from the date of purchase.

The standards applicable to Taxable Securities in which certain Funds invest are essentially the same as those described above with respect to Municipal Securities. Certain Funds may not invest in any security issued by a depository institution unless such institution is organized and operating in the United States, has total assets of at least $1 billion and is federally insured. Taxable Securities in which the Funds invest will be determined by the Manager to present minimal credit risks to the Fund, if required, and certain Funds may require that portfolio investments (or their issuers) receive minimum credit ratings from one or more NRSROs, or if not rated, are determined by the Manager to be of comparable quality to securities that have received such rating(s).

U.S. Government Obligations. A Fund may purchase obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government and U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities. Obligations of certain agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. Government are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury. Others are supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; and still others are supported only by the credit of the agency or instrumentality issuing the obligation. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to U.S. Government-sponsored instrumentalities if it is not obligated to do so by law. Certain U.S. Treasury and agency securities may be held by trusts that issue participation certificates (such as Treasury income growth receipts and certificates of accrual on Treasury certificates). These certificates, as well as Treasury receipts and other stripped securities, represent beneficial ownership interests in either future interest payments or the future principal payments on U.S. Government obligations. These instruments are issued at a discount to their “face value” and may (particularly in the case of stripped mortgage-backed securities) exhibit greater price volatility than ordinary debt securities because of the manner in which their principal and interest are returned to investors.

Examples of the types of U.S. Government obligations that may be held by certain Funds include U.S. Treasury Bills, Treasury Notes and Treasury Bonds and the obligations of the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), Federal Financing Bank, General Services Administration, The Co-operative Central Bank, Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Home

 

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Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), Farm Credit System and Tennessee Valley Authority. Certain Funds may also invest in mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities, including such obligations of Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

To the extent consistent with their respective investment objectives, the Funds may invest in a variety of U.S. Treasury obligations and obligations issued by or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies, instrumentalities or U.S. Government sponsored enterprises. Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to its agencies, instrumentalities or U.S. Government sponsored enterprises if it were not obligated to do so by law. There is no assurance that these commitments will be undertaken or complied with in the future.

In addition, certain Funds may invest in U.S. Treasury Floating Rate Notes (FRNs), which are two-year notes issued by the U.S. Treasury. The interest rate of an FRN changes over the life of the FRN and is the sum of an index rate and a spread. The index rate of an FRN is tied to the highest accepted discount rate of the most recent 13-week Treasury bill and is re-set every week. The spread is a rate applied to the index rate. The spread stays the same for the life of an FRN. The spread is determined at the auction where the FRN is first offered. The spread is the highest accepted discount margin in that auction. See also “Variable and Floating Rate Instruments” below.

Variable and Floating Rate Instruments. Certain Funds may purchase variable and floating rate instruments. Variable and floating rate instruments are subject to the credit quality standards described in the Prospectus. In some cases, the Funds may require that the obligation to pay the principal of the instrument be backed by a letter of credit or guarantee. Such instruments may carry stated maturities in excess of 397 days provided that the maturity-shortening provisions stated in Rule 2a-7 are satisfied. Although a particular variable or floating rate demand instrument may not be actively traded in a secondary market, in some cases, a Fund may be entitled to principal on demand and may be able to resell such notes in the dealer market.

Variable and floating rate instruments held by a Fund generally may have maturities of more than 397 days provided: (i) they are subject to a demand feature entitling the Fund to the payment of principal and interest within 397 days of exercise, unless the instrument is issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and/or instrumentalities, and (ii) the rate of interest on such instruments is adjusted at periodic intervals which may extend up to 397 days.

In determining a Fund’s weighted average portfolio maturity and whether a long-term variable rate demand instrument has a remaining maturity of 397 days or less, the instrument will be deemed by a Fund to have a maturity equal to the longer of the period remaining until its next interest rate adjustment or the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand. In determining a Fund’s weighted average portfolio maturity and whether a long-term floating rate demand instrument has a remaining maturity of 397 days or less, the instrument will be deemed by a Fund to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until the principal amount can be recovered through demand. In addition, a variable or floating rate instrument issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and/or instrumentalities will be deemed by a Fund to have a maturity equal to the period remaining until its next interest rate adjustment (in the case of a variable rate instrument) or one day (in the case of a floating rate instrument). Variable and floating rate notes are frequently rated by credit rating agencies, and their issuers must satisfy the Fund’s quality and maturity requirements. If an issuer of such a note were to default on its payment obligation, the Fund might be unable to dispose of the note because of the absence of an active secondary market and might, for this or other reasons, suffer a loss.

When-Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments. A Fund may purchase or sell securities that it is entitled to receive on a when-issued basis. A Fund may also purchase or sell securities on a delayed delivery basis or through a forward commitment (including on a “TBA” (to be announced) basis). These transactions involve the purchase or sale of securities by a Fund at an established price with payment and delivery taking place in the future. The Fund enters into these transactions to obtain what is considered an advantageous price to the Fund at the time of entering into the transaction.

Pursuant to recommendations of the Treasury Market Practices Group, which is sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, a Fund or its counterparty generally will be required to post collateral when entering into certain forward-settling transactions, including without limitation TBA transactions.

There can be no assurance that a security purchased on a when-issued basis will be issued or that a security purchased or sold on a delayed delivery basis or through a forward commitment will be delivered. Also, the value of securities in these transactions on the delivery date may be more or less than the price paid by the Fund to purchase the securities. The Fund will lose money if the value of the security in such a transaction declines below the purchase price and will not benefit if the value of the security appreciates above the sale price during the commitment period.

 

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If deemed advisable as a matter of investment strategy, a Fund may dispose of or renegotiate a commitment after it has been entered into, and may sell securities it has committed to purchase before those securities are delivered to the Fund on the settlement date. In these cases the Fund may realize a taxable capital gain or loss.

When a Fund engages in when-issued, TBA or forward commitment transactions, it relies on the other party to consummate the trade. Failure of such party to do so may result in the Fund’s incurring a loss or missing an opportunity to obtain a price considered to be advantageous.

The market value of the securities underlying a commitment to purchase securities, and any subsequent fluctuations in their market value, is taken into account when determining the market value of a Fund starting on the day the Fund agrees to purchase the securities. The Fund does not earn interest on the securities it has committed to purchase until they are paid for and delivered on the settlement date.

Regulations adopted by global prudential regulators that are now in effect require certain bank-regulated counterparties and certain of their affiliates to include in certain financial contracts, including many agreements with respect to when-issued, TBA and forward commitment transactions, terms that delay or restrict the rights of counterparties, such as a Fund, to terminate such agreements, foreclose upon collateral, exercise other default rights or restrict transfers of credit support in the event that the counterparty and/or its affiliates are subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. It is possible that these new requirements, as well as potential additional government regulation and other developments in the market, could adversely affect a Fund’s ability to terminate existing agreements with respect to these transactions or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Diversification Status

Each Fund’s investments will be limited in order to allow the Fund to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code. To qualify, among other requirements, each Fund will limit its investments so that at the close of each quarter of the taxable year (i) at least 50% of the market value of each Fund’s total assets is represented by cash, securities of other regulated investment companies, U.S. Government securities and other securities, with such other securities limited, in respect of any one issuer, to an amount not greater than 5% of the Fund’s assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities or securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer, any two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses or related trades or businesses or in the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships (i.e., partnerships that are traded on an established securities market or tradable on a secondary market, other than partnerships that derive 90% of their income from interest, dividends, capital gains, and other traditional permitted mutual fund income). See “Dividends and Taxes — Taxes.”

Each Fund has elected to be classified as “diversified” under the Investment Company Act. Each Fund must also satisfy the diversification requirements set forth in Rule 2a-7.

MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICE ARRANGEMENTS

Trustees and Officers

See “Information on Directors and Officers, ‘— Biographical Information,’ ‘— Share Ownership’ and ‘— Compensation of Directors’ “ or “Information on Trustees and Officers, ‘— Biographical Information,’ ‘— Share Ownership’ and ‘— Compensation of Trustees’,” as applicable, in Part I of each Fund’s SAI for biographical and certain other information relating to the Trustees and officers of your Fund, including Trustees’ compensation.

Management Arrangements

Management Services. The Manager provides each Fund with investment advisory and management services. Subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Manager is responsible for the actual management of a Fund’s portfolio and reviews the Fund’s holdings in light of its own research analysis and that from other relevant sources. The responsibility for making decisions to buy, sell or hold a particular security rests with the Manager. The Manager performs certain of the other administrative services and provides all the office space, facilities, equipment and necessary personnel for management of each Fund.

The Manager has been granted relief from the SEC that permits the Manager, subject to Board approval, to hire, terminate and replace sub-advisers for the Fund, and to amend sub-advisory agreements between the Manager and sub-advisers with respect to the Fund without obtaining shareholder approval. If a new sub-adviser is retained for the Fund or a sub-advisory agreement is materially amended, shareholders will receive notice of such action. The relief does not extend to any increase in the advisory fee paid by the Fund to the Manager; any such increase would be subject to the approval of Fund shareholders.

 

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[Management Fee. Each Fund has entered into a management agreement with the Manager pursuant to which the Manager receives for its services to the Fund monthly compensation at an annual rate based on the average daily net assets of the Fund. For information regarding the fees paid by your Fund to the Manager for the Fund’s last three fiscal years or other applicable periods, see “Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements — Management Agreement” or “Management and Advisory Arrangements,” as applicable, in Part I of each Fund’s SAI. Each Management Agreement obligates the Manager to provide investment advisory services and to pay, or cause an affiliate to pay, for maintaining its staff and personnel and to provide office space, facilities and necessary personnel for the Fund. Each Manager is also obligated to pay, or cause an affiliate to pay, the fees of all officers and Trustees of the Fund who are affiliated persons of the Manager or any affiliate.

For Funds that do not have an administration agreement with the Manager, each Management Agreement obligates the Manager to provide management services and to pay all compensation of and furnish office space for officers and employees of a Fund connected with investment and economic research, trading and investment management of the Fund, as well as the fees of all Trustees of the Fund who are interested persons of the Fund. Each Fund pays all other expenses incurred in the operation of that Fund, including among other things: taxes; expenses for legal and auditing services; costs of preparing, printing and mailing proxies, shareholder reports, prospectuses and statements of additional information, except to the extent paid by BlackRock Investments, LLC (the “Distributor” or “BRIL”), charges of the custodian and sub-custodian, and the transfer agent; expenses of redemption of shares; Commission fees; expenses of registering the shares under Federal, state or foreign laws; fees and expenses of Trustees who are not interested persons of a Fund as defined in the Investment Company Act; accounting and pricing costs (including the daily calculations of NAV); insurance; interest; brokerage costs; litigation and other extraordinary or non-recurring expenses; and other expenses properly payable by the Fund. Certain accounting services are provided to each Fund by The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM”), State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) or JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (“JPM”) pursuant to an agreement between BNYM, State Street or JPM, as applicable, and each Fund. Each Fund pays a fee for these services. In addition, the Manager provides certain accounting services to each Fund and the Fund pays the Manager a fee for such services. The Distributor pays certain promotional expenses of certain Funds incurred in connection with the offering of shares of such Funds. Certain expenses are financed by each Fund pursuant to distribution plans in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. See “Purchase of Shares — Distribution and/or Shareholder Servicing Plans.”]

Organization of the Manager. The Manager, BlackRock Advisors, LLC, is a Delaware limited liability company and an indirect, majority-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.

Duration and Termination. Unless earlier terminated as described below, each Management Agreement will remain in effect from year to year if approved annually (a) by the Trustees or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund and (b) by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to such agreement or interested persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of any such party. The Management Agreements are not assignable and may be terminated without penalty on 60 days’ written notice at the option of either party thereto or by the vote of the shareholders of the Fund.

Other Service Arrangements

Administrative Services and Administrative Fee. Certain Funds have entered into an administration agreement (the “Administration Agreement”) with an administrator identified in the Fund’s Prospectus and Part I of the Fund’s SAI (each, an “Administrator”). For its services to a Fund, the Administrator receives monthly compensation at the annual rate set forth in each applicable Fund’s Prospectus. For information regarding any administrative fees paid by your Fund to the Administrator for the periods indicated, see “Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements — Administration Agreement” or “Management and Advisory Arrangements,” as applicable, in Part I of that Fund’s SAI.

For Funds that have an Administrator, the Administration Agreement obligates the Administrator to provide certain administrative services to the Fund and to pay, or cause its affiliates to pay, for maintaining its staff and personnel and to provide office space, facilities and necessary personnel for the Fund. Each Administrator is also obligated to pay, or cause its affiliates to pay, the fees of those officers and Trustees of the Fund who are affiliated persons of the Administrator or any of its affiliates.

Duration and Termination of Administration Agreement. Unless earlier terminated as described below, each Administration Agreement with BlackRock will continue from year to year if approved annually (a) by the Board of Trustees of each applicable Fund or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such Fund and (b) by a majority of the Trustees of the Fund who are not parties to such contract or interested persons (as defined in the Investment Company Act) of any such party. Such contract is not assignable and may be terminated without penalty on written notice at the option of either party thereto or by the vote of the shareholders of the Fund.

 

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Transfer Agency Services. Each Fund has entered into an agreement with a transfer agent identified in the Fund’s Prospectus and Part I of the Fund’s SAI, pursuant to which the transfer agent is responsible for the issuance, transfer, and redemption of shares and the opening and maintenance of shareholder accounts. Each Fund pays a fee for these services.

See “Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements, ‘— Transfer Agent’ or ‘— Transfer Agency Agreement’ “ or “Management and Advisory Arrangements — Transfer Agency and Shareholders’ Administrative Services,” as applicable, in Part I of each Fund’s SAI.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. The Audit Committee of each Fund, the members of which are non-interested Trustees of the Fund, has selected an independent registered public accounting firm for that Fund that audits the Fund’s financial statements. Please see the inside back cover page of your Fund’s Prospectus and Part I, Section IX “Additional Information” of each Fund’s SAI for information on your Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.

Custodian Services. The name and address of the custodian (the “Custodian”) of each Fund are provided on the inside back cover page of the Fund’s Prospectus. The Custodian is responsible for safeguarding and controlling the Fund’s cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities and collecting interest and dividends on the Fund’s investments. The Custodian is authorized to establish separate accounts in foreign currencies and to cause foreign securities owned by the Fund to be held in its offices outside the United States and with certain foreign banks and securities depositories. A Fund also may use special purpose custodian banks from time to time for certain assets.

Accounting Services. Each Fund has entered into an agreement with BNYM, State Street or JPM, pursuant to which BNYM, State Street or JPM provides certain accounting and administrative services to the Fund. Each Fund pays a fee for these services.

See “Management, Advisory and Other Service Arrangements — Accounting Services” or “Management and Advisory Arrangements — Accounting Services,” as applicable, in Part I of each Fund’s SAI for information on the amounts paid by your Fund to BNYM, State Street or JPM, the Manager and/or the Administrator for the periods indicated.

Distribution Expenses. Each Fund has entered into a distribution agreement with the Distributor in connection with the continuous offering of each class of shares of the Fund (the “Distribution Agreements”). The Distribution Agreements obligate the Distributor to pay certain expenses in connection with the offering of each class of shares of the Funds. After the prospectuses, statements of additional information and periodic reports have been prepared, set in type and mailed to shareholders, the Distributor pays for the printing and distribution of these documents used in connection with the offering to dealers and investors. The Distributor also pays for other supplementary sales literature and advertising costs. Each Distribution Agreement is subject to the same renewal requirements and termination provisions as the Management Agreement described above. See “Information on Sales Charges and Distribution Related Expenses” or “Information on Distribution Related Expenses,” as applicable, in Part I of each Fund’s SAI for information on the fees paid by your Fund for the periods indicated.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

The Board of Trustees of each Fund and the Board of Directors of the Manager have each approved Portfolio Holdings and Related Information Distribution Guidelines (the “Policy”) regarding the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio securities, as applicable, and other portfolio information. The purpose of the Policy is to ensure that (i) shareholders and prospective shareholders of the Funds have equal access to portfolio holdings and characteristics and (ii) third parties (such as consultants, intermediaries and third-party data providers) have access to such information no earlier or more frequently than shareholders and prospective shareholders.

Pursuant to the Policy, each Fund and the Manager may, under certain circumstances as set forth below, make selective disclosure with respect to a Fund’s Portfolio Characteristics (as defined below) and Portfolio Holdings (as defined below). The Board of Trustees of each Fund and the Board of Directors of the Manager have each approved the adoption by the Fund of the Policy, and employees of the Manager are responsible for adherence to the Policy. The Board of Trustees provides ongoing oversight of the Fund’s and Manager’s compliance with the Policy.

Disclosure of material non-public information (“Confidential Information”) about a Fund’s Portfolio Holdings and/or Portfolio Characteristics is prohibited, except as provided in the Policy.

 

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Confidential Information relating to a Fund may not be distributed to persons not employed by BlackRock unless the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so and confidentiality obligations are in effect, as appropriate.

 

   

Portfolio Holdings: “Portfolio Holdings” are a Fund’s portfolio securities and other instruments, and include, but are not limited to:

 

   

for equity securities, information such as issuer name, CUSIP, ticker symbol, total shares and market value;

 

   

for fixed income securities, information such as issuer name, CUSIP, ticker symbol, coupon, maturity, current face value, market value, yield, WAL, WAM, duration and convexity;

 

   

for all securities, information such as quantity, SEDOL and market price as of a specific date;

 

   

for derivatives, indicative data including, but not limited to, pay leg, receive leg, notional amount, reset frequency and trade counterparty; and

 

   

for trading strategies, specific portfolio holdings, including the number of shares held, weightings of particular holdings, trading details, pending or recent transactions and portfolio management plans to purchase or sell particular securities or allocation within particular sectors.

 

   

Portfolio Characteristics (excluding Liquidity Metrics): “Portfolio Characteristics” include, but are not limited to, sector allocation, credit quality breakdown, maturity distribution, duration and convexity measures, average credit quality, average maturity, average coupon, top 10 holdings with percent of the fund held, average market capitalization, capitalization range, risk related information (e.g., value at risk, standard deviation), ROE, P/E, P/B, P/CF, P/S and EPS.

 

   

Additional characteristics specific to money market funds include, but are not limited to, historical daily and weekly liquid assets (as defined under Rule 2a-7) and historical fund net inflows and outflows.

 

   

Portfolio Characteristics — Liquidity Metrics:

 

   

“Liquidity Metrics” which seek to ascertain a Fund’s liquidity profile under BlackRock’s global liquidity risk methodology which include, but are not limited to: (a) disclosure regarding the number of days needed to liquidate a portfolio or the portfolio’s underlying investments; and (b) the percentage of a Fund’s NAV invested in a particular liquidity tier under BlackRock’s global liquidity risk methodology.

 

   

The dissemination of position-level liquidity metrics data and any non-public regulatory data pursuant to SEC Rule 22e-4 (including SEC liquidity tiering) is not permitted unless pre-approved.

 

   

Disclosure of Liquidity Metrics pursuant to Section 3 of the Policy should be reviewed by BlackRock’s Risk and Quantitative Analysis Group and the relevant portfolio management team prior to dissemination.

Information that is non-material or that may be obtained from public sources (i.e., information that has been publicly disclosed via a filing with the SEC (e.g., a fund’s annual report and annual financial statements), through a press release or placement on a publicly-available internet website), or information derived or calculated from such public sources shall not be deemed Confidential Information.

 

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Portfolio Holdings and Portfolio Characteristics may be disclosed in accordance with the below schedule or as specified in a Fund’s registration statement.

Open-End Mutual Funds (Excluding Money Market Funds)

 

     Time Periods for Portfolio Holdings
  Prior to 20 Calendar Days After
Month-End
 

20 Calendar Days After

Month-End To Public Filing

Portfolio Holdings   Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) approval.   May disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third-party data providers (e.g., Lipper, Morningstar and Bloomberg), except with respect to Global Allocation funds, BlackRock Core Bond Portfolio and BlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Portfolio of BlackRock Funds V, BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc., BlackRock Total Return Fund of BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc., BlackRock Total Return V.I. Fund of BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc., BlackRock Sustainable Total Return Fund of BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc., BlackRock Unconstrained Equity Fund and BlackRock Systematic Multi-Strategy Fund of BlackRock Funds IV, and BlackRock Global Equity Market Neutral Fund of BlackRock FundsSM (each of whose portfolio holdings may be disclosed 60 calendar days after month-end). BlackRock generally discloses portfolio holdings information on the lag times established herein on its public website. If Portfolio Holdings are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.
     Time Periods for Portfolio Characteristics
Portfolio
Characteristics
(Excluding Liquidity
Metrics)
 

Prior to 5 Calendar Days

After Month-End

 

5 Calendar Days After

Month-End

 

Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO

approval.,

  May disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third-party data providers (e.g., Lipper, Morningstar and Bloomberg). If Portfolio Characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.
Portfolio
Characteristics —
Liquidity Metrics
 

Prior to 60 Calendar Days

After Calendar Quarter-End

 

60 Calendar Days

After Calendar Quarter-End

  Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO approval.  

May disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries and consultants; provided portfolio management has approved. If Liquidity Metrics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.

 

Global Allocation Exception: For purposes of portfolio holdings, Global Allocation funds include BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc., BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio of BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. and BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. Information on certain Portfolio Characteristics of BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio and BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund is available, upon request, to insurance companies that use these funds as underlying investments (and to advisers and sub-advisers of funds invested in BlackRock Global Allocation Portfolio and BlackRock Global Allocation V.I. Fund) in their variable annuity contracts and variable life insurance policies on a weekly basis (or such other period as may be determined to be appropriate). Disclosure of such characteristics of these two funds constitutes a disclosure of Confidential Information and is being made for reasons deemed appropriate by BlackRock and in accordance with the requirements set forth in these guidelines. If Portfolio Characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.

 

Strategic Income Opportunities Exception: Information on certain Portfolio Characteristics of BlackRock Strategic Income Opportunities Portfolio of BlackRock Funds V may be made available to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third party data providers, upon request on a more frequent basis as may be deemed appropriate by BlackRock from time-to-time. If Portfolio Characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.

 

 

 

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Open-End Mutual Funds and ETFs (Excluding Money Market Mutual Funds and MM ETFs)

 

     Time Periods for Portfolio Characteristics: Liquidity Metrics
 

Prior to 60 Calendar Days

After Calendar Quarter-End

 

60 Calendar Days

After Calendar Quarter-End

Portfolio

Characteristics — Liquidity Metrics

 

Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and Chief

Compliance Officer (“CCO”) approval.

 

May disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries and

consultants; provided portfolio management has approved. If Liquidity Metrics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.

 

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Money Market Mutual Funds and ETFs

Money Market ETFs will comply with the disclosure requirements under both the Money Market (Rule 2a-7) Policy and the ETF Rule (Rule 6c-11) Policy.

 

     Time Periods
  Prior to 5 Business Days
After Month-End
  5 Business Days After
Month-End to Date of Public Filing
Portfolio Holdings  

Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO approval except the following Portfolio Holdings information is required to be released on the website pursuant to Rule 2a-7 on a monthly basis: name of issuer, category of investment, CUSIP, principal amount, maturity dates, yields and value.

 

BlackRock will release this information on the following timelines or on a more frequent timeline than required under Rule 2a-7: • Government MMFs: Daily portfolio holdings are released on the website on a one business day lag.

 

Money Market ETFs (prime and government): Daily portfolio holdings information released on a daily basis pursuant to ETF rule requirements.

 

Certain Money Market Mutual Funds and Money Market ETFs: Weekly schedule of investments (PDF) is posted to the website at least one business day after week-end. (The Cash business identifies those Funds.)

  May disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third party data providers. If Portfolio Holdings are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.
Portfolio Characteristics   

Cannot disclose without non-disclosure or confidentiality agreement and CCO approval except the following information is:

 

(i) required to be released on the Fund’s website daily (i.e., each Business Day as of the end of the preceding Business Day): • Historical NAVs calculated based on market factors (e.g., marked to market).

 

Percentage of fund assets invested in daily and weekly liquid assets (as defined under Rule 2a-7).

 

Daily net flow information (inflows less outflows).

 

Other information as may be required by
Rule 2a-7.

 

(ii) voluntarily released on the Fund’s website daily (i.e., each Business Day as of the end of the preceding Business Day): Fund SEC yields, WAM (required monthly), WAL (required monthly), fund size and share class size.

  May disclose to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries, consultants and third party data providers. If Portfolio Characteristics are disclosed to one party, they must also be disclosed to all other parties requesting the same information.

BlackRock Short Obligations Fund. Fund’s holdings may be disclosed in accordance with the frequency for money market funds.

 

Circle Reserve Fund Exception: Information on portfolio holdings and certain portfolio characteristics of the Circle Reserve Fund may be made available to the shareholders of the Fund, upon request, on a more frequent basis as may be deemed appropriate by BlackRock from time-to-time. Portfolio Holdings information is required to be disclosed daily on an ETF’s website under Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act. Specifically, on each Business Day, prior to the opening of regular trading on the ETF’s primary listing exchange, an ETF is required to disclose on its website Portfolio Holdings information as set forth in the ETF Rule Policy that will form the basis of the ETF’s next net asset value per share calculation.

 

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Guidelines for Confidential and Non-Material Information. Confidential Information may be disclosed to the Fund’s Board of Trustees and its counsel, outside counsel for the Fund, the Fund’s auditors and to certain third-party service providers (e.g., Fund administrator, Fund custodian, proxy voting service), securities lending borrowers, and broker-dealers that are fund counterparties. Non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements will be in place with such service providers, borrowers, and broker-dealers. With respect to Confidential Information, the Fund’s CCO or his or her designee may authorize the following, subject in the case of (ii) and (iii) to a confidentiality or non-disclosure arrangement:

 

  (i)

the preparation and posting of the Fund’s Portfolio Holdings and/or Portfolio Characteristics to its website on a more frequent basis than authorized above;

 

  (ii)

the disclosure of the Fund’s Portfolio Holdings to third-party service providers not noted above; and

 

  (iii)

the disclosure of the Fund’s Portfolio Holdings and/or Portfolio Characteristics to other parties for legitimate business purposes.

Fact Sheets and Reports

 

   

Fund Fact Sheets are available to shareholders, prospective shareholders, intermediaries and consultants on a monthly or quarterly basis no earlier than the fifth calendar day after the end of a month or quarter.

Other Information. The Policy shall also apply to other Confidential Information of a Fund such as performance attribution analyses or security-specific information (e.g., information about Fund holdings where an issuer has been downgraded, been acquired or declared bankruptcy).

Data on NAVs, asset levels (by total Fund and share class), accruals, yields, capital gains, dividends and fund returns (net of fees by share class) are generally available to shareholders, prospective shareholders, consultants, and third-party data providers upon request, as soon as such data is available.

Contact Information. For information about portfolio holdings and characteristics, BlackRock fund shareholders and prospective investors should call the number set out on the back cover of the Prospectus.

Compensation. Neither a Fund, a service provider nor any of their affiliated persons (as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act) shall receive compensation in any form in connection with the disclosure of information about such Fund’s Portfolio Holdings or Portfolio Characteristics.

Ongoing Arrangements. The Manager has entered into ongoing agreements to provide selective disclosure of Fund Portfolio Holdings to the following persons or entities:

 

  1.

Fund’s Board of Trustees and, if necessary, independent Trustees’ counsel and Fund counsel.

 

  2.

Fund’s transfer agent.

 

  3.

Fund’s Custodian.

 

  4.

Fund’s Administrator, if applicable.

 

  5.

Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.

 

  6.

Fund’s accounting services provider.

 

  7.

Independent rating agencies — Lipper Inc., Moody’s, Fitch.

 

  8.

Information aggregators — S&P Global, Bloomberg, eVestments Alliance and Informa/PSN Investment Solutions.

 

  9.

Pricing Vendors — Refinitiv Limited, Refinitiv US LLC, ICE Data Services, Bloomberg, IHS Markit, JP Morgan Pricing-Direct, Valuation Research Corporation, Murray, Devine & Co., Inc. and WM Company PLC.

 

  10.

Valuation Providers — Houlihan Lokey, Lincoln Financial, Chatham and Kroll.

 

  11.

Third-party feeder funds — Stock Index Fund, a series of Homestead Funds, Inc. and Transamerica Stock Index, a series of Transamerica Funds and their respective boards, sponsors, administrators and other service providers.

 

  12.

Affiliated feeder funds — iShares S&P 500 Index Fund, iShares U.S. Aggregate Bond Index Fund, Treasury Money Market Fund (Cayman) and their respective boards, sponsors, administrators and other service providers.

 

  13.

Other — Investment Company Institute, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, L.P., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Mizuho Asset Management Co., Ltd., Nationwide Fund Advisors, State Street Bank and Trust Company, Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc. and Silicon Valley Bank.

 

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With respect to each such arrangement, a Fund has a legitimate business purpose for the release of information. The release of the information is subject to confidential treatment to prohibit the entity from sharing with an unauthorized source or trading upon the information provided. The Funds, BlackRock and their affiliates do not receive any compensation or other consideration in connection with such arrangements.

The Funds and the Manager monitor, to the extent possible, the use of Confidential Information by the individuals or firms to which it has been disclosed. To do so, in addition to the requirements of any applicable confidentiality agreement and/or the terms and conditions of the Fund’s and Manager’s Codes of Ethics — all of which require persons or entities in possession of Confidential Information to keep such information confidential and not to trade on such information for their own benefit — the Manager’s compliance personnel under the supervision of the Fund’s CCO, monitor the Manager’s securities trading desks to determine whether individuals or firms who have received Confidential Information have made any trades on the basis of that information. In addition, the Manager maintains an internal restricted list to prevent trading by the personnel of the Manager or its affiliates in securities — including securities held by a Fund — about which the Manager has Confidential Information. There can be no assurance, however, that the Fund’s policies and procedures with respect to the selective disclosure of Portfolio Holdings will prevent the misuse of such information by individuals or firms that receive such information.

Potential Conflicts of Interest

Certain activities of BlackRock, Inc., BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Fund Advisors and the other subsidiaries of BlackRock, Inc. (collectively referred to in this section as “BlackRock”) and their respective directors, officers or employees, with respect to the Funds and/or other accounts managed by BlackRock, may give rise to actual or perceived conflicts of interest such as those described below.

BlackRock is one of the world’s largest asset management firms. BlackRock, its subsidiaries and their respective directors, officers and employees, including the business units or entities and personnel who may be involved in the investment activities and business operations of a Fund, are engaged worldwide in businesses, including managing equities, fixed income securities, cash and alternative investments, and other financial services, and have interests other than that of managing the Funds. These are considerations of which investors in a Fund should be aware, and which may cause conflicts of interest that could disadvantage a Fund and its shareholders. These businesses and interests include potential multiple advisory, transactional, financial and other relationships with, or interests in companies and interests in securities or other instruments that may be purchased or sold by a Fund.

BlackRock may have proprietary interests in, and may manage or advise with respect to, accounts or funds (including separate accounts and other funds and collective investment vehicles) that have investment objectives identical or similar to those of a Fund and/or that engage in transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and instruments as the Fund. Such other funds or accounts may offer exposure to strategies that are identical or substantially similar to those of a Fund but with different fees and expenses, governance and structures, and/or services provided by BlackRock. BlackRock is also a major participant in the global currency, equities, swap and fixed income markets, in each case, for the accounts of clients and, in some cases, on a proprietary basis. As such, BlackRock is or may be actively engaged in transactions in the same securities, currencies, and instruments in which a Fund invests.

Such activities could affect the prices and availability of the securities, currencies, and instruments in which a Fund invests, which could have an adverse impact on a Fund’s performance. Such transactions, particularly in respect of most proprietary accounts or client accounts, will be executed independently of a Fund’s transactions and thus at prices or rates that may be more or less favorable than those obtained by the Fund.

In addition, the portfolio holdings of certain BlackRock-advised investment vehicles managed in an identical or substantially similar manner as certain Funds are made publicly available on a more timely basis than the applicable Fund. In some cases, such portfolio holdings are made publicly available on a daily basis. While not expected, it is possible that a recipient of portfolio holdings information for such an investment vehicle could cause harm to a Fund that is managed in an identical or substantially similar manner, including by trading ahead of or against such Fund based on the information received.

When BlackRock seeks to purchase or sell the same assets for client accounts, including a Fund, the assets actually purchased or sold may be allocated among the accounts on a basis determined in its good faith discretion to be equitable. In some cases, this system may adversely affect the size or price of the assets purchased or sold for a Fund. In addition, transactions in investments by one or more other accounts managed by BlackRock may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of a Fund, particularly, but

 

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not limited to, with respect to small capitalization, emerging market or less liquid strategies. This may occur with respect to BlackRock-advised accounts when investment decisions regarding a Fund are based on research or other information that is also used to support decisions for other accounts. When BlackRock implements a portfolio decision or strategy on behalf of another account ahead of, or contemporaneously with, similar decisions or strategies for a Fund, market impact, liquidity constraints, or other factors could result in the Fund receiving less favorable trading results and the costs of implementing such decisions or strategies could be increased or the Fund could otherwise be disadvantaged. BlackRock may, in certain cases, elect to implement internal policies and procedures designed to limit such consequences, which may cause a Fund to be unable to engage in certain activities, including purchasing or disposing of securities, when it might otherwise be desirable for it to do so. Conflicts may also arise because portfolio decisions regarding a Fund may benefit other accounts managed by BlackRock. For example, the sale of a long position or establishment of a short position by a Fund may impair the price of the same security sold short by (and therefore benefit) BlackRock or its other accounts or funds, and the purchase of a security or covering of a short position in a security by a Fund may increase the price of the same security held by (and therefore benefit) BlackRock or its other accounts or funds.

BlackRock, on behalf of other client accounts, on the one hand, and a Fund, on the other hand, may invest in or extend credit to different parts of the capital structure of a single issuer. BlackRock may pursue rights, provide advice or engage in other activities, or refrain from pursuing rights, providing advice or engaging in other activities, on behalf of other clients with respect to an issuer in which a Fund has invested, and such actions (or refraining from action) may have a material adverse effect on the Fund. In situations in which clients of BlackRock (including the Funds) hold positions in multiple parts of the capital structure of an issuer, BlackRock may not pursue certain actions or remedies that may be available to a Fund, as a result of legal and regulatory requirements or otherwise. BlackRock addresses these and other potential conflicts of interest based on the facts and circumstances of particular situations. For example, BlackRock may determine to rely on information barriers between different business units or portfolio management teams. BlackRock may also determine to rely on the actions of similarly situated holders of loans or securities rather than, or in connection with, taking such actions itself on behalf of the Funds.

In addition, to the extent permitted by applicable law, certain Funds may invest their assets in other funds advised by BlackRock, including funds that are managed by one or more of the same portfolio managers, which could result in conflicts of interest relating to asset allocation, timing of Fund purchases and redemptions, and increased remuneration and profitability for BlackRock and/or its personnel, including portfolio managers.

Third parties, including service providers to BlackRock or the Fund, may sponsor events (including, but not limited to, marketing and promotional activities and presentations, educational training programs and conferences) for registered representatives, other professionals and individual investors. There is a potential conflict of interest as such sponsorships may defray the costs of such activities to BlackRock, and may provide an incentive to BlackRock to retain such third parties to provide services to the Fund.

In certain circumstances, BlackRock, on behalf of the Funds, may seek to buy from or sell securities to another fund or account advised by BlackRock. BlackRock may (but is not required to) effect purchases and sales between BlackRock clients (“cross trades”), including the Funds, if BlackRock believes such transactions are appropriate based on each party’s investment objectives and guidelines, subject to applicable law and regulation. There may be potential conflicts of interest or regulatory issues relating to these transactions which could limit BlackRock’s decision to engage in these transactions for the Funds. BlackRock may have a potentially conflicting division of loyalties and responsibilities to the parties in such transactions.

BlackRock and its clients may pursue or enforce rights with respect to an issuer in which a Fund has invested, and those activities may have an adverse effect on the Fund. As a result, prices, availability, liquidity and terms of the Fund’s investments may be negatively impacted by the activities of BlackRock or its clients, and transactions for the Fund may be impaired or effected at prices or terms that may be less favorable than would otherwise have been the case.

The results of a Fund’s investment activities may differ significantly from the results achieved by BlackRock for its proprietary accounts or other accounts (including investment companies or collective investment vehicles) that it manages or advises. It is possible that one or more accounts managed or advised by BlackRock and such other accounts will achieve investment results that are substantially more or less favorable than the results achieved by a Fund. Moreover, it is possible that a Fund will sustain losses during periods in which one or more proprietary or other accounts managed or advised by BlackRock achieve significant profits. The opposite result is also possible.

 

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From time to time, a Fund may be restricted from purchasing or selling securities, or from engaging in other investment activities because of regulatory, legal or contractual requirements applicable to BlackRock or other accounts managed or advised by BlackRock, and/or the internal policies of BlackRock designed to comply with such requirements. As a result, there may be periods, for example, when BlackRock will not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions in certain securities or instruments with respect to which BlackRock is performing services or when position limits have been reached. For example, the investment activities of BlackRock for its proprietary accounts and accounts under its management may limit the investment opportunities for a Fund in certain emerging and other markets in which limitations are imposed upon the amount of investment, in the aggregate or in individual issuers, by affiliated foreign investors.

In connection with its management of a Fund, BlackRock may have access to certain fundamental analysis and proprietary technical models developed by BlackRock. BlackRock will not be under any obligation, however, to effect transactions on behalf of a Fund in accordance with such analysis and models. In addition, BlackRock will not have any obligation to make available any information regarding its proprietary activities or strategies, or the activities or strategies used for other accounts managed by them, for the benefit of the management of a Fund and it is not anticipated that BlackRock will have access to such information for the purpose of managing the Fund. The proprietary activities or portfolio strategies of BlackRock, or the activities or strategies used for accounts managed by BlackRock or other client accounts could conflict with the transactions and strategies employed by BlackRock in managing a Fund.

The Funds may be included in investment models developed by BlackRock for use by clients and financial advisors. To the extent clients invest in these investment models and increase the assets under management of the Funds, the investment management fee amounts paid by the Funds to BlackRock may also increase. The net asset value and liquidity of a Fund may be impacted by purchases and sales of the Fund by model-driven investment portfolios, as well as by BlackRock itself and by its advisory clients.

In addition, certain principals and certain employees of a Fund’s investment adviser are also principals or employees of other business units or entities within BlackRock. As a result, these principals and employees may have obligations to such other business units or entities or their clients and such obligations to other business units or entities or their clients may be a consideration of which investors in a Fund should be aware.

BlackRock may enter into transactions and invest in securities, instruments and currencies on behalf of a Fund in which clients of BlackRock, or, to the extent permitted by the Commission and applicable law, BlackRock, serves as the counterparty, principal or issuer. In such cases, such party’s interests in the transaction will be adverse to the interests of the Fund, and such party may have no incentive to assure that the Fund obtains the best possible prices or terms in connection with the transactions. In addition, the purchase, holding and sale of such investments by a Fund may enhance the profitability of BlackRock.

BlackRock may also create, write or issue derivatives for clients, the underlying securities, currencies or instruments of which may be those in which a Fund invests or which may be based on the performance of the Fund. Additionally, an affiliate of BlackRock will create, write or issue options, which may be based on the performance of certain Funds. BlackRock has entered into an arrangement with Markit Indices Limited, the index provider for underlying fixed-income indexes used by certain iShares ETFs, related to derivative fixed-income products that are based on such iShares ETFs. Trading activity in these derivative products could also potentially lead to greater liquidity for such products, increased purchase activity with respect to these iShares ETFs and increased assets under management for BlackRock.

A Fund may, subject to applicable law, purchase investments that are the subject of an underwriting or other distribution by BlackRock and may also enter into transactions with other clients of BlackRock where such other clients have interests adverse to those of the Fund. At times, these activities may cause business units or entities within BlackRock to give advice to clients that may cause these clients to take actions adverse to the interests of the Fund. To the extent such transactions are permitted, a Fund will deal with BlackRock on an arms-length basis.

To the extent authorized by applicable law, BlackRock may act as broker, dealer, agent, lender or adviser or in other commercial capacities for a Fund. It is anticipated that the commissions, mark-ups, mark-downs, financial advisory fees, underwriting and placement fees, sales fees, financing and commitment fees, brokerage fees, other fees, compensation or profits, rates, terms and conditions charged by BlackRock will be in its view commercially reasonable, although BlackRock, including its sales personnel, will have an interest in obtaining fees and other amounts that are favorable to BlackRock and such sales personnel, which may have an adverse effect on the Funds. Index based funds may use an index provider that is affiliated with another service provider of the Fund or BlackRock that acts as a broker, dealer, agent, lender or in other commercial capacities for a Fund or BlackRock.

 

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Subject to applicable law, BlackRock (and its personnel and other distributors) will be entitled to retain fees and other amounts that they receive in connection with their service to the Funds as broker, dealer, agent, lender, adviser or in other commercial capacities. No accounting to the Funds or their shareholders will be required, and no fees or other compensation payable by the Funds or their shareholders will be reduced by reason of receipt by BlackRock of any such fees or other amounts.

When BlackRock acts as broker, dealer, agent, adviser or in other commercial capacities in relation to the Funds, BlackRock may take commercial steps in its own interests, which may have an adverse effect on the Funds.

A Fund will be required to establish business relationships with its counterparties based on the Fund’s own credit standing. BlackRock will not have any obligation to allow its credit to be used in connection with a Fund’s establishment of its business relationships, nor is it expected that the Fund’s counterparties will rely on the credit of BlackRock in evaluating the Fund’s creditworthiness.

BlackRock Investment Management, LLC (“BIM”) or BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. (“BTC”), as applicable, each an affiliate of BlackRock, pursuant to SEC exemptive relief, acts as securities lending agent to, and receives a share of securities lending revenues from, the Funds. BlackRock will also receive compensation for managing the reinvestment of the cash collateral from securities lending. There are potential conflicts of interests in managing a securities lending program, including but not limited to: (i) BlackRock as securities lending agent may have an incentive to, among other things, increase or decrease the amount of securities on loan or to lend particular securities in order to generate additional risk-adjusted revenue for BlackRock and its affiliates; and (ii) BlackRock as securities lending agent may have an incentive to allocate loans to clients that would provide more revenue to BlackRock. As described further below, BlackRock seeks to mitigate this conflict by providing its securities lending clients with equal lending opportunities over time in order to approximate pro rata allocation.

As part of its securities lending program, BlackRock indemnifies the Funds and certain other clients and/or funds against a shortfall in collateral in the event of borrower default. On a regular basis, BlackRock calculates the potential dollar exposure of collateral shortfall resulting from a borrower default (“shortfall risk”) in the securities lending program. BlackRock establishes program-wide borrower limits (“credit limits”) to actively manage borrower-specific credit exposure. BlackRock oversees the risk model that calculates projected collateral shortfall values using loan-level factors such as loan and collateral type and market value as well as specific borrower credit characteristics. When necessary, BlackRock may adjust securities lending program attributes by restricting eligible collateral or reducing borrower credit limits. As a result, the management of program-wide exposure as well as BlackRock-specific indemnification exposure may affect the amount of securities lending activity BlackRock may conduct at any given point in time by reducing the volume of lending opportunities for certain loans (including by asset type, collateral type and/or revenue profile).

BlackRock may decline to make a securities loan on behalf of a Fund, discontinue lending on behalf of a Fund or terminate a securities loan on behalf of a Fund for any reason, including but not limited to regulatory requirements and/or market rules, liquidity considerations, or credit considerations, which may impact Funds by reducing or eliminating the volume of lending opportunities for certain types of loans, loans in particular markets, loans of particular securities or types of securities, or for loans overall. In addition, some borrowers may prefer certain BlackRock lenders that provide additional protections against lender default that are favored by their prudential regulation.

BlackRock uses a predetermined systematic process in order to approximate pro rata allocation over time. In order to allocate a loan to a portfolio: (i) BlackRock as a whole must have sufficient lending capacity pursuant to the various program limits (i.e. indemnification exposure limit and borrower credit limits); (ii) the lending portfolio must hold the asset at the time a loan opportunity arrives; and (iii) the lending portfolio must also have enough inventory, either on its own or when aggregated with other portfolios into one single market delivery, to satisfy the loan request. In doing so, BlackRock seeks to provide equal lending opportunities for all portfolios, independent of whether BlackRock indemnifies the portfolio. Equal opportunities for lending portfolios does not guarantee equal outcomes. Specifically, short and long-term outcomes for individual clients may vary due to asset mix, asset/liability spreads on different securities, and the overall limits imposed by the firm.

Purchases and sales of securities and other assets for a Fund may be aggregated with orders for other BlackRock client accounts, including with accounts that pay different transaction costs solely due to the fact that they have different research payment arrangements. BlackRock, however, is not required to aggregate orders if portfolio management decisions for different accounts are made separately, or if they determine that aggregating is not practicable or required, or in cases involving client direction.

 

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Prevailing trading activity frequently may make impossible the receipt of the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities purchased or sold. When this occurs, the various prices may be averaged, and the Funds will be charged or credited with the average price. Thus, the effect of the aggregation may operate on some occasions to the disadvantage of the Funds. In addition, under certain circumstances, the Funds will not be charged the same commission or commission equivalent rates in connection with an aggregated order.

BlackRock, unless prohibited by applicable law, may cause a Fund or account to pay a broker or dealer a commission for effecting a transaction that exceeds the amount another broker or dealer would have charged for effecting the same transaction in recognition of the value of brokerage and research services provided by that broker or dealer. Under the European Union Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (Directive 2014/65/EU) and Markets in Financial Instruments Regulation (Regulation (EU) No 600/2014) (together “MiFID II”), European Union’s (the “EU”) investment managers, including BlackRock International Limited (“BIL”) which acts as a sub-adviser to certain Funds, pay for research from brokers and dealers directly out of their own resources, rather than through client commissions.

Subject to applicable law, BlackRock may select brokers that furnish BlackRock, the Funds, other BlackRock client accounts or personnel, directly or through correspondent relationships, with research or other appropriate services which provide, in BlackRock’s view, appropriate assistance to BlackRock in the investment decision-making process (including with respect to futures, fixed-price offerings and over-the-counter (“OTC”) transactions). Such research or other services may include, to the extent permitted by law, research reports on companies, industries and securities; economic and financial data; financial publications; proxy analysis; trade industry seminars; computer data bases; research-oriented software and other services and products.

Research or other services obtained in this manner may be used in servicing any or all of the Funds and other BlackRock client accounts, including in connection with BlackRock client accounts other than those that pay commissions to the broker relating to the research or other service arrangements. Such products and services may disproportionately benefit other BlackRock client accounts relative to the Funds based on the amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Funds and such other BlackRock client accounts. For example, research or other services that are paid for through one client’s commissions may not be used in managing that client’s account. In addition, other BlackRock client accounts may receive the benefit, including disproportionate benefits, of economies of scale or price discounts in connection with products and services that may be provided to the Funds and to such other BlackRock client accounts. To the extent that BlackRock uses soft dollars, it will not have to pay for those products and services itself.

BlackRock, unless prohibited by applicable law, may endeavor to execute trades through brokers who, pursuant to such arrangements, provide research or other services in order to ensure the continued receipt of research or other services BlackRock believes are useful in its investment decision-making process. BlackRock may from time to time choose not to engage in the above described arrangements to varying degrees. BlackRock, unless prohibited by applicable law, may also enter into commission sharing arrangements under which BlackRock may execute transactions through a broker-dealer and request that the broker-dealer allocate a portion of the commissions or commission credits to another firm that provides research to BlackRock. To the extent that BlackRock engages in commission sharing arrangements, many of the same conflicts related to traditional soft dollars may exist.

BlackRock may utilize certain electronic crossing networks (“ECNs”) (including, without limitation, ECNs in which BlackRock has an investment or other interest, to the extent permitted by applicable law) in executing client securities transactions for certain types of securities. These ECNs may charge fees for their services, including access fees and transaction fees. The transaction fees, which are similar to commissions or markups/ markdowns, will generally be charged to clients and, like commissions and markups/markdowns, would generally be included in the cost of the securities purchased. Access fees may be paid by BlackRock even though incurred in connection with executing transactions on behalf of clients, including the Funds. In certain circumstances, ECNs may offer volume discounts that will reduce the access fees typically paid by BlackRock. BlackRock will only utilize ECNs consistent with its obligation to seek to obtain best execution in client transactions.

BlackRock owns a minority interest in, and is a member of, Members Exchange (“MEMX”), a newly created U.S. stock exchange. Transactions for a Fund may be executed on MEMX if third party brokers select MEMX as the appropriate venue for execution of orders placed by BlackRock traders on behalf of client portfolios.

BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions that it makes on behalf of advisory clients, including the Funds, and to help ensure that such decisions are made in accordance with BlackRock’s fiduciary obligations to its clients. Nevertheless,

 

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notwithstanding such proxy voting policies and procedures, actual proxy voting decisions of BlackRock may have the effect of favoring the interests of other clients or businesses of other divisions or units of BlackRock, provided that BlackRock believes such voting decisions to be in accordance with its fiduciary obligations. For a more detailed discussion of these policies and procedures, see “Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures.”

It is also possible that, from time to time, BlackRock and/or its advisory clients (including other funds and separately managed accounts) may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of a Fund. Increasing a Fund’s assets may enhance investment flexibility and diversification and may contribute to economies of scale that tend to reduce the Fund’s expense ratio. BlackRock reserves the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to redeem at any time some or all of the shares of a Fund acquired for its own accounts. A large redemption of shares of a Fund by BlackRock could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s investment flexibility, portfolio diversification and expense ratio. BlackRock seeks to consider the effect of redemptions on a Fund and other shareholders in deciding whether to redeem its shares but is not obligated to do so and may elect not to do so.

It is possible that a Fund may invest in securities of, or engage in transactions with, companies in which BlackRock has significant debt or equity investments or other interests. A Fund may also invest in issuances (such as structured notes) by entities for which BlackRock provides and is compensated for cash management services relating to the proceeds from the sale of such issuances. In making investment decisions for a Fund, BlackRock is not permitted to obtain or use material non-public information acquired by any unit of BlackRock, in the course of these activities. In addition, from time to time, the activities of BlackRock may limit a Fund’s flexibility in purchases and sales of securities. As indicated below, BlackRock may engage in transactions with companies in which BlackRock-advised funds or other clients of BlackRock have an investment.

BlackRock and its personnel and other financial service providers may have interests in promoting sales of the Funds. With respect to BlackRock and its personnel, the remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of the Funds or other products may be greater than remuneration and profitability relating to services to and sales of certain funds or other products that might be provided or offered. BlackRock and its sales personnel may directly or indirectly receive a portion of the fees and commissions charged to the Funds or their shareholders. BlackRock and its advisory or other personnel may also benefit from increased amounts of assets under management. Fees and commissions may also be higher than for other products or services, and the remuneration and profitability to BlackRock and such personnel resulting from transactions on behalf of or management of the Funds may be greater than the remuneration and profitability resulting from other funds or products.

BlackRock may provide valuation assistance to certain clients with respect to certain securities or other investments and the valuation recommendations made for such clients’ accounts may differ from the valuations for the same securities or investments assigned by a Fund’s pricing vendors, especially if such valuations are based on broker-dealer quotes or other data sources unavailable to the Fund’s pricing vendors. While BlackRock will generally communicate its valuation information or determinations to a Fund’s pricing vendors and/or fund accountants, there may be instances where the Fund’s pricing vendors or fund accountants assign a different valuation to a security or other investment than the valuation for such security or investment determined or recommended by BlackRock.

BlackRock and its directors, officers and employees, may buy and sell securities or other investments for their own accounts and may have conflicts of interest with respect to investments made on behalf of a Fund. As a result of differing trading and investment strategies or constraints, positions may be taken by directors, officers and employees of BlackRock that are the same, different from or made at different times than positions taken for the Fund. To lessen the possibility that a Fund will be adversely affected by this personal trading, the Fund, BRIL and BlackRock each have adopted a Code of Ethics in compliance with Section 17(j) of the Investment Company Act that restricts securities trading in the personal accounts of investment professionals and others who normally come into possession of information regarding the Fund’s portfolio transactions. Each Code of Ethics is also available on the EDGAR Database on the Commission’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by e-mail at publicinfo@sec.gov.

BlackRock will not purchase securities or other property from, or sell securities or other property to, a Fund, except that the Fund may in accordance with rules or guidance adopted under the Investment Company Act engage in transactions with another Fund or accounts that are affiliated with the Fund as a result of common officers, directors, or investment advisers or pursuant to exemptive orders granted to the Funds and/or BlackRock by the Commission. These transactions would be effected in circumstances in which BlackRock determined that it would be appropriate for the Fund to purchase and another client of BlackRock to sell, or the Fund to sell and another client of BlackRock to purchase, the same security or instrument on the same day. From time to time, the activities of a Fund may be restricted because of regulatory requirements applicable to BlackRock and/or BlackRock’s internal policies designed

 

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to comply with, limit the applicability of, or that otherwise relate to such requirements. A client not advised by BlackRock would not be subject to some of those considerations. There may be periods when BlackRock may not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions, or may otherwise restrict or limit its advice regarding certain securities or instruments issued by or related to companies for which BlackRock is performing advisory or other services or has proprietary positions. For example, when BlackRock is engaged to provide advisory or risk management services for a company, BlackRock may be prohibited from or limited in purchasing or selling securities of that company on behalf of a Fund, particularly where such services result in BlackRock obtaining material non-public information about the company (e.g., in connection with participation in a creditors’ committee). Moreover, applicable provisions of the Investment Company Act or other regulatory considerations may restrict a Fund or BlackRock from effecting certain portfolio transactions or taking other actions in respect of an investment on behalf of a Fund, including where BlackRock and/or clients advised by BlackRock already have an interest in such issuer or the investment. Similar situations could arise if personnel of BlackRock serve as directors of companies the securities of which the Funds wish to purchase or sell. However, if permitted by applicable law, and where consistent with BlackRock’s policies and procedures (including the necessary implementation of appropriate information barriers), the Funds may purchase securities or instruments that are issued by such companies, are the subject of an advisory or risk management assignment by BlackRock, or where personnel of BlackRock are directors or officers of the issuer.

BlackRock has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that are designed to address potential conflicts that arise in connection with the advisory services BlackRock provides to Funds and other clients. Certain BlackRock advisory personnel may take views, and make decisions or recommendations, that are different than or opposite those of other BlackRock advisory personnel. Certain portfolio management teams within BlackRock may make decisions or take (or refrain from taking) actions with respect to clients they advise in a manner different than or adverse to the decisions made or the actions taken (or not taken) by the Funds’ portfolio management teams. The various portfolio management teams may not share information with each other, including as a result of certain information barriers and other policies, and will not have any obligation or other duty to do so.

BlackRock has established certain information barriers and other policies to address the sharing of information between different businesses within BlackRock, including with respect to personnel responsible with managing portfolios and voting proxies with respect to certain index equity portfolios versus those responsible for managing portfolios and voting proxies with respect to all other portfolios. As a result of information barriers, certain units of BlackRock generally will not have access, or will have limited access, to certain information and personnel, including senior personnel, in other units of BlackRock, and generally will not manage the Funds with the benefit of information possessed by such other units. Therefore, BlackRock may not be able to review potential investments for the Funds with the benefit of information held by certain areas of BlackRock.

BlackRock may determine to move certain personnel, businesses, or business units from one side of an information barrier to the other side of the information barrier. In connection therewith, BlackRock personnel, businesses, and business units that were moved will no longer have access to the information and personnel from the side of the information barrier from which they were moved. Information obtained in connection with such changes to information barriers may limit or restrict the ability of BlackRock to engage in or otherwise effect transactions on behalf of the Funds (including purchasing or selling securities that BlackRock may otherwise have purchased or sold for a client in the absence of a change to an information barrier). Information barriers may not have their intended impact due to, for example, changes in applicable law or inadvertent crossings of the barriers, and actions by personnel on one side of a barrier may impact the potential actions of personnel on the other side of a barrier.

Although the information barriers are intended to allow for independent portfolio management decision-making and proxy voting among certain BlackRock businesses, the investment activities of BlackRock for BlackRock clients, as well as BlackRock’s proprietary accounts, may nonetheless limit the investment strategies and rights of other clients (including the Fund). As BlackRock’s assets under management increases, BlackRock clients may face greater negative impacts due to ownership restrictions and limitations imposed by laws, regulations, rules, regulators, or issuers. For example, in certain circumstances where a BlackRock client invests in securities issued by companies that operate in certain industries (e.g., banking, insurance, and utilities) or in certain emerging or international markets, or are subject to regulatory or corporate ownership restrictions (e.g., with mechanisms such as poison pills in place to prevent takeovers), or where a BlackRock client invests in certain futures and derivatives, there may be limits on the aggregate amount invested by BlackRock for its clients and BlackRock’s proprietary accounts that may not be exceeded without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate approval, order, consent, relief, waiver or non-disapproval or, if exceeded, may cause BlackRock or its clients to be subject to enforcement actions, disgorgement of share ownership or profits, regulatory restrictions, complex compliance reporting, increased

 

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compliance costs or suffer disadvantages or business restrictions. In light of certain restrictions, BlackRock may also seek to make indirect investments (e.g., using derivatives) on behalf of its clients to receive exposure to certain securities in excess of the applicable ownership restrictions and limitations when legally permitted that will expose such clients to additional costs and additional risks, including any risks associated with investing in derivatives. There may be limited availability of derivatives that provide indirect exposure to an impacted security. BlackRock clients can be subject to more than one ownership limitation depending on each client’s holdings, and each ownership limitation can impact multiple securities held by the client. Certain clients or shareholders may have their own overlapping obligations to monitor their compliance with ownership limitations across their investments.

If certain aggregate ownership thresholds are reached either through the actions of BlackRock or a BlackRock client or as a result of corporate actions by the issuer, the ability of BlackRock on behalf of clients to purchase or dispose of investments, or exercise rights (including voting) or undertake business transactions, may be restricted by law, regulation, rule, or organizational documents or otherwise impaired. For example, to meet the requirements of an ownership limitation or restriction, a client may be unable to purchase or directly hold a security the client would otherwise purchase or hold. The limitation or restriction may be based on the holdings of other BlackRock clients instead of the specific client being restricted. For index funds, this means a fund may not be able to track its index as closely as it would if it was not subject to an ownership limitation or restriction because the fund cannot acquire the amount of the impacted security included in its index. BlackRock on behalf of its clients may limit purchases, sell existing investments, utilize indirect investments, utilize information barriers, or otherwise restrict, forgo, or limit the exercise of rights (including transferring, outsourcing, or limiting voting rights or forgoing the right to receive dividends) when BlackRock, in its sole discretion, deems it appropriate in light of potential regulatory or other restrictions on ownership or other consequences resulting from reaching investment thresholds. These types of restrictions could negatively impact a client’s performance or ability to meet its investment objective.

When BlackRock or a BlackRock client is subject to an ownership limitation, BlackRock may in its discretion seek permission from the applicable issuers or regulators to exceed the limitation. However, there is no guarantee that permission will be granted, or that, once granted, it will not be modified or revoked at a later date with minimal or no notice. The issuer and/or regulator may also require that BlackRock on behalf of itself and its clients take or refrain from taking certain actions in connection with the approval, order, consent, relief or non-disapproval, which BlackRock may accept if it believes the benefits outweigh the costs and may limit BlackRock from taking actions that it otherwise would take. In those circumstances where ownership thresholds or limitations must be observed, BlackRock seeks to allocate limited investment opportunities equitably among clients, taking into consideration benchmark weight and investment strategy. BlackRock may adopt certain controls designed to prevent the occurrence of a breach of any applicable ownership threshold or limits, including, for example, when ownership in certain securities nears an applicable threshold, BlackRock may limit additional purchases in such securities. If client holdings of an issuer exceed an applicable threshold and BlackRock is unable to obtain relief to enable the continued holding of such investments, it may be necessary to reduce these positions to meet the applicable limitations and BlackRock or such client may be subject to regulatory actions. In these cases, the investments will be sold in a manner that BlackRock deems fair and equitable over time.

Ownership limitations are highly complex. It is possible that, despite BlackRock’s intent to either comply with or be granted permission to exceed ownership limitations, it may inadvertently breach a limit or violate the corporate or regulatory approval, order, consent, relief or non-disapproval that was obtained.

In addition to the foregoing, other ownership thresholds may trigger reporting requirements to governmental and regulatory authorities, and such reports may entail the disclosure of the identity of a client or BlackRock’s intended strategy with respect to such security or asset.

BlackRock may maintain securities indices. To the extent permitted by applicable laws, the Funds may seek to license and use such indices as part of their investment strategy. Index based funds that seek to track the performance of securities indices also may use the name of the index or index provider in the fund name. Index providers, including BlackRock (to the extent permitted by applicable law), may be paid licensing fees for use of their index or index name. In instances where BlackRock charges a unitary management fee, BlackRock may have a financial incentive to use a BlackRock index that is less costly to BlackRock than a third party index. BlackRock may benefit from the Funds using BlackRock indices by creating increasing acceptance in the marketplace for such indices. BlackRock is not obligated to license its indices to a Fund and the Funds are under no obligation to use BlackRock indices. Any Fund that enters into a license for a BlackRock index cannot be assured that the terms of any index licensing agreement with BlackRock will be as favorable as those terms offered to other licensees.

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recognition of BlackRock’s overall relationship with such service providers. BlackRock may also enter into contractual arrangements with such service providers pursuant to which BlackRock incurs additional costs if the service provider’s services are terminated with respect to a Fund. To the extent that BlackRock is responsible for paying service providers out of its fees that it receives from the Funds, the benefits of lower fees, including any fee discounts or concessions, or any additional savings, may accrue, in whole or in part, to BlackRock, which could result in conflicts of interest relating to the use or termination of service providers to a Fund. In addition, conflicts of interest may arise with respect to contractual arrangements with third-party service providers to a Fund, or the selection of such providers, particularly in circumstances where BlackRock is negotiating on behalf of both funds that have a unitary management fee and those that do not or different service providers have different fee structures

BlackRock may enter into commercial, operational or strategic arrangements with third-party technology providers, blockchain networks or service providers in connection with the distribution, servicing or operation of tokenized fund shares, including OnChain Shares. These arrangements may include investments by BlackRock in blockchain networks on which OnChain Shares are deployed, or investments in the developers of such networks. OnChain shares may also be deployed on networks in which, or in the developers of which, BlackRock has existing investments or other servicing arrangements. In consideration of BlackRock’s investment in these networks or their developers, BlackRock may receive ongoing remuneration, the amount of which may be tied directly or indirectly to the aggregate net asset value of OnChain Shares deployed on the applicable network. Such arrangements may present actual or potential conflicts of interest to the extent they influence the selection or continued use of particular platforms, service providers or technologies.

Conflicts of interest may arise as a result of simultaneous investment management of multiple client accounts by BlackRock’s investment professionals. For example, differences in the advisory fee structure may create the appearance of actual or potential conflicts of interest because such differences could create pecuniary incentives for BlackRock to favor one client account over another.

BlackRock owns or has an ownership interest in certain trading, portfolio management, operations and/or information systems used by Fund service providers. These systems are, or will be, used by a Fund service provider in connection with the provision of services to accounts managed by BlackRock and funds managed and sponsored by BlackRock, including the Funds, that engage the service provider (typically the custodian). A Fund’s service provider remunerates BlackRock for the use of the systems. A Fund service provider’s payments to BlackRock for the use of these systems may enhance the profitability of BlackRock.

BlackRock’s receipt of fees from a service provider in connection with the use of systems provided by BlackRock may create an incentive for BlackRock to recommend that a Fund enter into or renew an arrangement with the service provider.

In recognition of a BlackRock client’s overall relationship with BlackRock, BlackRock may offer special pricing arrangements for certain services provided by BlackRock. Any such special pricing arrangements will not affect Fund fees and expenses applicable to such client’s investment in a Fund.

Present and future activities of BlackRock and its directors, officers and employees, in addition to those described in this section, may give rise to additional conflicts of interest.

PURCHASE OF SHARES

Each Fund offers its shares without a sales charge at a price equal to the NAV next determined after a purchase order becomes effective. Each Fund attempts to maintain a NAV per share of $1.00. Share purchase orders are effective on the date Federal Funds become available to a Fund. Generally, if Federal Funds are available to a Fund prior to the determination of NAV on any business day, the order will be effective on that day. Except as otherwise specified in a Fund’s Prospectus, shares purchased will begin accruing dividends on the day following the date of purchase. Federal Funds are a commercial bank’s deposits in a Federal Reserve Bank and can be transferred from one member bank’s account to that of another member bank on the same day and thus are considered to be immediately available funds. Any order may be rejected by a Fund or the Distributor.

Shareholder Services

Certain Funds offer a number of shareholder services described below that are designed to facilitate investment in shares of the Fund. Full details as to each of such services and copies of the various plans and instructions as to how to participate in the various services or plans, or how to change options with respect thereto, can be obtained from each Fund, by calling the telephone number on the cover page to Part I of your Fund’s SAI, or from the Distributor. The types of shareholder service programs that may be offered to shareholders include: Fee-Based Programs; Automatic Investment Plan; and Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

Purchase of Shares of Summit Cash Reserves

Summit Cash Reserves has authorized one or more brokers and/or financial institutions (“Authorized Persons”) to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders that are in “good form” in accordance with the policies of those

 

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Authorized Persons. Such Authorized Persons are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf, and the Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an Authorized Person or, if applicable, such Authorized Person’s authorized designee, receives the order. Such customer orders will be priced at the Fund’s NAV next computed after they are received by an Authorized Person or such Authorized Person’s authorized designee. Financial institutions may include retirement

 

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plan service providers who aggregate purchase and redemption instructions received from numerous retirement plans or plan participants.

Investor A and Investor C Shares

Purchase of Investor A Shares. The minimum investment for the initial purchase of shares is $1,000. There is no investment minimum for employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs). There is no investment minimum for certain fee-based programs. There is a $50 minimum for subsequent investments (with the exception of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans which may have a lower minimum). Purchases through the Automatic Investment Plan are subject to a lower initial purchase minimum. In addition, the minimum initial investment for employees of the Fund, the Fund’s Manager, sub-adviser, BRIL or transfer agent or employees of their affiliates is $100, unless payment is made through a payroll deduction program in which case the minimum investment is $25.

Purchases of Investor A Shares Through Brokers. It is the responsibility of brokers to transmit purchase orders and payment on a timely basis. Generally, if payment is not received within the period described in the Prospectus, the order will be canceled, notice thereof will be given, and the broker and its customers will be responsible for any loss to the Fund or its shareholders. Orders of less than $500 may be mailed by a broker to the transfer agent.

Other Purchase Information. Shares of the Fund are sold on a continuous basis by BRIL as distributor. BRIL maintains its principal offices at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. Purchases may be effected on weekdays on which the NYSE is open for business (a “Business Day”). Payment for orders of Investor A Shares which are not received or accepted will be returned after prompt inquiry. The issuance of shares is recorded on the books of the Fund. No certificates will be issued for shares. Payments for Investor A Shares of the Fund may, in the discretion of the Fund’s Manager, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order, to modify or waive the minimum initial or subsequent investment requirement and to suspend and resume the sale of any share class of the Fund at any time.

Exchange Privilege. Unless an exemption applies, a front-end sales charge will be charged in connection with exchanges of Investor A Shares of the Fund for Investor A Shares of another fund advised by BlackRock or its affiliates that imposes such a sales charge. Exchanges of Investor C Shares of the Fund for Investor C Shares of one of the non-money market portfolios advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (each a “Non-Money Market Portfolio”) will be exercised at NAV. However, a contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) will be charged in connection with the redemption of the Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market Portfolio received in the exchange.

A CDSC of 1.00% may apply to certain redemptions of Investor C Shares of Summit Cash Reserves. The Investor C Shares CDSC is only charged upon redemptions of Investor C Shares within one year after you originally acquired the Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market Portfolio, unless you qualify for a waiver. There is no CDSC charged on redemptions if you have owned your Investor C Shares for more than one year (as measured from your original purchase of Investor C Shares that you exchanged into Investor C Shares of Summit Cash Reserves). In determining whether an Investor C Shares CDSC is applicable to a redemption, the calculation will be determined in the manner that results in the lowest possible rate being charged. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the proceeds of redemption or the cost of the shares being redeemed. Accordingly, no CDSC will be imposed on increases in NAV above the initial purchase price of Investor C Shares. In addition, no CDSC will be assessed on Investor C Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends. It will be assumed that the redemption is first of shares held for over one year or shares acquired pursuant to reinvestment of dividends and then of shares held longest during the one-year period. A transfer of shares from a shareholder’s account to another account will be assumed to be made in the same order as a redemption.

See “Information on Sales Charges and Distribution Related Expenses” in Part I of the Fund’s SAI for information about amounts paid to the Distributor in connection with CDSC shares for the periods indicated.

The CDSC on Investor C Shares is not charged in connection with: (1) redemptions of Investor C Shares purchased through certain employer-sponsored retirement plans and fee-based programs previously approved by certain Funds and rollovers of current investments in the Fund through such plans; (2) exchanges pursuant to the exchange privilege described in the Fund’s Prospectus; (3) redemptions made in connection with minimum required distributions from IRA and 403(b)(7) accounts due to the shareholder reaching the applicable age triggering such distributions; (4) redemptions made with respect to certain retirement plans sponsored by BlackRock or its affiliates; (5) redemptions in connection with a shareholder’s death as long as the waiver request is made within one year of death or, if later, reasonably promptly following completion of probate (including in connection with the distribution of account assets to a beneficiary of the decedent) or disability (as defined in the Code) subsequent to the purchase of Investor C Shares; (6) withdrawals resulting from shareholder disability (as defined in the Code) as long as the disability arose subsequent to the

 

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purchase of the shares; (7) involuntary redemptions of Investor C Shares in accounts with low balances as described in “Redemption of Shares” below; (8) redemptions made pursuant to a systematic withdrawal plan, subject to the limitations set forth under “Systematic Withdrawal Plan” below; (9) redemptions related to the payment of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company custodial IRA fees; and (10) redemptions when a shareholder can demonstrate hardship, in the absolute discretion of the Fund. In addition, no CDSC is charged on Investor C Shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions.

Certain CDSC waivers and reductions on Investor C Shares may be available to customers of certain financial intermediaries, as described under “Intermediary-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” in the Fund’s Prospectus. Please speak to your financial intermediary for more information.

A shareholder wishing to make an exchange may do so by sending a written request to the Fund at the following address: BlackRock, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4429. Shareholders are automatically provided with telephone exchange privileges when opening an account, unless they indicate on the Application that they do not wish to use this privilege. To add this feature to an existing account that previously did not provide this option, a request must be made in writing or by telephone. Once this election has been made, the shareholder may simply contact the Fund by telephone at (800) 441-7762 to request the exchange. During periods of substantial economic or market change, telephone exchanges may be difficult to complete and shareholders may have to submit exchange requests in writing.

If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own shares of the investment portfolio whose shares are being acquired, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options and broker of record as the account from which shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” as defined in Rule 17Ad-15 under the Exchange Act. In order to participate in the Automatic Investment Program or establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan for the new account, however, an exchanging shareholder must file a specific written request.

Any share exchange must satisfy the requirements relating to the minimum initial investment requirement, and must be legally available for sale in the state of the investor’s residence. For Federal income tax purposes, a share exchange is a taxable event and, accordingly, a capital gain or loss may be realized. Before making an exchange request, shareholders should consult a tax or other financial adviser and should consider the investment objective, policies and restrictions of the investment portfolio into which the shareholder is making an exchange. Brokers may charge a fee for handling exchanges.

The Fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or terminate the exchange privilege at any time. Notice will be given to shareholders of any material modification or termination except where notice is not required. The Fund reserves the right to reject any telephone exchange request. Telephone exchanges may be subject to limitations as to amount or frequency, and to other restrictions that may be established from time to time to ensure that exchanges do not operate to the disadvantage of any portfolio or its shareholders. The Fund, the Administrator and BRIL will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund, the Trust, the Administrator(s) and BRIL will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for acting upon telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures.

By use of the exchange privilege, the investor authorizes the Fund’s transfer agent to act on telephonic or written exchange instructions from any person representing him- or herself to be the investor and believed by the Fund’s transfer agent to be genuine. The records of the Fund’s transfer agent pertaining to such instructions are binding. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time upon 60 days’ notice to affected shareholders. The exchange privilege is only available in states where the exchange may legally be made.

The redemption of shares of one fund and the subsequent investment in another fund generally will be treated as two separate transactions. Therefore, a front-end sales charge will be imposed (unless an exemption applies) on the purchase of Investor A or Investor A1 Shares of a Non-Money Market Portfolio with the proceeds of a redemption of Investor A Shares of the Fund. In addition, when Investor C Shares of the Fund are redeemed and the proceeds are used to purchase Investor C Shares of a Non-Money Market Portfolio, a CDSC will be imposed (unless an exemption applies) when the Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market Portfolio are redeemed.

The Fund has adopted an automatic conversion feature for Investor C Shares. Effective November 23, 2020, Investor C Shares held for approximately eight years will be converted into Investor A Shares, as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. In addition, accounts that do not have a financial intermediary associated with them are not eligible to hold Investor C Shares, and any Investor C Shares held in such accounts will be automatically converted to Investor A Shares.

 

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A CDSC of up to 1.00% may apply to certain redemptions of Investor A Shares of Summit Cash Reserves purchased in an exchange transaction for Investor A Shares of another mutual fund sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (“BlackRock Fund”) where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase of such fund (each, an “Investor A Load-Waived BlackRock Portfolio”) as part of an investment of $1,000,000 (lesser amounts may apply depending on the Investor A Load-Waived BlackRock Portfolio) or more. The Investor A Shares CDSC is only charged upon redemptions of Investor A Shares within 18 months after you originally acquired such Investor A Shares of the Investor A Load-Waived BlackRock Portfolio (a shorter holding period may apply depending on the Investor A Load-Waived BlackRock Portfolio), unless you qualify for a waiver. There is no CDSC charged on redemptions if you have owned your Investor A Shares for more than 18 months (or for a shorter holding period, as applicable) as measured from your original purchase of Investor A Shares that you exchanged into Investor A Shares of Summit Cash Reserves or if you purchase Investor A Shares of Summit Cash Reserves not through an exchange. The deferred sales charge on Investor A Shares is not charged in connection with: (a) redemptions of Investor A Shares purchased through certain employer-sponsored retirement plans and rollovers of current investments in a Fund through such plans; (b) exchanges pursuant to the exchange privilege described in the Fund’s Prospectus; (c) redemptions made in connection with minimum required distributions due to the shareholder reaching age 72 from IRA and 403(b)(7) accounts; (d) redemptions made with respect to certain retirement plans sponsored by BlackRock or its affiliates; (e) redemptions (i) within one year of a shareholder’s death or, if later, the receipt of a certified probate settlement (including in connection with the distribution of account assets to a beneficiary of the decedent) or (ii) in connection with a shareholder’s disability (as defined in the Code) subsequent to the purchase of Investor A Shares; (f) involuntary redemptions of Investor A Shares in accounts with low balances; (g) certain redemptions made pursuant to the Systematic Withdrawal Plan (described below); (h) redemptions related to the payment of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company custodial IRA fees; and (i) redemptions when a shareholder can demonstrate hardship, in the absolute discretion of a Fund.

If a holder of Investor A Shares of the Fund subsequently exchanges back into the same class of shares of the original affiliated fund it will do so without paying any sales charge. If a holder of Investor A Shares of the Fund exchanges into Investor A Shares of another affiliated fund, the holder will be required to pay a sales charge equal to the difference, if any, between the sales charge previously paid on the shares of the original affiliated fund and the sales charge payable at the time of the exchange on the shares of the new affiliated fund.

It is contemplated that the exchange privilege may be applicable to other new mutual funds whose shares are distributed by the Distributor.

Under the exchange privilege, exchanges are made on the basis of the relative NAVs of the shares being exchanged. Shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestment are sold on a no-load basis in each of the affiliated funds. For purposes of the exchange privilege, dividend reinvestment shares shall be deemed to have been sold with a sales charge equal to the sales charge previously paid on the shares on which the dividend was paid. Based on this formula an exchange of Investor A Shares of the Fund for Investor A Shares of an affiliated fund generally will require the payment of a sales charge equal to the difference, if any, between the sales charge previously paid on the Investor A Shares originally exchanged for Investor A Shares of the Fund and the sales charge that may be payable at the time of the exchange on the Investor A Shares of the affiliated fund to be acquired.

Before effecting an exchange, shareholders of the Fund should obtain a currently effective prospectus of the affiliated fund into which the exchange is to be made for information regarding the fund and for further details regarding such exchange.

To effect an exchange, shareholders should contact their financial adviser, selected securities dealer or other financial intermediary, who will advise the Fund of the exchange, or write to the Fund’s transfer agent requesting that the exchange be effected. Shareholders of certain affiliated funds with shares for which certificates have not been issued may effect an exchange by wire through their securities dealers. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time in accordance with the rules of the Commission. There is currently no limitation on the number of times a shareholder may effect an exchange into the Fund through the exchange privilege; however, the Fund reserves the right to limit the number of times an investor may effect an exchange. Certain affiliated funds may suspend the continuous offering of their shares at any time and thereafter may resume such offering from time to time. The exchange privilege is available only to U.S. shareholders in states where the exchange legally may be made.

An exchange pursuant to the exchange privilege is treated as a sale of the exchanged shares and a purchase of the new shares for Federal income tax purposes. In addition, an exchanging shareholder of any of the funds may be subject to backup withholding unless such shareholder certifies under penalty of perjury that the taxpayer

 

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identification number on file with any such fund is correct, and that he or she is not otherwise subject to backup withholding. See “Dividends and Taxes — Taxes.”

Additional Shareholder Features (Investor A and Investor C Shares Only)

Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”). Certain shareholders may arrange for periodic investments in the Fund through automatic deductions from a checking or savings account by completing the AIP Application which may be obtained from the Fund at (800) 441-7762, or online at www.blackrock.com. The minimum pre-authorized investment amount is $50 per Fund.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan (“SWP”). The Fund offers a Systematic Withdrawal Plan to shareholders who wish to receive regular distributions from their accounts. Upon commencement of the SWP, the account must have a current value of $10,000 or more in the Fund. Shareholders may elect to receive automatic cash payments of $50 or more at any interval. You may choose any day for the withdrawal. If no day is specified, the withdrawals will be processed on the 25th day of the month or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the prior Business Day and are paid promptly thereafter. An investor may utilize the SWP by completing the Systematic Withdrawal Plan Application Form which may be obtained by calling the Fund or by visiting our website at www.blackrock.com.

Shareholders should realize that if withdrawals exceed income dividends their invested principal in the account will be depleted. To participate in the SWP, shareholders must have their dividends automatically reinvested. Shareholders may change or cancel the SWP at any time, upon written notice to the Fund, or by calling the Fund at (800) 441-7762.

For this reason, a shareholder may not participate in the Automatic Investment Plan (see “Account Services and Privileges — Automatic Investment Plan” in the Fund’s Prospectus) and the Systematic Withdrawal Plan at the same time.

Dividend Allocation Plan. The Dividend Allocation Plan allows shareholders to elect to have all their dividends and any other distributions from the Fund or any Eligible Fund (which includes the Fund and other funds as designated by BRIL from time to time) automatically invested at NAV in one other such Eligible Fund designated by the shareholder, provided the account into which the dividends and distributions are directed is initially funded with the requisite minimum amount.

Conversion of Investor C Shares to Investor A Shares

Effective November 23, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), approximately eight years after purchase, Investor C Shares of the Fund will convert automatically into Investor A Shares of the Fund (the “Investor C 8-Year Conversion”). It is the financial intermediary’s responsibility to ensure that the shareholder is credited with the proper holding period. As of the Effective Date, certain financial intermediaries, including group retirement recordkeeping platforms, may not have been tracking such holding periods and therefore may not be able to process such conversions. In such instances, Investor C Shares held as of the Effective Date will automatically convert to Investor A Shares approximately eight years after the Effective Date. If, as of November 23, 2028 (eight years after the Effective Date), a financial intermediary has not implemented systems or procedures to track holding periods commencing from the Effective Date, shareholders holding Investor C Shares through such financial intermediary will no longer be eligible to hold Investor C Shares and any such shares will convert to Investor A Shares as soon as reasonably practicable after such date.

In addition, accounts that do not have a financial intermediary associated with them are not eligible to hold Investor C Shares, and any Investor C Shares held in such accounts will be automatically converted into Investor A Shares (the “Investor C Direct Accounts Conversion” and together with the Investor C 8-Year Conversion, the “Investor C Conversions”).

The Investor C Conversions will occur at least once each month (on the “Investor C Conversion Date”) on the basis of the relative NAV of the shares of the two applicable classes on the Investor C Conversion Date, without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The Investor C Conversions will not be deemed a purchase or sale of the shares for Federal income tax purposes. Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends on Investor C Shares will also convert automatically to Investor A Shares, as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. The Investor C Conversion Date for dividend reinvestment shares will be calculated taking into account the length of time the shares underlying the dividend reinvestment shares were outstanding.

Institutional Shares

Purchase of Shares. Summit Cash Reserves offers Institutional Shares as described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

 

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In addition, the following investors may purchase Institutional Shares: employees, officers and directors/trustees of BlackRock, Inc., BlackRock Funds, Bank of America Corporation (“BofA Corp.”), Barclays PLC or their respective affiliates and immediate family members of such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock; individuals and “Institutional Investors” with a minimum initial investment of $2 million who may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares (“Institutional Investors” include, but are not limited to, endowments, foundations, family offices, local, city, and state governmental institutions, corporations, and insurance company separate accounts); employer-sponsored retirement plans (which, for this purpose, do not include SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs), state sponsored 529 college savings plans, collective trust funds, investment companies or other pooled investment vehicles, unaffiliated thrifts and unaffiliated banks and trust companies, each of which may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares; clients investing through a self-directed IRA brokerage account program sponsored by a retirement plan record-keeper, provided that such program offers only mutual fund options and that the program maintains an account with the Fund on an omnibus basis; clients of financial intermediaries that: (i) charge such clients a fee for advisory, investment consulting, or similar services or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Shares through a no-load program or investment platform, in each case, with no minimum initial investment; clients investing through financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund, with a minimum initial investment of $1,000; tax-qualified accounts for insurance agents that are registered representatives of an insurance company’s broker-dealer that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Shares, and the family members of such persons, with a minimum initial investment of $1,000; trust department clients of Bank of America, N.A. and its affiliates for whom they (i) act in a fiduciary capacity (excluding participant directed employee benefit plans), (ii) otherwise have investment discretion, or (iii) act as custodian for at least $2 million in assets; and holders of certain BofA Corp. sponsored unit investment trusts (UITs) who reinvest dividends received from such UITs in shares of the Fund.

The Fund may in its discretion waive or modify any minimum investment amount, may reject any order for any class of shares and may suspend and resume the sale of shares of the Fund at any time.

Institutional Shares of the Fund may be purchased by customers of broker-dealers and agents that have established a servicing relationship with the Fund on behalf of their customers. These broker-dealers and agents may impose additional or different conditions on the purchase or redemption of Fund shares by their customers and may charge their customers transaction, account or other fees on the purchase and redemption of Fund shares. Each broker-dealer or agent is responsible for transmitting to its customers a schedule of any such fees and information regarding any additional or different conditions regarding purchases and redemptions. Shareholders who are customers of such broker-dealers or agents should consult them for information regarding these fees and conditions.

Except as otherwise specified in the Fund’s Prospectus, payment for Institutional Shares must normally be made in Federal funds or other immediately available funds by the time specified by the shareholder’s financial intermediary, but in no event later than the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:45 p.m. (Eastern time)). Payment may also, in the discretion of the Fund, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. If payment for a purchase order is not received by the prescribed time, an investor may be liable for any resulting losses or expenses incurred by the Fund.

Financial intermediaries may, in connection with a change in account type or otherwise in accordance with a financial intermediary’s policies and procedures, exchange shares of the Fund from one class of shares to another class of shares of the Fund, provided that the exchanged shares are not subject to a CDSC and that shareholders meet eligibility requirements of the new share class.

DCC&S. Qualified Plans may be able to invest in shares of the Fund through the Defined Contribution Clearance and Settlement System (“DCC&S”) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation. Institutions qualifying to trade on DCC&S include broker/dealers, trust companies and third party administrators. Please contact the Fund for information on agreements, procedures, sales charges and fees related to DCC&S transactions.

Purchase of Shares of WeLEAF

WeLEAF has authorized one or more brokers and/or financial institutions (“Authorized Persons”) to receive on its behalf purchase and redemption orders that are in “good form” in accordance with the policies of those Authorized Persons. Such Authorized Persons are authorized to designate other intermediaries to receive purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf, and the Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an Authorized Person or, if applicable, such Authorized Person’s authorized designee, receives the order.

 

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Such customer orders will be priced at the Fund’s NAV next computed after they are received by an Authorized Person or such Authorized Person’s authorized designee. Financial institutions may include retirement plan service providers who aggregate purchase and redemption instructions received from numerous retirement plans or plan participants.

Investor Shares

Purchase of Shares. The minimum investment for the initial purchase of shares is $1,000. There is no investment minimum for employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs). There is no investment minimum for certain fee-based programs. There is a $50 minimum for subsequent investments (with the exception of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans which may have a lower minimum). Purchases through the Automatic Investment Plan are subject to a lower initial purchase minimum. In addition, the minimum initial investment for employees of the Fund, the Fund’s Manager, sub-adviser, BRIL or transfer agent or employees of their affiliates is $100, unless payment is made through a payroll deduction program in which case the minimum investment is $25.

Purchases Through Brokers. It is the responsibility of brokers to transmit purchase orders and payment on a timely basis. Generally, if payment is not received within the period described in the Prospectus, the order will be canceled, notice thereof will be given, and the broker and its customers will be responsible for any loss to the Fund or its shareholders. Orders of less than $500 may be mailed by a broker to the transfer agent.

Other Purchase Information. Shares of the Fund are sold on a continuous basis by BRIL as distributor. BRIL maintains its principal offices at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. Purchases may be effected on weekdays on which both the NYSE and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open for business (a “Business Day”). Payment for orders which are not received or accepted will be returned after prompt inquiry. The issuance of shares is recorded on the books of the Fund. No certificates will be issued for shares. Payments for shares of the Fund may, in the discretion of the Fund’s Manager, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order, to modify or waive the minimum initial or subsequent investment requirement and to suspend and resume the sale of any share class of the Fund at any time.

Shareholder Features

Exchange Privilege. Unless an exemption applies, a front-end sales charge will be charged in connection with exchanges of Investor A Shares of WeLEAF for Investor A Shares of one of the funds advised by BlackRock or its affiliates where an initial sales charge is assessed at the time of purchase of such fund (each, an “Investor A Load BlackRock Fund”). Exchanges of Investor C Shares of WeLEAF for Investor C Shares of a Non-Money Market Portfolio will be exercised at NAV. However, a CDSC will be charged in connection with the redemption of the Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market Portfolio received in the exchange.

A CDSC of up to 1.00% may apply to certain redemptions of Investor A Shares of WeLEAF purchased in an exchange transaction for Investor A Shares of a portfolio advised by BlackRock or its affiliates where no initial sales charge was paid at the time of purchase of such Fund (an “Investor A Load-Waived BlackRock Fund”) as part of an investment of $1,000,000 (lesser amounts may apply depending on the Investor A Load-Waived BlackRock Fund) or more. The Investor A Shares CDSC is only charged upon redemptions of Investor A Shares within 18 months after you originally acquired such Investor A Shares of the Investor A Load-Waived BlackRock Fund (a shorter holding period may apply depending on the Investor A Load-Waived BlackRock Fund), unless you qualify for a waiver. There is no CDSC charged on redemptions if you have owned your Investor A Shares for more than 18 months (or for a shorter holding period, as applicable) as measured from your original purchase of Investor A Shares that you exchanged into Investor A Shares of WeLEAF. The deferred sales charge on Investor A Shares is not charged in connection with: (a) redemptions of Investor A Shares purchased through certain employer-sponsored retirement plans and rollovers of current investments in a Fund through such plans; (b) exchanges pursuant to the exchange privilege described in the Fund’s Prospectus; (c) redemptions made in connection with minimum required distributions due to the shareholder reaching age 72 from IRA and 403(b)(7) accounts; (d) redemptions made with respect to certain retirement plans sponsored by BlackRock or its affiliates; (e) redemptions (i) within one year of a shareholder’s death or, if later, the receipt of a certified probate settlement (including in connection with the distribution of account assets to a beneficiary of the decedent) or (ii) in connection with a shareholder’s disability (as defined in the Code) subsequent to the purchase of Investor A Shares; (f) involuntary redemptions of Investor A Shares in accounts with low balances; (g) certain redemptions made pursuant to the Systematic Withdrawal Plan (described below); (h) redemptions related to the payment of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company custodial IRA fees; and (i) redemptions when a shareholder can demonstrate hardship, in the absolute discretion of a Fund.

 

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A CDSC of 1.00% may apply to certain redemptions of Investor C Shares of WeLEAF. The Investor C Shares CDSC is only charged upon redemptions of Investor C Shares within one year after you originally acquired the Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market Portfolio, unless you qualify for a waiver. There is no CDSC charged on redemptions if you have owned your Investor C Shares for more than one year (as measured from your original purchase of Investor C Shares that you exchanged into Investor C Shares of WeLEAF). In determining whether an Investor C Shares CDSC is applicable to a redemption, the calculation will be determined in the manner that results in the lowest possible rate being charged. The charge will be assessed on an amount equal to the lesser of the proceeds of redemption or the cost of the shares being redeemed. Accordingly, no CDSC will be imposed on increases in NAV above the initial purchase price of Investor C Shares. In addition, no CDSC will be assessed on Investor C Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends. It will be assumed that the redemption is first of shares held for over one year or shares acquired pursuant to reinvestment of dividends and then of shares held longest during the one-year period. A transfer of shares from a shareholder’s account to another account will be assumed to be made in the same order as a redemption.

See “Information on Sales Charges and Distribution Related Expenses” in Part I of the Fund’s SAI for information about amounts paid to the Distributor in connection with CDSC shares for the periods indicated.

The CDSC on Investor C Shares is not charged in connection with: (1) redemptions of Investor C Shares purchased through certain employer-sponsored retirement plans and fee-based programs previously approved by certain Funds and rollovers of current investments in the Fund through such plans; (2) exchanges pursuant to the exchange privilege described in the Fund’s Prospectus; (3) redemptions made in connection with minimum required distributions due to the shareholder reaching age 72 from IRA and 403(b)(7) accounts; (4) redemptions made with respect to certain retirement plans sponsored by BlackRock or its affiliates; (5) redemptions in connection with a shareholder’s death as long as the waiver request is made within one year of death or, if later, reasonably promptly following completion of probate (including in connection with the distribution of account assets to a beneficiary of the decedent) or disability (as defined in the Code) subsequent to the purchase of Investor C Shares; (6) withdrawals resulting from shareholder disability (as defined in the Code) as long as the disability arose subsequent to the purchase of the shares; (7) involuntary redemptions of Investor C Shares in accounts with low balances as described in “Redemption of Shares” below; (8) redemptions made pursuant to a systematic withdrawal plan, subject to the limitations set forth under “Systematic Withdrawal Plan” below; (9) redemptions related to the payment of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company custodial IRA fees; and (10) redemptions when a shareholder can demonstrate hardship, in the absolute discretion of the Fund. In addition, no CDSC is charged on Investor C Shares acquired through the reinvestment of dividends or distributions.

WeLEAF has adopted an automatic conversion feature for Investor C Shares. Effective November 23, 2020, Investor C Shares held for approximately eight years will be converted into Investor A Shares, as set forth in the Fund’s Prospectus. In addition, accounts that do not have a financial intermediary associated with them are not eligible to hold Investor C Shares, and any Investor C Shares held in such accounts will be automatically converted to Investor A Shares.

Certain CDSC waivers and reductions on Investor C Shares may be available to customers of certain financial intermediaries, as described under “Intermediary-Defined Sales Charge Waiver Policies” in the Fund’s Prospectus. Please speak to your financial intermediary for more information.

Investor A Shares of the Fund that were (1) acquired through the use of the exchange privilege and (2) can be traced back to a purchase of shares in one or more investment portfolios of the Fund for which a sales charge was paid, can be exchanged for Investor A Shares of the Fund subject to a sales charge.

A shareholder wishing to make an exchange may do so by sending a written request to the Fund at the following address: BlackRock, P.O. Box 534429, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15253-4429. Shareholders are automatically provided with telephone exchange privileges when opening an account, unless they indicate on the Application that they do not wish to use this privilege. To add this feature to an existing account that previously did not provide this option, a request must be made in writing or by telephone. Once this election has been made, the shareholder may simply contact the Fund by telephone at (800) 441-7762 to request the exchange. During periods of substantial economic or market change, telephone exchanges may be difficult to complete and shareholders may have to submit exchange requests in writing.

If the exchanging shareholder does not currently own shares of the investment portfolio whose shares are being acquired, a new account will be established with the same registration, dividend and capital gain options and broker of record as the account from which shares are exchanged, unless otherwise specified in writing by the shareholder with all signatures guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution. In order to participate in the Automatic Investment

 

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Program or establish a Systematic Withdrawal Plan for the new account, however, an exchanging shareholder must file a specific written request.

Any share exchange must satisfy the requirements relating to the minimum initial investment requirement, and must be legally available for sale in the state of the investor’s residence. For Federal income tax purposes, a share exchange is a taxable event and, accordingly, a capital gain or loss may be realized. Before making an exchange request, shareholders should consult a tax or other financial adviser and should consider the investment objective, policies and restrictions of the investment portfolio into which the shareholder is making an exchange. Brokers may charge a fee for handling exchanges.

The Fund reserves the right to suspend, modify or terminate the exchange privilege at any time. Notice will be given to shareholders of any material modification or termination except where notice is not required. The Fund reserves the right to reject any telephone exchange request. Telephone exchanges may be subject to limitations as to amount or frequency, and to other restrictions that may be established from time to time to ensure that exchanges do not operate to the disadvantage of any portfolio or its shareholders. The Fund, the Administrator and BRIL will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund, the Trust, the Administrator and BRIL will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for acting upon telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures.

By use of the exchange privilege, the investor authorizes the Fund’s transfer agent to act on telephonic or written exchange instructions from any person representing him– or herself to be the investor and believed by the Fund’s transfer agent to be genuine. The records of the Fund’s transfer agent pertaining to such instructions are binding. The exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time upon 60 days’ notice to affected shareholders. The exchange privilege is only available in states where the exchange may legally be made.

The redemption of shares of one fund and the subsequent investment in another fund generally will be treated as two separate transactions. Therefore, a front-end sales charge will be imposed (unless an exemption applies) on the purchase of Investor A or Investor A1 Shares of an Investor A Load BlackRock Fund with the proceeds of a redemption of Investor Shares of WeLEAF. In addition, when Investor Shares of WeLEAF are redeemed and the proceeds are used to purchase Investor C Shares of a Non-Money Market Portfolio, a CDSC will be imposed (unless an exemption applies) when the Investor C Shares of the Non-Money Market Portfolio are redeemed.

Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”). Certain shareholders may arrange for periodic investments in the Fund through automatic deductions from a checking or savings account by completing the AIP Application which may be obtained from the Fund at (800) 441-7762, or online at www.blackrock.com. The minimum pre-authorized investment amount is $50 per Fund.

Systematic Withdrawal Plan (“SWP”). WeLEAF offers a Systematic Withdrawal Plan to shareholders who wish to receive regular distributions from their accounts. Upon commencement of the SWP, the account must have a current value of $10,000 or more in the Fund. Shareholders may elect to receive automatic cash payments of $50 or more at any interval. You may choose any day for the withdrawal. If no day is specified, the withdrawals will be processed on the 25th day of the month or, if such day is not a Business Day, on the prior Business Day and are paid promptly thereafter. An investor may utilize the SWP by completing the Systematic Withdrawal Plan Application Form which may be obtained by calling the Fund or by visiting our website at www.blackrock.com.

Shareholders should realize that if withdrawals exceed income dividends their invested principal in the account will be depleted. To participate in the SWP, shareholders must have their dividends automatically reinvested. Shareholders may change or cancel the SWP at any time, upon written notice to the Fund, or by calling the Fund at (800) 441-7762.

For this reason, a shareholder may not participate in the Automatic Investment Plan (see “Account Services and Privileges — Automatic Investment Plan” in the Fund’s Prospectus) and the Systematic Withdrawal Plan at the same time.

Dividend Allocation Plan. The Dividend Allocation Plan allows shareholders to elect to have all their dividends and any other distributions from WeLEAF or any Eligible Fund (which includes the Fund and other funds as designated by BRIL from time to time) automatically invested at NAV in one other such Eligible Fund designated by the shareholder, provided the account into which the dividends and distributions are directed is initially funded with the requisite minimum amount.

Conversion of Investor C Shares to Investor A Shares. Effective November 23, 2020 (the “Effective Date”), approximately eight years after purchase, Investor C Shares of WeLEAF will convert automatically into Investor A Shares of WeLEAF (the “Investor C 8-Year Conversion”). It is the financial intermediary’s responsibility to ensure that

 

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the shareholder is credited with the proper holding period. As of the Effective Date, certain financial intermediaries, including group retirement recordkeeping platforms, may not have been tracking such holding periods and therefore may not be able to process such conversions. In such instances, Investor C Shares held as of the Effective Date will automatically convert to Investor A Shares approximately eight years after the Effective Date. If, as of November 23, 2028 (eight years after the Effective Date), a financial intermediary has not implemented systems or procedures to track holding periods commencing from the Effective Date, shareholders holding Investor C Shares through such financial intermediary will no longer be eligible to hold Investor C Shares and any such shares will convert to Investor A Shares as soon as reasonably practicable after such date.

In addition, accounts that do not have a financial intermediary associated with them are not eligible to hold Investor C Shares, and any Investor C Shares held in such accounts will be automatically converted into Investor A Shares (the “Investor C Direct Accounts Conversion” and together with the Investor C 8-Year Conversion, the “Investor C Conversions”).

The Investor C Conversions will occur at least once each month (on the “Investor C Conversion Date”) on the basis of the relative NAV of the shares of the two applicable classes on the Investor C Conversion Date, without the imposition of any sales load, fee or other charge. The Investor C Conversions will not be deemed a purchase or sale of the shares for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends on Investor C Shares will also convert automatically to Investor A Shares, as set forth in WeLEAF’s Prospectus. The Investor C Conversion Date for dividend reinvestment shares will be calculated taking into account the length of time the shares underlying the dividend reinvestment shares were outstanding.

Institutional Shares

Purchase of Shares. WeLEAF offers Institutional Shares as described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

The following investors may purchase Institutional Shares of WeLEAF, provided that the beneficial owners of such shares are natural persons: employees, officers and directors/trustees of BlackRock, Inc., BlackRock Funds, BofA Corp., Barclays PLC or their respective affiliates and immediate family members of such persons, if they open an account directly with BlackRock; individuals with a minimum initial investment of $2 million who may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares; employer-sponsored retirement plans (which, for this purpose, do not include SEP IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs or SARSEPs) and state sponsored 529 college savings plans, each of which may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares; clients investing through a self-directed IRA brokerage account program sponsored by a retirement plan record-keeper, provided that such program offers only mutual fund options and that the program maintains an account with the Fund on an omnibus basis; clients of financial intermediaries that: (i) charge such clients a fee for advisory, investment consulting, or similar services or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Shares through a no-load program or investment platform, in each case, with no minimum initial investment; clients investing through financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund, with a minimum initial investment of $1,000; tax-qualified accounts for insurance agents that are registered representatives of an insurance company’s broker-dealer that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Institutional Shares, and the family members of such persons, with a minimum initial investment of $1,000; trust department clients of Bank of America, N.A. and its affiliates for whom they (i) act in a fiduciary capacity (excluding participant directed employee benefit plans), (ii) otherwise have investment discretion, or (iii) act as custodian for at least $2 million in assets; and holders of certain BofA Corp. sponsored unit investment trusts (UITs) who reinvest dividends received from such UITs in shares of the Fund.

The Fund may in its discretion waive or modify any minimum investment amount, may reject any order for any class of shares and may suspend and resume the sale of shares of the Fund at any time.

Institutional Shares of the Fund may be purchased by customers of broker-dealers and agents that have established a servicing relationship with the Fund on behalf of their customers. These broker-dealers and agents may impose additional or different conditions on the purchase or redemption of Fund shares by their customers and may charge their customers transaction, account or other fees on the purchase and redemption of Fund shares. Each broker-dealer or agent is responsible for transmitting to its customers a schedule of any such fees and information regarding any additional or different conditions regarding purchases and redemptions. Shareholders who are customers of such broker-dealers or agents should consult them for information regarding these fees and conditions.

 

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Except as otherwise specified in the Fund’s Prospectus, payment for Institutional Shares must normally be made in Federal funds or other immediately available funds by the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:45 p.m. (Eastern time)). Payment may also, in the discretion of the Fund, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. If payment for a purchase order is not received by the prescribed time, an investor may be liable for any resulting losses or expenses incurred by the Fund.

Financial intermediaries may, in connection with a change in account type or otherwise in accordance with a financial intermediary’s policies and procedures, exchange shares of the Fund from one class of shares to another class of shares of the Fund, provided that the exchanged shares are not subject to a CDSC and that shareholders meet eligibility requirements of the new share class. Please speak to your financial intermediary for information about specific policies and procedures applicable to your account.

Purchase Privileges of Certain Persons. Employees, officers, directors/trustees of BlackRock, Inc., BlackRock Funds, BofA Corp., or their respective affiliates; and any trust, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for such persons may purchase Institutional Shares at lower investment minimums than stated in the Fund’s Prospectus. The Fund realizes economies of scale and reduction of sales-related expenses by virtue of the familiarity of these persons with the Fund. Employees, directors, and board members of other funds wishing to purchase shares of the Fund must satisfy the Fund’s suitability standards.

DCC&S. Qualified Plans may be able to invest in shares of WeLEAF through the Defined Contribution Clearance and Settlement System (“DCC&S”) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation. Institutions qualifying to trade on DCC&S include broker/dealers, trust companies and third party administrators. Please contact the Fund for information on agreements, procedures, sales charges and fees related to DCC&S transactions.

Premier Shares

Purchase of Shares. WeLEAF offers Premier Shares as described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

The following investors may purchase Premier Shares of WeLEAF, provided that the beneficial owners of such shares are natural persons: employees of BlackRock whose accounts are held through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Premier Shares; individuals with a minimum initial investment of $2 million who may purchase shares of the Fund through a financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to purchase such shares; clients of financial intermediaries that: (i) charge such clients a fee for advisory, investment consulting, or similar services or (ii) have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Premier Shares through a no-load program or investment platform, in each case, with no minimum initial investment; and clients investing through financial intermediaries that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer such shares on a platform that charges a transaction based sales commission outside of the Fund, with a minimum initial investment of $1,000.

The Fund may in its discretion waive or modify any minimum investment amount, may reject any order for any class of shares and may suspend and resume the sale of shares of the Fund at any time.

Premier Shares of the Fund may be purchased by customers of broker-dealers and agents that have established a servicing relationship with the Fund on behalf of their customers. These broker-dealers and agents may impose additional or different conditions on the purchase or redemption of Fund shares by their customers and may charge their customers transaction, account or other fees on the purchase and redemption of Fund shares. Each broker-dealer or agent is responsible for transmitting to its customers a schedule of any such fees and information regarding any additional or different conditions regarding purchases and redemptions. Shareholders who are customers of such broker-dealers or agents should consult them for information regarding these fees and conditions.

Only purchase orders submitted through the NSCC Fund/SERV trading platform will be accepted. Payment may, in the discretion of the Fund, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund.

Financial intermediaries may, in connection with a change in account type or otherwise in accordance with a financial intermediary’s policies and procedures, exchange shares of the Fund from one class of shares to another class of shares of the Fund, provided that the exchanged shares are not subject to a CDSC and that shareholders meet eligibility requirements of the new share class. Please speak to your financial intermediary for information about specific policies and procedures applicable to your account.

The Fund’s initial investment minimum is described in the Prospectus. There are no subsequent investment minimums. The Fund reserves the right to reduce or waive the minimums in certain cases.

 

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Purchase of Shares of Circle Reserve

Institutional Shares

Purchase of Shares. Circle Reserve offers Institutional Shares as described in the Fund’s Prospectus. The minimum investment for the initial purchase of shares is $2 billion. Shares are only available for purchase by Circle Internet Financial, LLC and Circle Internet Financial Europe SAS.

The Fund may in its discretion waive or modify any minimum investment amount, may reject any order for any Institutional Shares and may suspend and resume the sale of shares of the Fund at any time.

Other Purchase Information. Shares of the Fund are sold on a continuous basis by BRIL as distributor. BRIL maintains its principal offices at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001. Purchases may be effected on weekdays on which both the NYSE and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia are open for business (a “Business Day”). Payment for orders which are not received or accepted will be returned after prompt inquiry. The issuance of shares is recorded on the books of the Fund. No certificates will be issued for shares. Payments for shares of the Fund may, in the discretion of the Fund’s Manager, be made in the form of securities that are permissible investments for the Fund. The Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order, to modify or waive the minimum initial or subsequent investment requirement and to suspend and resume the sale of any share class of the Fund at any time.

Except as otherwise specified in the Fund’s Prospectus, payment for Institutional Shares must normally be made in Federal funds or other immediately available funds by the close of the federal funds wire (normally 6:45 p.m. (Eastern time)). If payment for a purchase order is not received by the prescribed time, an investor may be liable for any resulting losses or expenses incurred by the Fund.

Purchase of Shares of BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle

OnChain Shares

To purchase OnChain Shares, please visit the website disclosed in the Fund’s Prospectus. Prospective shareholders should follow the instructions on the website to complete a new account application for the Fund. You will be required to submit information and documents necessary for the Fund to (i) complete “know your client” verification, and (ii) conduct anti-money laundering due diligence and screening. [You will need to provide the Fund’s transfer agent your wallet information, as well.] Once the account application is completed and reviewed by the Fund’s transfer agent, you will be notified that you (and your wallet) have been “whitelisted”.

After being whitelisted, you may place purchase orders through the Fund’s transfer agent’s website as disclosed in the Fund’s Prospectus. Purchase orders received by the Fund’s transfer agent in good order before 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on each Business Day will be priced based on the next NAV calculated on that day (normally at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)), and payment for such orders is due by Federal funds or other immediately available funds no later than the close of the federal funds wire cut-off (normally 6:45 p.m. (Eastern Time)). Notwithstanding the foregoing, on any day that the principal bond markets close early (as recommended by SIFMA) or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia or the NYSE closes early, the Fund may advance the time on that day by which a purchase order must be placed so that it will be effected and begin to earn dividends that day. The Fund may elect, in its discretion, to be open on days when the NYSE is closed due to an emergency.

Purchase orders received in good order and funded by 6:45 p.m. (Eastern Time) will result in new tokens being minted to the investor’s shareholder wallet. Newly minted tokens resulting from purchase orders received in good order will be “locked,” therefore unavailable, for peer-to-peer transfers for a 24-hour period from the time of minting. Such newly minted tokens will, however, be redeemable during Fund hours after minting.

Payment for OnChain Shares of the Fund may be made only in federal funds or other immediately available funds. You may be charged for any costs incurred by the Fund or its service providers, including any costs incurred to recompute the Fund’s NAV, in connection with a purchase order that has been placed in proper form but for which the Fund has not received full payment by the close of the federal funds wire cut-off (normally 6:45 p.m. Eastern time) on the day the purchase order was placed.

If, after being whitelisted, and having already completed an initial purchase order for OnChain Shares, you place an order for OnChain Shares by transmitting the purchase price to the Fund without any corresponding order form, i.e. a “headless subscription”, you must include an appropriate written instruction in the wire indicating the applicable blockchain and Securitize account ID to which the tokens should be issued. If the wire accompanying the funds does not include such an instruction, the subscription will be rejected as not in good order. Upon receipt of a headless subscription containing the required ID and blockchain designation, the Fund may, in its discretion, deem your transmission to be a subscription in good order for the purchase of a number of OnChain Shares equal in value to the amount submitted, as of the Fund’s next NAV calculation time after the order is received by the Fund. For purposes of determining the applicable NAV calculation time, a headless subscription will be deemed to have been received as of the date on which the wire or funds are received by the Fund, provided that such wire or funds are received in good order by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on such date. Any

 

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headless subscription for which the wire or funds are received after 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be deemed to have been received as of the next NAV calculation time following receipt, and the subscribing shareholder will not begin earning dividends until the next Business Day and will not otherwise earn any interest on such subscription amounts before the subscription is accepted. The Fund reserves the right to reject any headless subscription in its sole discretion and to return the funds transmitted without interest, at any point until the next Business Day.

[•], a money services business which facilitates conversion between U.S. dollars and digital assets, and the Fund’s transfer agent have entered into an arrangement (which is subject to certain terms and conditions) pursuant to which a prospective shareholder that is a client of [•] may transfer USDC, a payment stablecoin issued by Circle, or other stablecoins to its subledger account at [•] (its “[•] Account”) and instruct [•] to pay subscription amounts in U.S. dollars (with a value equal to such USDC) to the Fund from such [•] Account in order to fund subscriptions for OnChain Shares. [•] is not an agent of the Fund, and the Fund will not in any way be responsible for any actions or failures to act by [•] (including, without limitation, if there are delays with [•]’s processing of a prospective investor’s [•] Account funding instruction). As noted above, purchase orders may not be accepted as of a particular Business Day if subscription orders are not received by the Fund’s transfer agent in good order prior to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) and immediately available funds are not received prior to 6:45 p.m. (Eastern Time) on such Business Day, regardless of when such orders or funds are received by [•], provided, however, that in the case of headless subscriptions, immediately available funds must be received by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). USDC transactions are subject to various risks that are outside the control of [•] and the Fund. [•] has informed the Fund that, as of the date of this SAI, [•] is licensed to engage in Virtual Currency Business Activity by the [•]. Nothing in this Prospectus shall be interpreted as an endorsement of [•] by the Fund, BlackRock or any of their respective affiliates.

Purchase orders placed after 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) will be priced at the NAV determined on the next Business Day. The Fund determines eligibility to receive a dividend each day by reference to shareholders of record as of at 7:15 p.m. (Eastern Time). Please see “Dividends, Distributions and Taxes — Dividends and Distributions” below.

Right of Accumulation

Investors have a “right of accumulation” under which any of the following may be combined with the amount of the current purchase in determining whether an investor qualifies for a breakpoint and a reduced front-end sales charge: (i) the current value of an investor’s existing Investor A, Investor A1, Investor C, Investor P, Institutional, Class K and Premier Shares in most BlackRock Funds, (ii) the current value of an investor’s existing shares of certain unlisted closed-end management investment companies sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates and (iii) the investment in the BlackRock CollegeAdvantage 529 Program by the investor or by or on behalf of the investor’s spouse and children. Financial intermediaries may value current holdings of their customers differently for purposes of determining whether an investor qualifies for a breakpoint and a reduced front-end sales charge, although customers of the same financial intermediary will be treated similarly. In order to use this right, the investor must alert BlackRock to the existence of any previously purchased shares. Although Investor A Shares of WeLEAF and Summit Cash Reserves generally are not subject to a sales charge, an investor’s existing Investor A, Investor C, Institutional and Premier Shares in WeLEAF and Summit Cash Reserves, as applicable, may be combined with the amount of an investor’s current purchase in determining whether an investor qualifies for a breakpoint and a reduced front-end sales charge. Institutional Shares of Circle Reserve and OnChain Shares of BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle may not be combined with shares of any other BlackRock Funds for purposes of determining whether an investor qualifies for a breakpoint and a reduced front-end sales charge.

Distribution and/or Shareholder Servicing Plans

Each Fund has entered into a distribution agreement with BlackRock Investments, LLC (previously defined as the “Distributor”) under which the Distributor, as agent, offers shares of each Fund on a continuous basis. The Distributor has agreed to use appropriate efforts to effect sales of the shares, but it is not obligated to sell any particular amount of shares. The Distributor’s principal business address is 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001. The Distributor is an affiliate of BlackRock.

Each Fund (with the exception of Circle Reserve, BlackRock Government Money Market Portfolio, BlackRock Government Money Market V.I. Fund, and BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle) has adopted a shareholder servicing plan and/or a distribution plan or plans (in the case of Summit Cash Reserves with respect to Investor C Shares only and in the case of WeLEAF with respect to Investor A, Investor C and Service Shares only) (each, a “Distribution Plan”) in compliance with Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. Each Fund is authorized to pay the Distributor a fee at an annual rate based on the average daily NAV of Fund accounts maintained through the Distributor. The service fee is not compensation for the administrative and operational services rendered to shareholders by affiliates of the Manager that are covered by any other agreement between each Fund and the Manager. Each class has exclusive voting rights with respect to the Distribution Plan adopted with respect to such class pursuant to which service and/or distribution fees are paid. The fee paid by each Fund compensates the Distributor for providing, or arranging for the provision of, shareholder

 

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servicing and sales and promotional activities and services with respect to shares of each Fund. The Distributor then determines, based on a number of criteria, how to allocate such fee among financial advisers, selected dealers and affiliates of the Distributor.

Each Fund’s Distribution Plans are subject to the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. In their consideration of a Distribution Plan, the Trustees must consider all factors they deem relevant, including information as to the benefits of the Distribution Plan to the Fund and the related class of shareholders. In approving a Distribution Plan in accordance with Rule 12b-1, the non-interested Trustees concluded that there is reasonable likelihood that the Distribution Plan will benefit the Fund and its related class of shareholders.

Each Distribution Plan provides that, so long as the Distribution Plan remains in effect, the non-interested Trustees then in office will select and nominate other non-interested Trustees. Each Distribution Plan can be terminated at any time, without penalty, by the vote of a majority of the non-interested Trustees or by the vote of the holders of a majority of the outstanding related class of voting securities of a Fund. A Distribution Plan cannot be amended to increase materially the amount to be spent by the Fund without the approval of the related class of shareholders. All material amendments are required to be approved by the vote of Trustees, including a majority of the non-interested Trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Distribution Plan, cast in person at a meeting called for that purpose. Rule 12b-1 further requires that each Fund preserve copies of each Distribution Plan and any report made pursuant to such plan for a period of not less than six years from the date of the Distribution Plan or such report, the first two years of which should be stored in an easily accessible place.

Among other things, each Distribution Plan provides that the Trustees will review quarterly reports of the shareholder servicing and/or distribution expenditures paid to the Distributor. Information with respect to the distribution-related revenues and expenses is presented to the Trustees for their consideration on a quarterly basis. Distribution-related expenses consist of financial adviser compensation, branch office and regional operation center selling and transaction processing expenses, advertising, sales promotion and marketing expenses and interest expense. Sales personnel may receive different compensation for selling different classes of shares.

See “Information on Sales Charges and Distribution Related Expenses” or “Information on Distribution Related Expenses,” as applicable, in Part I of each Fund’s SAI for information relating to the fees paid by your Fund to the Distributor under each Distribution Plan during the Fund’s most recent fiscal year.

Limitations on the Payment of Asset Based Sales Charges. The maximum sales charge rule in the Conduct Rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) imposes a limitation on certain asset-based sales charges. The maximum sales charge rule is applied separately to each class and limits the aggregate of distribution fee payments and CDSCs payable by a Fund to (i) 7.25% of eligible gross sales of the applicable shares (excluding shares issued pursuant to dividend reinvestments and exchanges), plus (ii) interest on the unpaid balance for the applicable shares at the prime rate plus 1% (the unpaid balance being the maximum amount payable minus amounts received from the payment of the distribution fee).

Other Payments by the Fund

In addition to fees a Fund pays to its transfer agent, BlackRock, on behalf of a Fund, may enter into non-Plan agreements with affiliated and unaffiliated brokers, dealers, financial institutions, insurance companies, retirement plan record-keepers and other financial intermediaries (including BlackRock, BRIL and their affiliates, and entities that may also be serving as distribution agents) (collectively, “Service Organizations”) pursuant to which the Fund will pay a Service Organization for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency, sub-accounting and/or shareholder services. These non-Plan payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by a Service Organization or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by a Service Organization. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.

Additional Payments by BlackRock

From time to time, BlackRock, BRIL and/or their affiliates (referred to in this section collectively as “BlackRock”) may compensate Service Organizations for the sale and distribution of shares of a Fund, for services to a Fund and its shareholders and/or for data provision or technology support. A Service Organization may perform these obligations itself or may arrange for a third party to perform them. BlackRock may also make payments to Service Organizations as part of an effort to enhance its business relationship with such entities trading on technology platforms. These payments, which are not made pursuant to a Plan or otherwise paid by a Fund, are referred to as “Additional Payments” herein.

 

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Additional Payments are made from BlackRock’s own assets (which may come directly or indirectly from fees paid by a Fund to BlackRock for various services, such as investment advisory services). These payments are not an additional charge to a Fund or its shareholders and do not change the price paid by shareholders for the purchase of a Fund’s shares or the amount a Fund receives as proceeds from such purchases. Additional Payments made to Service Organizations are in addition to any distribution or shareholder servicing fees paid under any Plan of any Fund, any sales charges, commissions or other concessions described in the Prospectus or this SAI, and any administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency or sub-accounting fees payable by a Fund. Pursuant to applicable FINRA regulations, the details of certain of these payments, including the Service Organizations receiving such payments in connection with the sale and distribution of Fund shares, are required to be disclosed. While FINRA regulations limit the sales charges that shareholders may bear, there are no limits with regard to the amounts that BlackRock may pay out of its own assets.

Additional Payments may be made as a fixed dollar amount, may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by a Service Organization, may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Service Organization involved, or may be calculated on another basis.

BlackRock negotiates Additional Payments with each Service Organization on an individual basis. Additional Payments may be different for different Service Organizations, and some Service Organizations may be paid pursuant to more than one of the calculations described above. Not all Service Organizations receive Additional Payments. Sales-based payments primarily create incentives to make new sales of shares of the Fund, and asset-based payments primarily create incentives to retain previously sold shares of the Fund. The level of payments made to these Service Organizations in any year will vary and may be limited to specific Funds or share classes. In certain cases, these payments may be subject to certain minimum payment levels.

The aggregate amount of Additional Payments made by BlackRock may be substantial and may be significant to certain Service Organizations. The categories of Additional Payments listed below are not mutually exclusive. The same Service Organization, or one or more of its affiliates, may receive payments under more than one category of Additional Payments.

A. Distribution and Marketing Support

Additional Payments may be made by BlackRock for distribution and marketing support activities. These payments may take the form of, among other things, “due diligence” payments for a Service Organization’s examination of a Fund; payments for providing extra employee training and information relating to a Fund; fees for access (in some cases on a preferential basis) to the Service Organization’s registered representatives, salespersons or other personnel, including at sales meetings and conferences; “shelf space” payments for placing the Fund on the Service Organization’s platform(s); “listing” fees for the placing of the Fund on a dealer’s list (which may be a preferred or recommended list) of mutual funds available for purchase by its customers or in certain sales programs from time to time; fees for providing assistance in promoting the sale of the Fund’s shares (which may include promotions in communications with the Service Organization’s customers, registered representatives, salespersons and/or other personnel); payments for the sale of shares and/or the maintenance of share balances; transaction fees (also referred to as “ticket charges”); and payments for infrastructure support. These payments normally will not exceed the sum of (a) 0.25% of such year’s Fund sales by that Service Organization, and (b) 0.21% of the assets attributable to that Service Organization invested in a Fund.

B. Shareholder Services

Many Fund shares are owned or held by Service Organizations for the benefit of their customers. In these situations, a Fund may not maintain accounts in the name of the customers, and Service Organizations may perform some of the functions for these customers’ accounts that the transfer agent would have performed if the accounts had been in the customers’ names on the Fund’s books. Such services include sub-accounting services, shareholder servicing and transaction processing services and are sometimes referred to as “recordkeeping,” “sub-transfer agency,” “sub-accounting,” “networking” and/or “administrative” services. Additional Payments may exceed amounts that would be earned on these assets by the transfer agent for the performance of these or similar services. These Additional Payments made by BlackRock are in addition to any transfer agent, shareholder servicing and transaction processing fees paid by a Fund, as applicable.

C. Data Provision and Technology Support

BlackRock may make Additional Payments to Service Organizations for the provision of certain analytical or other data services relating to the Funds, such as statistical information regarding sales of the Funds, or technology support. Such Additional Payments are generally made as a fixed dollar amount, and not based on assets or sales.

Certain record owners of OnChain Shares are expected to be trust or other accounts maintained by state or federally chartered crypto banks or other financial intermediaries in the crypto ecosystem (“Crypto Intermediaries”). Crypto Intermediaries may provide custody, staking, governance, and settlement services to their customers, who may be payment stablecoin issuers or end-users of payment stablecoins. In consideration of these shareholder services, BlackRock or its affiliates may make payments to one or more Crypto Intermediaries. Any such payments will be made from the assets of BlackRock and/or such affiliates (and not the Fund).

 

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D. Service Organizations Receiving Additional Payments

As of the date of this SAI, the Service Organizations listed below, and, in some cases, certain of the Service Organization’s affiliates, may be receiving one or more types of Additional Payments. This list may change over time, and BlackRock may pay Service Organizations or their affiliates additional types of Additional Payments in the future. Please contact your Service Organization to determine whether it or its affiliate currently may be receiving such payments and to obtain further information regarding any such payments.

 

&Partners

AccuTech Systems Corporation

ADP Broker-Dealer, Inc.

Advisor Credit Exchange, LLC

Advisor Group, Inc.

AE Wealth Management, LLC

Alight Solutions LLC

Allianz Life Financial Services, LLC

Allianz Life Insurance Company of New York

Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America

Altruist Financial LLC

American Enterprise Investment Services, Inc.

American General Life Insurance Company

American United Life Insurance Company

Annuity Investors Life Insurance Company

Argent Institutional Trust Company

Ascensus Broker Dealer Services, Inc.

Ascensus, Inc.

Atomic Brokerage LLC

Avantax Investment Services, LLC

Bancroft Capital LLC

Bank of America, N.A.

Bank of New York Mellon

Barclays Capital Inc.

Benefit Plans Administrative Services, Inc.

Benefit Trust Company

Beta Capital Securities LLC

bFinance US Ltd.

BlackRock Advisors, LLC

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

BNP Paribas

BNP Paribas Investment Partners UK Limited

BNY Mellon, N.A.

BofA Securities, Inc.

BOKF, N.A.

Brighthouse Life Insurance Company

Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY

Broadridge Business Process Outsourcing, LLC

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.

Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC

Capital One, N.A.

Cetera Advisor Networks LLC

Cetera Advisors LLC

Cetera Financial Group

Cetera Financial Specialists LLC

Cetera Investment Services LLC

CF Secured, LLC

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Charles Schwab Trust Bank

Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.

CIM Investment Management, Inc.

Citco Securities, LLC

CitiBank, National Association

Citigroup Global Markets, Inc.

Citizens Bank

Citizens Business Bank

CME Shareholder Servicing LLC

CMFG Life Insurance Company

Comerica Bank

Commonwealth Financial Network

Computershare Trust Company

Conduent HR Services, LLC

Delaware Life Insurance Company

Delaware Trust Company

Deutsche Bank AG

Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas

Digital Retirement Solutions, Inc.

Dunham & Associates Investment Counsel, Inc.

Dynasty Financial Partners LLC

Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P.

Empire Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company

Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America

Empower Financial Services, Inc.

Empower Life & Annuity Insurance Company of New York

Empower Plan Services, LLC

Envestnet Asset Management, Inc.

 

 

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Equitable Advisors, LLC

Equitable Life Insurance Company

E*trade Savings Bank

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC

Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company, Inc.

Fidelity Investments Life Insurance Company

Fifth Third Securities, Inc.

First Allied Securities, Inc.

First Command Financial Planning, Inc.

First Hawaiian Bank

First Republic Bank

First Security Benefit Life Insurance and Annuity Company

of New York

First Symetra National Life Insurance Company of New York

First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company

FIS Brokerage & Securities Services LLC

FNEX Capital, LLC

Forethought Life Insurance Company

FSC Securities Corporation

Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company

Genworth Life Insurance Company of New York

Global Atlantic Distributors, LLC

Goldman Sachs & Co.

Great Pacific Securities, LLC

Guardian Insurance & Annuity Co., Inc.

Hancock Whitney Bank

Hartford Funds Management Company

Hartford Securities Distribution Company, Inc.

Hazeltree Fund Services, Inc.

Hightower Securities, Inc.

Hilltop Securities Inc.

HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

Huntington Securities, Inc.

Institutional Cash Distributors, LLC

Integrity Life Insurance Company

Interactive Brokers, LLC

Investment Trust of California

J.P. Morgan Institutional Investments Inc.

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Jefferies LLC

Jefferson National Life Insurance Company

Jefferson National Life Insurance Company of New York

John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.)

John Hancock Life Insurance Company of New York

John Hancock Trust Company

JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.

Kestra Investment Services, LLC

Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation

Lincoln Financial Securities Corporation

Lincoln Life & Annuity Company of New York

Lincoln National Life Insurance Company

Lincoln Retirement Services LLC

Lombard International Life Assurance Company

LPL Financial LLC

M&T Securities Inc.

Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company

Members Life Insurance Company

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

Metavante Corporation

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company

Mid Atlantic Clearing & Settlement Corporation

Midland Life Insurance Company

Minnesota Life Insurance Company

Mischler Financial Group

Mizuho Securities USA Inc.

MML Distributors, LLC

MML Investors Services, LLC

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Morgan Stanley Distribution, Inc.

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC

MUFG Union Bank, National Association

Nassau Life Insurance Company

National Financial Services LLC

National Integrity Life Insurance Company

National Life Insurance Company

Nationwide Financial Services, Inc.

Nationwide Fund Distributors LLC

Nationwide Retirement Solutions

NCB Federal Savings Bank

New England Pension Plan Systems, LLC

New York Life Insurance and Annuity Corporation

Newport Retirement Services, Inc.

Northbrook Bank & Trust Company

Northern Trust Company

 

 

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Northwestern Mutual Investment Services, LLC

Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company

NYLife Distributors LLC

Oppenheimer & Co., Inc.

Orion Advisor Services, LLC

Osaic Wealth, Inc.

Pacific Life & Annuity Company

Pacific Life Insurance Company

Pacific Select Distributors, LLC

Park Avenue Securities LLC

Penserra Securities LLC

Pershing LLC

PFPC Inc.

Piper Jaffray & Co.

PNC Bank, National Association

PNC Capital Markets LLC

PNC Investments LLC

Principal Bank

Principal Life Insurance Company

Protective Life and Annuity Insurance Company

Protective Life Insurance Company

Pruco Life Insurance Company

Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey

Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc.

Prudential Insurance Company of America

Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

Raymond James Financial Services, Inc.

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

Regions Bank

Reliance Trust Company

Reliastar Life Insurance Company

Reliastar Life Insurance Company of New York

RiverSource Distributors, Inc.

RiverSource Life Insurance Co. of New York

RiverSource Life Insurance Company

SagePoint Financial, Inc.

Sammons Retirement Solutions, Inc.

Sanctuary Wealth Group, LLC

Santander Bank, N.A.

Saturna Trust Company

Securities America, Inc.

Securities Finance Trust Company

Security Benefit Life Insurance Company

Security Financial Resources, Inc.

Security Life of Denver Insurance Company

SEI Private Trust Company

SG Americas Securities, LLC

Silicon Valley Bank

Standard Insurance Company

State Farm Life and Accident Assurance Company

State Farm Life Insurance Company

State Farm VP Management Corp.

State Street Bank and Trust Company

State Street Global Markets, LLC

Stern Brothers & Co.

Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated

Summit Brokerage Services, Inc.

SVB Asset Management

Symetra Life Insurance Company

Syntal Capital Partners, LLC

T. Rowe Price Retirement Plan Services, Inc.

Talcott Resolution Life and Annuity Insurance Company

Talcott Resolution Life Insurance Company

TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.

TD Ameritrade, Inc.

TD Prime Services (US) LLC

Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America

Tigress Financial Partners, LLC

Transamerica Financial Life Insurance Company

Transamerica Life Insurance Company

Treasury Brokerage

Triad Advisors, LLC

Truist Bank

U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.

U.S. Bank, National Association

UBATCO & Co.

UBS Financial Services, Inc.

UBS Securities LLC

Ultimus Fund Solutions, LLC

UMB Bank, National Association

United States Life Insurance Company in the City of New York

VALIC Retirement Services Company

Vanguard Group, Inc.

Vanguard Marketing Corporation

Voya Financial Advisors, Inc.

Voya Financial Partners, LLC

Voya Institutional Plan Services, LLC

 

 

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Voya Insurance and Annuity Company

Voya Investments Distributor, LLC

Voya Retirement Insurance and Annuity Company

Waddell & Reed, Inc.

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC

Wells Fargo Advisors Financial Network, LLC

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.

Wells Fargo Clearing Services, LLC

Wells Fargo Investments, LLC

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

Wilmington Trust, National Association

Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.

ZB, National Association

 

 

E. Sponsorship and Other Incentive Payments and Services

In addition to the Additional Payments described above, BlackRock may contribute to various other incentive arrangements to promote the sale of shares, including hosting proprietary and financially sponsoring Service Organizations’ training and educational seminars, conferences, meetings or events. BlackRock may also pay for the travel, meal, lodging and other expenses of Service Organizations and their salespersons or other personnel in connection with educational and sales promotional programs. This compensation is not included in, and is made in addition to, the Additional Payments described above. These payments may be made directly to the Service Organizations or their affiliates, or to a third party vendor, and may vary depending upon the nature of the event or the relationship and are subject to applicable laws and regulations, including the rules of applicable self-regulatory organizations, such as FINRA. BlackRock may pay Service Organizations additional types of incentive compensation in the future to the extent not prohibited by applicable laws or regulations.

Separately, BlackRock has developed proprietary tools, calculators and related interactive or digital content that is made available through the www.BlackRock.com website at no additional cost to Service Organizations. BlackRock configures these tools and calculators and localizes the content for Service Organizations as part of its customary digital marketing support and promotion of the Funds or other BlackRock funds, iShares ETFs and other exchange-traded products.

F. Conflicts

Additional Payments made by BlackRock to a Service Organization or its affiliates or other incentive arrangements may be an important factor in the Service Organization’s willingness to support the sale of a Fund and/or particular share class through its distribution system or to perform services with respect to such Fund. Additional Payments and other incentive arrangements may also be important factors in the Service Organization’s willingness to recommend the BlackRock Fund complex in general.

BlackRock may be motivated to pay Additional Payments and other incentive compensation to promote the sale of Fund shares to customers of Service Organizations and the retention of those investments by such customers. To the extent Service Organizations sell more shares of a Fund or retain shares of a Fund in their customers’ accounts, BlackRock benefits from the incremental management and other fees paid by the Fund with respect to those assets.

Service Organizations may have financial incentives for recommending a particular Fund, share class or fund complex over another. Service Organizations may charge their customers additional fees in connection with the purchase or redemption of Fund shares or for account-related services which are in addition to the sales and other charges described in the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI. Such charges may vary among Service Organizations but in all cases will be retained by the Service Organization and will not be remitted to a Fund or BlackRock.

Shareholders should consider whether such incentives exist when evaluating any recommendations from a Service Organization to purchase or sell shares of a Fund and when considering which share class is most appropriate. You should consult with your Service Organization, and review carefully any disclosure by the Service Organization, as to compensation received by it or its affiliates and for more information about the payments described above.

REDEMPTION OF SHARES

Each Fund will normally redeem shares for cash upon receipt of a request in proper form, although each Fund retains the right to redeem some or all of its shares in-kind under unusual circumstances, in order to protect the interests of remaining shareholders, or to accommodate a request by a particular shareholder that does not adversely affect the interest of the remaining shareholders, by delivery of securities and other assets selected from the Fund’s portfolio holdings at its discretion. In-kind payment means payment will be made in portfolio securities

 

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and other assets rather than cash. If this occurs, the redeeming shareholder might incur brokerage or other transaction costs to convert the securities and other assets to cash. In an in-kind redemption, a pro rata portion of a Fund’s portfolio holdings will generally be distributed to the redeeming shareholder. Each Fund has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any shareholder of the Fund. The redemption price is the NAV per share next determined after the initial receipt of proper notice of redemption.

The value of the shareholder’s investment at the time of redemption may be more or less than his or her cost, depending on the market value of the securities held by the Fund at such time and income earned. The redemption price will be reduced by any applicable CDSC.

If notice is received by the Fund’s transfer agent or certain financial intermediaries, as applicable, prior to the applicable cut-off time on that day, the redemption will be effective on such day. If the notice is received after the applicable cut-off time, the redemption will be effective on the next business day and, unless otherwise provided in the Fund’s Prospectus, payment will be made on the second business day after receipt of the notice.

Summit Cash Reserves — Redemption of Shares

Redemptions may be made in the manner and amounts described in Summit Cash Reserves’ Prospectuses. Signatures, when required, must conform exactly to the account registration. If (i) the proceeds of the redemption would exceed $250,000 for a redemption by wire or ACH, or $100,000 for a redemption by check, (ii) the Fund does not have verified banking information on file, (iii) the proceeds are not to be paid to the record owner at the record address, or (iv) the shareholder is a corporation, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by any eligible guarantor institution.

Generally, a properly signed written request with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. Additional documentary evidence of authority is required by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. See “Signature Guarantee” below.

Note on Low Balance Accounts. Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller shareholder accounts, BlackRock has set a minimum balance of $500 in each Fund position you hold within your account (the “Fund Minimum”), and may redeem the shares in your account if the NAV of those shares in your account falls below $500 for any reason, including market fluctuation.

You will be notified that the value of your account is less than the Fund Minimum before the Fund makes any involuntary redemption. This notification will provide you with a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment in order to bring the value of your account to at least $500 before the Fund makes an involuntary redemption. This involuntary redemption will not charge any deferred sales charge, and may not apply to accounts of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including IRAs), qualified state tuition plan (529 Plan) accounts, and select fee-based programs at your financial intermediary.

Payment of Redemption Proceeds. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for such periods as are permitted under the Investment Company Act, and may redeem shares involuntarily or make payment for redemption in securities or other property when determined appropriate in light of the Fund’s responsibilities under the Investment Company Act.

The Fund reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of the Fund’s shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Fund and valued in the same way as they would be valued for purposes of computing the Fund’s NAV. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. The Fund has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund.

Under the Investment Company Act, the Fund may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which trading on the NYSE is restricted, or during which (as determined by the SEC by rule or regulation) an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit. (The Fund may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)

 

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The Fund may redeem shares involuntarily to reimburse the Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder. The Fund reserves the express right to redeem shares of the Fund involuntarily at any time if the Board of Trustees determines, in its sole discretion, that failure to do so may have adverse consequences to the holders of shares in the Fund. Upon such redemption the holders of shares so redeemed shall have no further right with respect thereto other than to receive payment of the redemption price.

Signature Guarantee. A signature guarantee is designed to protect the shareholders and the Fund against fraudulent transactions by unauthorized persons. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, recognized broker, dealer, clearing agency, savings association who are participants in a medallion program by the Securities Transfer Association, credit unions, national securities exchanges and registered securities associations. The three recognized medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature Guarantees which are not a part of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable.

WeLEAF— Redemption of Shares

Redemptions may be made in the manner and amounts described in WeLEAF’s Prospectuses. Signatures, when required, must conform exactly to the account registration. If (i) the proceeds of the redemption would exceed $250,000 for a redemption by wire or ACH, or $100,000 for a redemption by check, (ii) the Fund does not have verified banking information on file, (iii) the proceeds are not to be paid to the record owner at the record address, or (iv) the shareholder is a corporation, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) must be guaranteed by any eligible guarantor institution.

Generally, a properly signed written request with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. Additional documentary evidence of authority is required by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. See “Signature Guarantee” below.

Note on Low Balance Accounts. Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller shareholder accounts, BlackRock has set a minimum balance of $500 in each Fund position you hold within your account (“Fund Minimum”), and may redeem the shares in your account if the NAV of those shares in your account falls below $500 for any reason, including market fluctuation.

You will be notified that the value of your account is less than the Fund Minimum before the Fund makes any involuntary redemption. This notification will provide you with a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment in order to bring the value of your account to at least $500 before the Fund makes an involuntary redemption. This involuntary redemption will not charge any deferred sales charge, and may not apply to accounts of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including IRAs), qualified state tuition plan (529 Plan) accounts, and select fee-based programs at your financial intermediary.

Service Shares

Redemption of Shares. WeLEAF may redeem Service Shares if the account balance drops below the required minimum initial investment as the result of redemption requests and the shareholder does not increase the balance to at least the required minimum initial investment upon thirty days’ written notice. If a customer has agreed with an institution to maintain a minimum balance in his or her account with the institution, and the balance in the account falls below that minimum, the customer may be obligated to redeem all or part of his or her shares in the Fund to the extent necessary to maintain the minimum balance required.

The following is applicable only to persons who were shareholders of an investment portfolio of Compass Capital Group of Funds at the time of the Trust’s combination with The PNC Fund in 1996:

Persons who were shareholders of an investment portfolio of Compass Capital Group of Funds at the time of the portfolio’s combination with The PNC Fund may also purchase and redeem Service Shares of the same Fund and for the same account in which they held shares on that date through the procedures described in this section.

Payment of Redemption Proceeds. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for such periods as are permitted under the Investment Company Act, and may redeem shares involuntarily or make payment for redemption in securities or other property when determined appropriate in light of the Fund’s responsibilities under the Investment Company Act.

 

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The Fund reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of the Fund’s shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Fund and valued in the same way as they would be valued for purposes of computing the Fund’s NAV. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. The Fund has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund.

The Board of the Trust, or its delegate, will be permitted to impose a discretionary liquidity fee on redemptions from WeLEAF (up to 2%). Please see the Fund’s Prospectus for additional information about discretionary liquidity fees.

Under the Investment Company Act, the Fund may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which trading on the NYSE is restricted, or during which (as determined by the SEC by rule or regulation) an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit. (The Fund may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)

The Fund may redeem shares involuntarily to reimburse the Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder. The Fund reserves the express right to redeem shares of the Fund involuntarily at any time if the Board of Trustees determines, in its sole discretion, that failure to do so may have adverse consequences to the holders of shares in the Fund. Upon such redemption the holders of shares so redeemed shall have no further right with respect thereto other than to receive payment of the redemption price.

WeLEAF reserves the right to redeem shares in any account that it cannot confirm to its satisfaction is beneficially owned by a natural person, after providing at least 60 days’ advance notice.

Signature Guarantee. A signature guarantee is designed to protect the shareholders and the Fund against fraudulent transactions by unauthorized persons. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, recognized broker, dealer, clearing agency, savings association who are participants in a medallion program by the Securities Transfer Association, credit unions, national securities exchanges and registered securities associations. The three recognized medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature Guarantees which are not a part of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable.

Circle Reserve — Redemption of Shares

Redemptions may be made in the manner and amounts described in Circle Reserve’s Prospectus. Signatures, when required, must conform exactly to the account registration. If (i) the proceeds of the redemption would exceed $250,000 for a redemption by wire, (ii) the Fund does not have verified banking information on file, (iii) the proceeds are not to be paid to the record owner at the record address, or (iv) the shareholder is a corporation, partnership, trust or fiduciary, signature(s) may need to be guaranteed by any eligible guarantor institution.

Generally, a properly signed written request with any required signature guarantee is all that is required for a redemption. In some cases, however, other documents may be necessary. Additional documentary evidence of authority is required by BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. in the event redemption is requested by a corporation, partnership, trust, fiduciary, executor or administrator. See “Signature Guarantee” below.

Note on Low Balance Accounts. Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller shareholder accounts, BlackRock has set a minimum balance of $100,000 in the Fund position you hold within your account (“Fund Minimum”), and may redeem the shares in your account if the NAV of those shares in your account falls below $100,000 for any reason, including market fluctuation.

You will be notified that the value of your account is less than the Fund Minimum before the Fund makes any involuntary redemption. This notification will provide you with a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment in order to bring the value of your account to at least $100,000 before the Fund makes an involuntary redemption. This involuntary redemption will not charge any deferred sales charge, and may not apply to accounts of certain employer-sponsored retirement plans (not including IRAs), qualified state tuition plan (529 Plan) accounts, and select fee-based programs at your financial intermediary.

 

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Payment of Redemption Proceeds. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for such periods as are permitted under the Investment Company Act, and may redeem shares involuntarily or make payment for redemption in securities or other property when determined appropriate in light of the Fund’s responsibilities under the Investment Company Act.

The Fund reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of the Fund’s shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Fund and valued in the same way as they would be valued for purposes of computing the Fund’s NAV. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. The Fund has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund.

Under the Investment Company Act, the Fund may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which trading on the NYSE is restricted, or during which (as determined by the SEC by rule or regulation) an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit. (The Fund may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of its shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.)

The Fund may redeem shares involuntarily to reimburse the Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder. The Fund reserves the express right to redeem shares of the Fund involuntarily at any time if the Board of Trustees determines, in its sole discretion, that failure to do so may have adverse consequences to the holders of shares in the Fund. Upon such redemption the holders of shares so redeemed shall have no further right with respect thereto other than to receive payment of the redemption price.

Signature Guarantee. A signature guarantee is designed to protect the shareholders and the Fund against fraudulent transactions by unauthorized persons. A signature guarantee may be obtained from a domestic bank or trust company, recognized broker, dealer, clearing agency, savings association who are participants in a medallion program by the Securities Transfer Association, credit unions, national securities exchanges and registered securities associations. The three recognized medallion programs are Securities Transfer Agent Medallion Program (STAMP), Stock Exchanges Medallion Program (SEMP) and New York Stock Exchange, Inc. Medallion Signature Program (MSP). Signature Guarantees which are not a part of these programs will not be accepted. Please note that a notary public stamp or seal is not acceptable.

Redemption of Shares – BlackRock Daily Reinvestment Stablecoin Reserve Vehicle

OnChain Shares may be redeemed on a Business Day, as defined in the Fund’s Prospectus. Requests for redemptions must be received in good order by the Fund’s transfer agent by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on any Business Day. Notwithstanding the foregoing, on any day that the principal bond markets close early (as recommended by SIFMA) or the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia or the NYSE closes early, the Fund may advance the time on that day by which a redemption order must be placed so that it will be effected that day.

In order for a redemption request to be treated as having been received in good order (and therefore be effective) as of a redemption date, OnChain Shares to be redeemed must be moved to the Fund’s administrative redemption wallet (the “Redemption Wallet”) on the blockchain by the Fund deadline. Shareholders can find information on the Redemption Wallet by visiting the website disclosed in the Fund’s Prospectus. OnChain Shares moved to the Redemption Wallet after the Fund deadline on a Business Day (or at any time on a non-Business Day) will not be redeemed until the following Business Day. In these circumstances, a redeeming shareholder will not be able to effect further transfers of redeemed Shares but will be deemed to continue to own such OnChain Shares for all other purposes (including for accrual of dividends) until OnChain Shares are redeemed.

In addition, a shareholder may, but is not required to, submit a redemption request on the Fund’s transfer agent’s website as disclosed in the Fund’s Prospectus with respect to any OnChain Shares to be redeemed. A shareholder will be deemed to have submitted a redemption request with respect to any OnChain Shares that it moves to the Redemption Wallet. The Fund’s transfer agent will not consider OnChain Shares to have been moved to the Redemption Wallet until after it determines that the transaction is “final.” The Fund’s transfer agent will consider a transaction final only after (a) the transaction has been included in a block published to the blockchain and the timestamp of such block is prior to the applicable deadline and (b) a sufficient number of additional blocks have been added to the same chain. If a redemption request is not received in good order by the deadline on any Business Day, such amount will not be redeemed on such Business Day, unless the deadline is modified by the Board or its duly authorized agent.

If redemption orders are received by the Fund’s transfer agent on a Business Day by the established deadlines, payment for redeemed OnChain Shares will typically be wired in federal funds on that same day, provided the Fund’s custodian is

 

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also open for business. Proceeds for redemption orders received on a day when the Fund’s custodian is closed are normally wired in Federal funds on the next Business Day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is open for business. The Fund reserves the right to wire redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of the Fund, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund.

Shareholders will generally be required to pay transaction fees (sometimes referred to as “gas” fees) to validators on the blockchain in order to facilitate shareholder-initiated transactions, including redemptions. Such fees, which vary from blockchain to blockchain, are typically in the form of the digital asset native to such blockchain (e.g., [•] for [•]) but may also include other eligible digital assets depending on network design (e.g., eligible stablecoins on Tempo). In connection with shareholder-initiated transactions, an investor must purchase or maintain a sufficient amount of the blockchain network’s native digital asset, or other eligible asset for “gas” fees, in such investor’s digital wallet on the blockchain to pay the “gas” fees associated with such transactions. By contrast, with respect to blockchain transactions initiated by the Fund, the Fund’s transfer agent, or another service provider to the Fund in accordance with the Fund’s governing documents and/or applicable law, shareholders will generally not be required to pay associated transaction fees. Under normal and stressed market conditions, the Fund typically expects to meet redemption requests by using cash or cash equivalents in its portfolio or by selling portfolio assets to generate additional cash.

Payment of Redemption Proceeds. The Fund may suspend the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for such periods as are permitted under the Investment Company Act, and may redeem shares involuntarily or make payment for redemption in securities or other property when determined appropriate in light of the Fund’s responsibilities under the Investment Company Act.

The Fund reserves the right, if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable, to honor any request for redemption or repurchase of the Fund’s shares by making payment in whole or in part in securities chosen by the Fund and valued in the same way as they would be valued for purposes of computing the Fund’s NAV. If payment is made in securities, a shareholder may incur transaction costs in converting these securities into cash. The Fund has elected, however, to be governed by Rule 18f-1 under the Investment Company Act so that the Fund is obligated to redeem its shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of its NAV during any 90-day period for any one shareholder of the Fund.

Under the Investment Company Act, the Fund may suspend the right to redemption or postpone the date of payment upon redemption for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), or during which trading on the NYSE is restricted, or during which (as determined by the SEC by rule or regulation) an emergency exists as a result of which disposal or valuation of portfolio securities is not reasonably practicable, or for such other periods as the SEC may permit

Redemption proceeds will only be paid to the account of record in the name of the shareholder, except that, if a shareholder is a client of [•], payment of redemption proceeds will be paid (i) if such shareholder’s only account of record is such shareholder’s [•] Account, to its [•] Account and (ii) if such shareholder has a [•] Account and has also separately subscribed for Shares with U.S. dollars from an account which is not its [•] Account, to such other account unless otherwise directed by such shareholder. USDC transactions are subject to various risks that are outside the control of [•] and the Fund. [•] has informed the Fund that, as of the date of this SAI, [•] is licensed to engage in Virtual Currency Business Activity by the New York State Department of Financial Services.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

Each Fund seeks to maintain a NAV of $1.00 per share for purposes of purchase and redemptions and values its portfolio securities on the basis of the amortized cost method of valuation.

Under this method portfolio securities are valued at cost when purchased and thereafter, a constant proportionate accretion of any discount or amortization of premium is recorded until the maturity of the security. The effect of changes in the market value of a security as a result of fluctuating interest rates is not taken into account.

As indicated, the amortized cost method of valuation may result in the value of a security being higher or lower than its market price, the price a Fund would receive if the security were sold prior to maturity. Each Fund’s Board has established procedures for the purpose of maintaining a constant NAV of $1.00 per share for each Fund; however, there can be no assurance that a constant NAV will be maintained for any Fund. Such procedures include a review of the extent of any deviation of NAV per share, based on available market quotations, from the $1.00 amortized cost per share.

Should that deviation exceed 12 of 1% for a Fund, the Fund’s Board will promptly consider whether any action should be initiated to eliminate or reduce material dilution or other adverse impact to shareholders. Such action may include redeeming shares in kind, selling portfolio securities prior to maturity, reducing or withholding dividends, shortening the average portfolio maturity, and utilizing a NAV per share as determined by using available market quotations.

Each Fund will maintain a dollar-weighted average portfolio maturity of 60 days or less, a dollar-weighted average life of 120 days or less, will not purchase any instrument with a deemed maturity under Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act greater than 397 days, and will limit portfolio investments, including repurchase agreements, to those instruments that the adviser or sub-adviser determines to be “eligible securities” under Rule 2a-7 pursuant to guidelines adopted by a Fund’s Board.

 

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YIELD INFORMATION

Each Fund computes its annualized yield in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission by determining the net changes in value, exclusive of capital changes and income other than investment income, for a seven-day base period for a hypothetical pre-existing account having a balance of one share at the beginning of the base period, subtracting a hypothetical shareholder account charge, and dividing the difference by the value of the account at the beginning of the base period to obtain the base period return, and then multiplying the result by 365 and then dividing by seven. This yield calculation does not take into consideration any realized or unrealized gains or losses on portfolio securities. The Commission also permits the calculation of a standardized effective or compounded yield. This is computed by compounding the unannualized base period return, which is done by adding one to the base period return, raising the sum to a power equal to 365 divided by seven, and subtracting one from the result. This compounded yield calculation also excludes realized and unrealized gains or losses on portfolio securities.

The yield on each Fund’s shares normally will fluctuate on a daily basis. Therefore, the yield for any given past period is not an indication or representation by a Fund of future yields or rates of return on its shares. The yield is affected by such factors as changes in interest rates on a Fund’s portfolio securities, average portfolio maturity, the types and quality of portfolio securities held and operating expenses. The yield on Fund shares for various reasons may not be comparable to the yield on bank deposits, shares of other money market funds or other investments.

See “Yield Information” in Part I of each Fund’s SAI for recent seven-day yield information relating to your Fund.

On occasion, each Fund may compare its yield to (1) an industry average compiled by Donoghue’s Money Fund Report, a widely recognized independent publication that monitors the performance of money market mutual funds, (2) the average yield reported by the Bank Rate Monitor National Index for money market deposit accounts offered by the 100 leading banks and thrift institutions in the ten largest standard metropolitan statistical areas, (3) yield data published by industry publications, including Lipper Inc., Morningstar, Inc., Money Magazine, U.S. News & World Report, BusinessWeek, CDA Investment Technology, Inc., Forbes Magazine and Fortune Magazine, or (4) the yield on an investment in 90-day Treasury bills on a rolling basis, assuming quarterly compounding. As with yield quotations, yield comparisons should not be considered indicative of a Fund’s yield or relative performance for any future period.

A Fund may provide information designed to help investors understand how the Fund is seeking to achieve its investment objective. This may include information about past, current or possible economic, market, political, or other conditions, descriptive information on general principles of investing such as asset allocation, diversification and risk tolerance; a discussion of a Fund’s portfolio composition, investment philosophy, strategy or investment techniques; comparisons of a Fund’s performance or portfolio composition to that of other funds or types of investments, to indices relevant to the comparison being made, or to a hypothetical or model portfolio. Each Fund may also quote various measures of volatility and benchmark correlation in advertising and other materials, and may compare these measures to those of other funds or types of investments.

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

Subject to policies established by the Board of each Fund, the Manager is primarily responsible for the execution of a Fund’s portfolio transactions. The Manager does not execute transactions through any particular broker or dealer, but seeks to obtain the best net results for the Fund, taking into account such factors as price (including the applicable dealer spread), size of order, difficulty of execution, operational facilities of the firm and the firm’s risk and skill in positioning blocks of securities. While the Manager generally seeks reasonable trade execution costs, a Fund does not necessarily pay the lowest spread or commission available. Each Fund’s policy of investing in securities with short maturities will result in high portfolio turnover.

Subject to obtaining the best net results, dealers who provide supplemental investment research (such as economic data and market forecasts) to the Manager may receive orders for transactions of the Fund. Information received will be in addition to and not in lieu of the services required to be performed by the Manager under each Management Agreement and the expenses of the Manager will not necessarily be reduced as a result of the receipt of such supplemental information.

The portfolio securities in which each Fund invests are traded primarily in the OTC market. Bonds and debentures usually are traded OTC, but may be traded on an exchange. Where possible, a Fund will deal directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved except in those circumstances where better prices and

 

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execution are available elsewhere. Such dealers usually are acting as principals for their own accounts. On occasion, securities may be purchased directly from the issuer. Money market securities are generally traded on a net basis and do not normally involve either brokerage commissions or transfer taxes. The cost of executing portfolio securities transactions of a Fund primarily will consist of dealer spreads. Under the Investment Company Act, persons affiliated with a Fund and persons who are affiliated with such affiliated persons are prohibited from dealing with the Fund as principals in the purchase and sale of securities unless an exemptive order allowing such transactions is obtained from the Commission. Since transactions in the OTC market usually involve transactions with the dealers acting as principals for their own accounts, the Funds will not deal with affiliated persons in connection with such transactions, except pursuant to an applicable exemptive order or as otherwise permitted by applicable law. However, an affiliated person of a Fund may serve as its broker in OTC transactions conducted on an agency basis.

The Manager does not consider sales of shares of the mutual funds it advises as a factor in the selection of brokers or dealers to execute portfolio transactions for a Fund; however, whether or not a particular broker or dealer sells shares of the mutual funds advised by the Manager neither qualifies nor disqualifies such broker or dealer to execute transactions for those mutual funds.

OTC issues, including most fixed income securities such as corporate debt and U.S. Government securities, are normally traded on a “net” basis without a stated commission, through dealers acting for their own account and not as brokers. The Funds will primarily engage in transactions with these dealers or deal directly with the issuer unless a better price or execution could be obtained by using a broker. Prices paid to a dealer with respect to both non-U.S. and domestic securities will generally include a “spread,” which is the difference between the prices at which the dealer is willing to purchase and sell the specific security at the time, and includes the dealer’s normal profit.

Purchases of money market instruments by a Fund are made from dealers, underwriters and issuers. The Funds do not currently expect to incur any brokerage commission expense on such transactions because money market instruments are generally traded on a “net” basis with dealers acting as principal for their own accounts without a stated commission. The price of the security, however, usually includes a profit to the dealer. Each money market Fund (each a “Money Market Fund”) intends to purchase only securities with remaining maturities of 397 days or less as determined in accordance with the rules of the Commission. As a result, the portfolio turnover rates of a Money Market Fund will be relatively high. However, because brokerage commissions will not normally be paid with respect to investments made by a Money Market Fund, the turnover rates should not adversely affect the Fund’s NAVs or net income.

Securities purchased in underwritten offerings include a fixed amount of compensation to the underwriter, generally referred to as the underwriter’s concession or discount. When offered securities are purchased or sold directly from or to an issuer, no commissions or discounts are paid except where required by local markets.

The Manager or sub-advisers may seek to obtain an undertaking from issuers of commercial paper or dealers selling commercial paper to consider the repurchase of such securities from a Fund prior to maturity at their original cost plus interest (sometimes adjusted to reflect the actual maturity of the securities), if it believes that a Fund’s anticipated need for liquidity makes such action desirable. Any such repurchase prior to maturity reduces the possibility that a Fund would incur a capital loss in liquidating commercial paper, especially if interest rates have risen since acquisition of such commercial paper.

Investment decisions for each Fund and for other investment accounts managed by the Manager or sub-advisers are made independently of each other in light of differing conditions. BlackRock allocates investments among client accounts in a fair and equitable manner. A variety of factors will be considered in making such allocations. These factors include: (i) investment objectives or strategies for particular accounts, including sector, industry, country or region and capitalization weightings, (ii) tax considerations of an account, (iii) risk or investment concentration parameters for an account, (iv) supply or demand for a security at a given price level, (v) size of available investment, (vi) cash availability and liquidity requirements for accounts, (vii) regulatory restrictions, (viii) minimum investment size of an account, (ix) relative size of account, and (x) such other factors as may be approved by BlackRock’s general counsel. Moreover, investments may not be allocated to one client account over another based on any of the following considerations: (i) to favor one client account at the expense of another, (ii) to generate higher fees paid by one client account over another or to produce greater performance compensation to BlackRock, (iii) to develop or enhance a relationship with a client or prospective client, (iv) to compensate a client for past services or benefits rendered to BlackRock or to induce future services or benefits to be rendered to BlackRock, or (v) to manage or equalize investment performance among different client accounts.

Because of different objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for one or more funds or clients advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (collectively, “clients”) when one or more clients of BlackRock or its

 

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affiliates are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities arise for consideration at or about the same time that would involve a Fund or other clients or funds for which BlackRock or an affiliate acts as investment manager, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. To the extent that transactions on behalf of more than one client of BlackRock or its affiliates during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, there may be an adverse effect on price.

See “Portfolio Transactions” or “Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage,” as applicable, in Part I of each Fund’s SAI for information relating to portfolio transactions engaged in by your Fund for its three most recently completed fiscal years or other relevant periods.

The Board of each Fund has considered the possibility of seeking to recapture for the benefit of the Fund expenses of possible portfolio transactions, such as dealer spreads and underwriting commissions, by conducting portfolio transactions through affiliated entities. After considering all factors deemed relevant, the Board of each Fund made a determination not to seek such recapture. The Board of each Fund will reconsider this matter from time to time.

Each Fund has received an exemptive order from the Commission permitting it to lend portfolio securities to its affiliates. Pursuant to that order, each Fund may retain an affiliated entity of the Manager (the “lending agent”) as the securities lending agent for a fee, including a fee based on a share of the returns on investment of cash collateral. The lending agent may, on behalf of a Fund, invest cash collateral received by the Fund for such loans, among other things, in a private investment company managed by the lending agent or in registered money market funds advised by the Manager or its affiliates. See “Portfolio Transactions” or “Portfolio Transactions and Brokerage,” as applicable, in Part I of each Fund’s SAI for the securities lending agent fees, if any, paid by your Fund to the lending agent for the periods indicated.

Because of different objectives or other factors, a particular security may be bought for one or more funds or clients advised by the Manager or its affiliates (collectively, “clients”) when one or more clients of the Manager or its affiliates are selling the same security. If purchases or sales of securities arise for consideration at or about the same time that would involve a Fund or other clients or funds for which the Manager or an affiliate acts as investment manager, transactions in such securities will be made, insofar as feasible, for the respective funds and clients in a manner deemed equitable to all. To the extent that transactions on behalf of more than one client of the Manager or its affiliates during the same period may increase the demand for securities being purchased or the supply of securities being sold, there may be an adverse effect on price.

DIVIDENDS AND TAXES

Dividends

Each Fund declares dividends daily. Except as otherwise provided in a Fund’s Prospectus, dividends of each Fund are reinvested monthly in additional shares of that Fund at NAV. Except as otherwise provided in a Fund’s Prospectus, shares purchased will begin accruing dividends on the day following the date of purchase. Until they are paid, dividends that are declared will remain in the gross assets of each Fund and will therefore continue to earn income for the Fund’s shareholders. Shareholders will receive monthly statements as to such reinvestments.

Net income (from the time of the immediately preceding determination thereof) consists of (i) interest accrued and/or discount earned (including both original issue and market discount), (ii) less amortization of premiums and the estimated expenses of a Fund applicable to that dividend period. Net realized capital gains (including net short-term capital gain), if any, will be distributed by the Funds at least annually.

Taxes

Each Fund intends to elect and to qualify or to continue to qualify, as appropriate, for the special tax treatment afforded regulated investment companies under the Code. As long as a Fund so qualifies, the Fund (but not its shareholders) will not be subject to Federal income tax on the part of its investment company taxable income and net capital gain that is distributed to shareholders. Each Fund intends to distribute substantially all of such income and gains. If, in any taxable year, a Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Code, notwithstanding the availability of certain relief provisions, such Fund would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and all distributions from earnings and profits (as determined under Federal income tax principles) to its shareholders would be taxable as ordinary dividend income eligible for taxation at a reduced tax rate for non-corporate shareholders and the dividends-received deduction for corporate shareholders.

 

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Each Fund that is a series of a regulated investment company that consists of multiple series is treated as a separate corporation for Federal income tax purposes, and, therefore, is considered to be a separate entity in determining its treatment under the rules for regulated investment companies. Losses in one series of a regulated investment company do not offset gains in another, and the requirements (other than certain organizational requirements) for qualifying for regulated investment company status will be determined at the level of the individual series. In the following discussion, the term “Fund” means each individual series, if applicable.

The Code requires a regulated investment company to pay a nondeductible 4% excise tax to the extent the regulated investment company does not distribute, during each calendar year, at least 98% of its ordinary income, determined on a calendar year basis, and at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income, determined, in general, as if the regulated investment company’s taxable year ended on October 31, plus certain undistributed amounts from the preceding year. While each Fund intends to distribute its income and capital gains in the manner necessary to minimize imposition of the 4% excise tax, there can be no assurance that sufficient amounts of a Fund’s taxable income and capital gains will be distributed to avoid entirely the imposition of the tax. In such event, a Fund will be liable for the tax only on the amount by which it does not meet the foregoing distribution requirements. The required distributions are based only on the taxable income of a regulated investment company.

Net Capital Loss Carryforwards. Net capital loss carryforwards may be applied against any net realized capital gains in each succeeding year, until they have been reduced to zero. In the event that the Fund were to experience an ownership change as defined under the Code, the loss carryforwards and other favorable tax attributes of the Fund, if any, may be subject to limitation.

General Treatment of Fund Shareholders. Dividends paid by a Fund from its ordinary income or from an excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss (together referred to hereafter as “ordinary income dividends”) are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Distributions made from an excess of net long-term capital gain over net short-term capital loss (“capital gain dividends”) are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shareholder has owned Fund shares. Distributions paid by a Fund that are reported as exempt-interest dividends will not be subject to regular Federal income tax. Certain dividend income and long-term capital gains are eligible for taxation at a reduced rate that applies to non-corporate shareholders. Under these rules, the portion of ordinary income dividends constituting “qualified dividend income” when paid by a regulated investment company to non-corporate shareholders may be taxable to such shareholders at long-term capital gain rates. However, to the extent a Fund’s distributions are derived from income on debt securities and short-term capital gains, such distributions will not constitute “qualified dividend income.” Thus, ordinary income dividends paid by the Funds generally will not be eligible for taxation at the reduced rate. Distributions by a Fund, whether from ordinary income or capital gains, generally will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to corporations under the Code.

Distributions in excess of a Fund’s earnings and profits will first reduce the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in his shares and any amount in excess of such basis will constitute capital gains to such shareholder (assuming the shares are held as a capital asset). Long-term capital gains (i.e., gains from a disposition of capital assets held for more than one year) are generally taxed at preferential rates to non-corporate taxpayers. Each Fund will furnish its shareholders with a written statement reporting the amounts of its dividends paid during the year that qualify as capital gain dividends or exempt-interest dividends, as applicable, as well as the portion of an exempt-interest dividend that constitutes an item of tax preference, as discussed below.

Ordinary income and capital gain dividends are taxable to shareholders even if they are reinvested in additional shares of a Fund. If a Fund pays a dividend in January that was declared in the previous October, November or December to shareholders of record on a specified date in one of such months, then such dividend will be treated for tax purposes as being paid by the Fund and received by its shareholders on December 31 of the year in which such dividend was declared.

Any loss upon the sale, redemption, exchange, or other disposition of Fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of any capital gain dividends received with respect to the shares. A shareholder in a money market fund (whether or not it has a floating NAV) may elect to adopt a simplified, aggregate accounting method under which gains and losses can be netted based on the shareholder’s taxable year rather than reported separately. Capital gains and losses determined under the simplified, aggregate accounting method are treated as short-term capital gains and losses. Because Fund shares may be transferred in peer-to-peer transactions, a shareholder disposing of shares via peer-to-peer transaction may realize gains and losses generally due to differences between the price at which shares were acquired and the price at which shares are transferred. Such realized gains and losses generally would be accounted for separately unless the shareholder adopted the simplified, aggregate accounting method. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors before deciding to adopt such accounting method.

If any Fund (other than a Fund that is a government money market fund) imposes a discretionary liquidity fee on share redemptions, the amount that would ordinarily be payable to a redeeming shareholder of the Fund will be reduced, consequently reducing the amount of gain, or increasing the amount of loss, that would otherwise be reportable for income tax purposes. The discretionary liquidity fee cannot be separately claimed as a deduction.

 

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Any such discretionary liquidity fee will constitute an asset of the imposing Fund and will serve to benefit non-redeeming shareholders. If such fees were distributed to non-redeeming shareholders, the tax treatment would be similar to the tax treatment of distributions described in this section. Such fees may raise the Fund’s NAV, increasing the taxable income or reducing the deductible losses of shareholders that redeem their shares at a later

 

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time when such fees are not being charged. If a Fund receives discretionary liquidity fees, it will consider the appropriate tax treatment of such fees to the Fund at such time. However, due to a lack of guidance, the tax consequences of liquidity fees to the Fund and the shareholders are unclear and may differ from that described in this section.

Should a negative interest rate scenario ever occur that causes a government or retail money market fund to have a negative gross yield, the fund may account for the negative gross yield by either using a floating NAV or a reverse distribution mechanism that seeks to maintain a stable NAV of the fund by cancelling shareholders’ shares in the amount of the negative gross yield. Under a reverse distribution mechanism, shareholders in a fund would observe a stable share price but a declining number of shares for their investment. After a cancellation of shares, the basis of eliminated shares would be added to the basis of shareholders’ remaining fund shares, and any shareholders disposing of shares at that time may recognize a capital loss. Dividends, including dividends reinvested in additional shares of a fund, will nonetheless be fully taxable, even if the number of shares in shareholders’ accounts has been reduced as described above. However, due to a lack of guidance regarding the cancellation of shares, the tax consequences of such cancellation of shares to the Fund and the shareholders is unclear and may differ from that described in this section.

Under certain provisions of the Code, some shareholders may be subject to a 24% withholding tax on ordinary income dividends and capital gain dividends (“backup withholding”). Generally, shareholders subject to backup withholding will be non-corporate shareholders for whom no certified taxpayer identification number is on file with a Fund or who, to a Fund’s knowledge, have furnished an incorrect number. When establishing an account, an investor must certify under penalty of perjury that such number is correct and that the investor is not otherwise subject to backup withholding. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amount withheld generally may be allowed as a refund or a credit against a shareholder’s Federal income tax liability provided that the required information is timely provided to the IRS.

If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to a Fund’s shares of at least $2 million in any single taxable year or $4 million in any combination of taxable years for an individual shareholder or $10 million in any single taxable year or $20 million in any combination of taxable years for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file a disclosure statement on Form 8886 with the IRS. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases exempted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a regulated investment company are not exempted. That a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

A 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on the net investment income (which includes, but is not limited to, interest, dividends and net gains from investments) of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000, or $250,000 if married filing jointly, and of trusts and estates. However, this tax will not apply to certain amounts that are already excludable from gross income, such as interest on tax-exempt bonds.

No gain or loss will be recognized by Investor C shareholders on the conversion to Investor A Shares. A shareholder’s tax basis in the Investor A Shares acquired upon conversion will be the same as the shareholder’s tax basis in the converted Investor C Shares and the holding period of the acquired Investor A Shares will include the holding period for the converted Investor C Shares.

Interest received by a Fund may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes.

Certain Funds may invest in zero coupon U.S. Treasury bonds and other debt securities that are issued at a discount or provide for deferred interest. Even though a Fund receives no actual interest payments on these securities, it will be deemed to receive income equal, generally, to a portion of the excess of the stated redemption price of the securities over their issue price (“original issue discount”) each year that the securities are held. Since the original issue discount income earned by a Fund in a taxable year may not be represented by cash income, the Fund may have to dispose of securities, which it might otherwise have continued to hold, or borrow to generate cash in order to satisfy its distribution requirements. In addition, a Fund’s investment in foreign currencies or foreign currency denominated or referenced debt securities, certain asset-backed securities and contingent payment and inflation-indexed debt instruments also may increase or accelerate the Fund’s recognition of income, including the recognition of taxable income in excess of cash generated by such investments.

Ordinary income dividends paid to shareholders that are nonresident aliens or foreign entities generally will be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax under existing provisions of the Code applicable to foreign individuals and entities unless a reduced rate of withholding is provided under applicable treaty law. Nonresident shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning applicability of the United States withholding tax. Dividends derived by a regulated investment company from short-term capital gains and qualified net interest income (including income from original issue discount and market discount) and paid to stockholders that are nonresident aliens and foreign entities, if and to the extent properly reported as “interest-related dividends” or “short-term capital gain dividends,” generally will not be subject to U.S. withholding tax. Where possible, each Fund intends to report such dividends as interest-related dividends or short-term capital gain dividends. However, depending on its circumstances, a Fund may report all, some or none of its potentially

 

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eligible dividends as interest-related dividends or as short-term capital gain dividends, and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder must comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an

 

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IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or substitute form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reports the payment as an interest-related dividend or short term capital gain dividend. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries, if applicable, with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts. It is not possible to predict what portion, if any, of a Fund’s distributions will be designated as consisting of qualified short term gain or qualified net interest income exempt from withholding in the hands of nonresident and foreign shareholders.

Separately, a 30% withholding tax is currently imposed on U.S. source dividends, interest and other income items paid to (i) certain foreign financial institutions and investment funds, and (ii) certain other foreign entities. To avoid withholding, foreign financial institutions and investment funds will generally either need to (a) collect and report to the IRS detailed information identifying their U.S. accounts and U.S. account holders, comply with due diligence procedures for identifying U.S. accounts and withhold tax on certain payments made to noncomplying foreign entities and account holders or (b) if an intergovernmental agreement is entered into and implementing legislation is adopted, comply with the agreement and legislation. Other foreign entities will generally either need to provide detailed information identifying each substantial U.S. owner or certify there are no such owners.

Ordinary income and capital gain dividends paid by the Funds may also be subject to state and local taxes. However, certain states exempt from state income taxation dividends paid by regulated investment companies that are derived from interest on United States Treasury obligations. State law varies as to whether dividend income attributable to United States Treasury obligations is exempt from state income tax.

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

The Board of Trustees of the Funds has delegated the voting of proxies for the Funds’ securities to the Manager pursuant to the Open-End Active and Fixed Income Index Fund Proxy Voting Policy (the “Active Fund Proxy Voting Policy”).

With respect to the Funds, the Manager has adopted the BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship — Global Engagement and Voting Guidelines (the “BAIS Guidelines”).

If a Fund invests in an underlying fund managed by BlackRock, the Fund will use its proxy voting policy when voting on proxies for the underlying fund while the underlying fund will use its proxy voting policy when voting proxies on investments the underlying fund holds. Therefore, the Fund may use the Active Fund Proxy Voting Policy while an underlying fund may use the Index Equity Fund Proxy Voting Policy, and the opposite is also true.

Copies of the Active Fund Proxy Voting Policy and the BAIS Guidelines are attached as Appendix B to this SAI. Only those guidelines that are applicable to a particular Fund pursuant to the Active Fund Proxy Voting Policy are considered to form a part of the Fund’s SAI.

Information on how each Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30 is available without charge, (i) at www.blackrock.com/proxyrecords and (ii) on the Commission’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Description of Shares

In the case of OnChain Shares, shares of the Fund are issued as tokens and will be authenticated and recorded on a distributed ledger or blockchain. Each token will constitute a share or unit of beneficial interest in the Fund, entitling its holder, among other rights, to a share of the Fund’s net investment income and, upon dissolution of the Fund, its net capital proceeds.

Shareholders of a Fund are entitled to one vote for each full share held and fractional votes for fractional shares held in the election of Trustees and generally on other matters submitted to the vote of shareholders of the Fund. Shareholders of a class that bears distribution and/or service expenses have exclusive voting rights with respect to matters relating to such distribution and service expenditures. Voting rights are not cumulative, so that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting in the election of Trustees can, if they choose to do so, elect all the Trustees of a Fund, in which event the holders of the remaining shares would be unable to elect any person as a Trustee.

No Fund intends to hold annual meetings of shareholders in any year in which the Investment Company Act does not require shareholders to act upon any of the following matters: (i) election of Trustees; (ii) approval of a management agreement; (iii) approval of a distribution agreement; and (iv) ratification of selection of independent accountants. Shares issued are fully paid and non-assessable and have no preemptive rights. Redemption and conversion rights are discussed elsewhere herein and in each Fund’s Prospectus. Each share of each class of Common Stock is entitled to participate equally in dividends and distributions declared by a Fund and in the net assets of the Fund upon liquidation or dissolution after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities.

 

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For Funds organized as Maryland corporations, the by-laws of the Fund require that a special meeting of shareholders be held upon the written request of a minimum percentage of the outstanding shares of the Fund entitled to vote at such meeting, if they comply with applicable Maryland law.

Certain of the Funds are organized as “Massachusetts business trusts.” Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of such a trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations. However, the Declaration of Trust establishing a trust, a copy of which for each applicable Fund, together with all amendments thereto (the “Declaration of Trust”), is on file in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the trust and provides for indemnification and reimbursement of expenses out of the trust property for any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the trust. The Declaration of Trust also provides that a trust may maintain appropriate insurance (for example, fidelity bond and errors and omissions insurance) for the protection of the trust, its shareholders, trustees, officers, employees and agents covering possible tort and other liabilities. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the trust itself was unable to meet its obligations.

Certain Funds are organized as Delaware statutory trusts.

Additional Information

Under a separate agreement, BlackRock has granted certain Funds the right to use the “BlackRock” name and has reserved the right to (i) withdraw its consent to the use of such name by a Fund if the Fund ceases to retain BlackRock Advisors, LLC or BlackRock Fund Advisors, as applicable, as investment adviser and (ii) to grant the use of such name to any other company.

 

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APPENDIX A

Description of Bond Ratings

A rating is generally assigned to a fixed-income security at the time of issuance by a credit rating agency designated as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (“NRSRO”) by the SEC. While NRSROs may from time to time revise such ratings, they undertake no obligation to do so, and the ratings given to securities at issuance do not necessarily represent ratings which would be given to these securities on a particular subsequent date.

NRSROs may rate specific investments (e.g., bonds), issuers (e.g., corporations, governments and financial institutions) and/or programs (e.g., commercial paper programs). However, certain types of investments may not be rated by NRSROs, such as certain government/sovereign obligations, US agency securities, commercial paper, time deposits at financial institutions, and derivative instruments such as credit default swaps. For these types of investments, as well as US Treasury securities (some of which are not rated), where a NRSRO has not rated the specific investment but has rated the investment’s issuer, program, financial institution or underlying reference asset, BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Fund Advisors or their respective affiliates (“BlackRock”) may consider the investment to have the same NRSRO rating as its issuer, program, financial institution or underlying reference asset, as applicable. In the case of municipal securities, where one NRSRO provides multiple ratings for the same security (e.g., “underlying,” “insured” and/or “enhanced” ratings), BlackRock may consider the security to have the highest of the multiple ratings.

New issue securities (regardless of type) may not be rated by a NRSRO at the time of their initial offering. Preliminary prospectuses or term sheets for new issue securities may include an expected rating for the security (as determined by the underwriter and/or issuer) or a NRSRO rating for the issuer of the security. If applicable, when deciding whether to purchase a new issue security that has not yet been rated by a NRSRO, BlackRock may attribute an expected rating to the security based on: (i) the expected rating of the security set forth in the preliminary prospectus or term sheet for the security; (ii) the NRSRO’s rating for the issuer of the security set forth in the preliminary prospectus or term sheet for the security; or (iii) with respect to asset-backed securities, the rating of a prior issuance having a similar structure or the same sponsor.

Where the investment objective of a fund is to track the performance of an index that includes credit ratings eligibility criteria as part of its index methodology, the fund may purchase any security within the index, such security having been determined by the index provider as meeting its credit ratings eligibility criteria. The credit ratings practices of an index provider may differ from BlackRock’s practices, as described above. Further, the fund may invest, directly or indirectly, in securities that are not rated by a rating agency or securities with a credit rating that differs from the credit rating specified in its index methodology in various circumstances, including where a security is downgraded but not yet removed from an index, following the removal of a security from an index prior to its sale by the fund or as a result of a corporate action or restructuring affecting an issuer of a security held by the fund.

Fixed-income securities which are unrated may expose the investor to risks with respect to capacity to pay interest or repay principal which are similar to the risks of lower-rated speculative bonds. Evaluation of these securities is dependent on BlackRock’s judgment, analysis and experience in the evaluation of such securities.

Investors should note that the assignment of a rating to a security by an NRSRO may not reflect the effect of recent developments on the issuer’s ability to make interest and principal payments or on the likelihood of default.

Securities deemed to be high yield are rated below Baa3 by Moody’s and below BBB- by S&P Global Ratings and Fitch.

The descriptions below relate to general long-term and short-term obligations of an issuer.

A Description of Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.’s (“Moody’s”) Global Rating Scales

Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term and short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Moody’s defines credit risk as the risk that an entity may not meet its contractual financial obligations as they come due and any estimated financial loss in the event of default or impairment. The contractual financial obligations addressed by Moody’s ratings are those that call for, without regard to enforceability, the payment of an ascertainable amount, which may vary based upon standard sources of variation (e.g., floating interest rates), by an ascertainable date. Moody’s rating addresses the issuer’s ability to obtain cash sufficient to service the obligation, and its willingness to pay. Moody’s ratings do not address non-standard sources of variation in the amount of the principal obligation (e.g., equity indexed), absent an express

 

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statement to the contrary in a press release accompanying an initial rating. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of one year or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Short-term ratings are assigned for obligations with an original maturity of thirteen months or less and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. Moody’s issues ratings at the issuer level and instrument level on both the long-term scale and the short-term scale. Typically, ratings are made publicly available although private and unpublished ratings may also be assigned.

Moody’s differentiates structured finance ratings from fundamental ratings (i.e., ratings on nonfinancial corporate, financial institution, and public sector entities) on the global long-term scale by adding (sf) to all structured finance ratings. The addition of (sf) to structured finance ratings should eliminate any presumption that such ratings and fundamental ratings at the same letter grade level will behave the same. The (sf) indicator for structured finance security ratings indicates that otherwise similarly rated structured finance and fundamental securities may have different risk characteristics. Through its current methodologies, however, Moody’s aspires to achieve broad expected equivalence in structured finance and fundamental rating performance when measured over a long period of time.

Description of Moody’s Global Long-Term Rating Scale

 

Aaa   Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
Aa   Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
A   Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
Baa   Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
Ba   Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.
B   Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.
Caa   Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
Ca   Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.
C   Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a “(hyb)” indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.

By their terms, hybrid securities allow for the omission of scheduled dividends, interest, or principal payments, which can potentially result in impairment if such an omission occurs. Hybrid securities may also be subject to contractually allowable write-downs of principal that could result in impairment. Together with the hybrid indicator, the long-term obligation rating assigned to a hybrid security is an expression of the relative credit risk associated with that security.

Description of Moody’s Global Short-Term Rating Scale

 

P-1   Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.
P-2   Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.
P-3   Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.
NP   Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

 

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Description of Moody’s U.S. Municipal Short-Term Debt and Demand Obligation Ratings

Description of Moody’s Short-Term Obligation Ratings

Moody’s uses the global short-term Prime rating scale for commercial paper issued by U.S. municipalities and nonprofits. These commercial paper programs may be backed by external letters of credit or liquidity facilities, or by an issuer’s self-liquidity.

For other short-term municipal obligations, Moody’s uses one of two other short-term rating scales, the Municipal Investment Grade (“MIG”) and Variable Municipal Investment Grade (“VMIG”) scales discussed below.

Moody’s uses the MIG scale for U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less. Under certain circumstances, Moody’s uses the MIG scale for bond anticipation notes with maturities of up to five years.

MIG Scale

 

MIG 1   This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2   This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3   This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SG   This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

Description of Moody’s Demand Obligation Ratings

In the case of variable rate demand obligations (“VRDOs”), a two-component rating is assigned. The components are a long-term rating and a short-term demand obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer’s ability to meet scheduled principal and interest payments. The short-term demand obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to make payments associated with the purchase-price-upon-demand feature (“demand feature”) of the VRDO. The short-term demand obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. VMIG ratings with liquidity support use as an input the short-term Counterparty Risk Assessment of the support provider, or the long-term rating of the underlying obligor in the absence of third party liquidity support. Transitions of VMIG ratings of demand obligations with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions on the Prime scale to reflect the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade.

Moody’s typically assigns the VMIG short-term demand obligation rating if the frequency of the demand feature is less than every three years. If the frequency of the demand feature is less than three years but the purchase price is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the short-term demand obligation rating is “NR”.

VMIG Scale

 

VMIG 1   This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG 2   This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG 3   This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
SG   This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.

 

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Description of S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”), a Division of S&P Global Inc., Issue Credit Ratings

An S&P issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P’s view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings S&P assigns to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P’s analysis of the following considerations:

 

   

The likelihood of payment — the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitments on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

 

   

The nature and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise S&P imputes; and

 

   

The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings*

 

AAA   An obligation rated ‘AAA’ has the highest rating assigned by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA   An obligation rated ‘AA’ differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is very strong.
A   An obligation rated ‘A’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.
BBB   An obligation rated ‘BBB’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
BB, B, CCC, CC, and C  


Obligations rated ‘BB’, ‘B’, ‘CCC’, ‘CC’, and ‘C’ are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. ‘BB’ indicates the least degree of speculation and ‘C’ the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

BB   An obligation rated ‘BB’ is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
B   An obligation rated ‘B’ is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated ‘BB’, but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

 

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CCC   An obligation rated ‘CCC’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
CC   An obligation rated ‘CC’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The ‘CC’ rating is used when a default has not yet occurred but S&P expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.
C   An obligation rated ‘C’ is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.
D   An obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made within five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or 30 calendar days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

 

*

Ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings

 

A-1   A short-term obligation rated ‘A-1’ is rated in the highest category by S&P. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.
A-2   A short-term obligation rated ‘A-2’ is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.
A-3   A short-term obligation rated ‘A-3’ exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
B   A short-term obligation rated ‘B’ is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.
C   A short-term obligation rated ‘C’ is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.
D   A short-term obligation rated ‘D’ is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the ‘D’ rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The ‘D’ rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to ‘D’ if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

Description of S&P’s Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings

An S&P U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P’s opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P’s analysis will review the following considerations:

 

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Amortization schedule — the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

 

 

Source of payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

S&P’s municipal short-term note rating symbols are as follows:

 

SP-1   Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.
SP-2   Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.
SP-3   Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
D   ‘D’ is assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

Description of Fitch Ratings’ (“Fitch’s”) Credit Ratings Scales

Fitch Ratings publishes opinions on a variety of scales. The most common of these are credit ratings, but the agency also publishes ratings, scores and other relative opinions relating to financial or operational strength. For example, Fitch also provides specialized ratings of servicers of residential and commercial mortgages, asset managers and funds. In each case, users should refer to the definitions of each individual scale for guidance on the dimensions of risk covered in each assessment.

Fitch’s credit ratings relating to issuers are an opinion on the relative ability of an entity to meet financial commitments, such as interest, preferred dividends, repayment of principal, insurance claims or counterparty obligations. Credit ratings relating to securities and obligations of an issuer can include a recovery expectation. Credit ratings are used by investors as indications of the likelihood of receiving the money owed to them in accordance with the terms on which they invested. The agency’s credit ratings cover the global spectrum of corporate, sovereign financial, bank, insurance, and public finance entities (including supranational and sub-national entities) and the securities or other obligations they issue, as well as structured finance securities backed by receivables or other financial assets.

The terms “investment grade” and “speculative grade” have established themselves over time as shorthand to describe the categories ‘AAA’ to ‘BBB’ (investment grade) and ‘BB’ to ‘D’ (speculative grade). The terms investment grade and speculative grade are market conventions and do not imply any recommendation or endorsement of a specific security for investment purposes. Investment grade categories indicate relatively low to moderate credit risk, while ratings in the speculative categories either signal a higher level of credit risk or that a default has already occurred.

For the convenience of investors, Fitch may also include issues relating to a rated issuer that are not and have not been rated on its web page. Such issues are also denoted as ‘NR’.

Credit ratings express risk in relative rank order, which is to say they are ordinal measures of credit risk and are not predictive of a specific frequency of default or loss. For information about the historical performance of ratings please refer to Fitch’s Ratings Transition and Default studies which detail the historical default rates and their meaning. The European Securities and Markets Authority also maintains a central repository of historical default rates.

Fitch’s credit ratings do not directly address any risk other than credit risk. In particular, ratings do not deal with the risk of a market value loss on a rated security due to changes in interest rates, liquidity and other market considerations. However, in terms of payment obligation on the rated liability, market risk may be considered to the extent that it influences the ability of an issuer to pay upon a commitment.

Ratings nonetheless do not reflect market risk to the extent that they influence the size or other conditionality of the obligation to pay upon a commitment (for example, in the case of index-linked bonds).

In the default components of ratings assigned to individual obligations or instruments, the agency typically rates to the likelihood of non-payment or default in accordance with the terms of that instrument’s documentation. In limited cases, Fitch may include additional considerations (i.e. rate to a higher or lower standard than that implied in the obligation’s documentation).

 

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The primary credit rating scales can be used to provide a rating of privately issued obligations or certain note issuance programs or for private ratings. In this case the rating is not published, but only provided to the issuer or its agents in the form of a rating letter.

The primary credit rating scales may also be used to provide ratings for a more narrow scope, including interest strips and return of principal or in other forms of opinions such as credit opinions or rating assessment services. Credit opinions are either a notch- or category-specific view using the primary rating scale and omit one or more characteristics of a full rating or meet them to a different standard. Credit opinions will be indicated using a lower case letter symbol combined with either an ‘*’ (e.g. ‘bbb+*’) or (cat) suffix to denote the opinion status. Credit opinions will be point-in-time typically but may be monitored if the analytical group believes information will be sufficiently available. Rating assessment services are a notch-specific view using the primary rating scale of how an existing or potential rating may be changed by a given set of hypothetical circumstances. While credit opinions and rating assessment services are point-in-time and are not monitored, they may have a directional watch or outlook assigned, which can signify the trajectory of the credit profile.

Description of Fitch’s Long-Term Corporate Finance Obligations Rating Scales

Ratings of individual securities or financial obligations of a corporate issuer address relative vulnerability to default on an ordinal scale. In addition, for financial obligations in corporate finance, a measure of recovery given default on that liability is also included in the rating assessment. This notably applies to covered bonds ratings, which incorporate both an indication of the probability of default and of the recovery given a default of this debt instrument. On the contrary, Ratings of debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) obligations incorporate the expectation of full repayment.

The relationship between the issuer scale and obligation scale assumes a generic historical average recovery. Individual obligations can be assigned ratings higher, lower, or the same as that entity’s issuer rating or issuer default rating (“IDR”), based on their relative ranking, relative vulnerability to default or based on explicit Recovery Ratings.

As a result, individual obligations of entities, such as corporations, are assigned ratings higher, lower, or the same as that entity’s issuer rating or IDR, except DIP obligation ratings that are not based off an IDR. At the lower end of the ratings scale, Fitch publishes explicit Recovery Ratings in many cases to complement issuer and obligation ratings.

Fitch long-term obligations rating scales are as follows:

 

AAA   Highest Credit Quality. ‘AAA’ ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA   Very High Credit Quality. ‘AA’ ratings denote expectations of very low credit risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A   High Credit Quality. ‘A’ ratings denote expectations of low credit risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB   Good Credit Quality. ‘BBB’ ratings indicate that expectations of credit risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
BB   Speculative. ‘BB’ ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.
B   Highly Speculative. ‘B’ ratings indicate that material credit risk is present.
CCC   Substantial Credit Risk. ‘CCC’ ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present.
CC   Very High Levels of Credit Risk. ‘CC’ ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk.
C   Exceptionally High Levels of Credit Risk. ‘C’ indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

Within rating categories, Fitch may use modifiers. The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories.

 

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For example, the rating category ‘AA’ has three notch-specific rating levels (‘AA+’; ‘AA’; ‘AA–’; each a rating level). Such suffixes are not added to ‘AAA’ ratings and ratings below the ‘CCC’ category. For the short-term rating category of ‘F1’, a ‘+’ may be appended.

Description of Fitch’s Short-Term Ratings Assigned to Issuers and Obligations

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation. Short-term deposit ratings may be adjusted for loss severity. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as “short term” based on market convention. Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign, and structured obligations and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

Fitch short-term ratings are as follows:

 

F1   Highest Short-Term Credit Quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2   Good Short-Term Credit Quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
F3   Fair Short-Term Credit Quality. The intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
B   Speculative Short-Term Credit Quality. Minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
C   High Short-Term Default Risk. Default is a real possibility.
RD   Restricted Default. Indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations. Typically applicable to entity ratings only.
D   Default. Indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a short-term obligation.

 

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APPENDIX B

Open-End Active and Fixed Income Index Fund Proxy Voting Policy

Procedures Governing Delegation of Proxy Voting to Fund Advisers

Effective Date: January 1, 2025

Applies to the following types of Funds registered under the 1940 Act:

☐ Index Equity Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds

☒ Open-End Active and Fixed Income Index Mutual Funds and Exchange-Traded Funds

☐ Money Market Funds

☐ Closed-End Funds

☐ Other

Objective and Scope

Set forth below is the Open-End Active and Fixed Income Index Fund Proxy Voting Policy.

Policy/Document Requirements and Statements

The Boards of Trustees/Directors (“Directors”) of certain open-end funds (the “Funds”) advised by BlackRock Fund Advisors or BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”), have the responsibility for the oversight of voting proxies relating to portfolio securities of the Funds, and have determined that it is in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders to delegate the responsibility to vote proxies to BlackRock, subject to the principles outlined in this Policy, as part of BlackRock’s authority to manage, acquire and dispose of account assets, all as contemplated by the Funds’ respective investment management agreements.

BlackRock has adopted the BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship Global Engagement and Voting Guidelines (as from time to time amended, the “Guidelines”) governing proxy voting by active and fixed income index Funds managed by BlackRock. The Guidelines include “climate and decarbonization” guidelines which apply to the Funds listed in Appendix A, if any.

BlackRock will cast votes on behalf of each of the Funds covered by this policy on specific proxy issues in respect of securities held by each such Fund (or may refrain from voting) in accordance with the Guidelines.

Conflicts Management

BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship (“BAIS”) maintains policies and procedures that seek to prevent undue influence on BlackRock’s proxy voting activity and to mitigate material conflicts of interest in the exercise of proxy voting responsibilities. Potential material conflicts, and the resultant potential for undue influence, might be due to a relationship between the investee company (or any shareholder proponent or dissident shareholder) and BlackRock, BlackRock’s affiliates or employees, or a Fund or a Fund’s affiliates. BlackRock has taken certain steps to mitigate potential conflicts, which are outlined in detail in the Guidelines. In mitigating conflicts, BAIS will adhere to the Guidelines.

In certain instances, BAIS will engage an independent third-party voting service provider to make proxy voting recommendations as a further safeguard to avoid potential conflicts of interest, to satisfy regulatory compliance requirements, or as may be otherwise required by applicable law.

With respect to the relationship between securities lending and proxy voting, shares on loan cannot be voted and BlackRock may determine to recall them for voting, as guided by BlackRock’s fiduciary responsibility to act in clients’ financial interests. The Guidelines set forth BlackRock’s approach to recalling securities on loan in connection with proxy voting.

Reports to the Board

BlackRock will report on an annual basis to the Directors on (1) a summary of the proxy voting process as applicable to the Funds covered by this policy in the preceding year together with a representation that all votes were in accordance with the Guidelines and (2) any material changes to the Guidelines, including material changes to conflicts management practices, that have not previously been reported.

 

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Appendix A

BlackRock U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF

BlackRock World ex U.S. Carbon Transition Readiness ETF

 

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BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    Page  

OVERVIEW

    3  

INTRODUCTION TO BLACKROCK

    4  

ABOUT BLACKROCK ACTIVE INVESTMENT STEWARDSHIP

    4  

OUR APPROACH TO STEWARDSHIP WITHIN ACTIVE EQUITIES

    4  

OUR APPROACH TO STEWARDSHIP WITHIN FIXED INCOME

    5  

BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

    6  

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

    8  

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

    9  

CAPITAL STRUCTURE

    9  

TRANSACTIONS AND SPECIAL SITUATIONS

    10  

CORPORATE REPORTING, RISK MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT

    10  

SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS

    11  

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

    12  

CORPORATE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

    12  

MATERIAL SUSTAINABILITY- RELATED RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES

    14  

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

    14  

CLIMATE AND DECARBONIZATION INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES

    14  

APPENDIX 1: HOW WE FULFILL AND OVERSEE OUR INVESTMENT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES FOR NON-INDEX EQUITY INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

    16  

 

 

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OVERVIEW

This document provides high level guidance on how BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship (BAIS) views corporate governance matters that are commonly put to a shareholder vote, or on which investors engage with issuers. BAIS works in partnership with BlackRock’s investment teams, excluding index equity, providing expertise on investment stewardship and engaging with companies alongside and on behalf of those teams when appropriate. The team is responsible for establishing voting guidelines for the active equity platform, providing vote recommendations and operationalizing voting decisions. The guidance informs the voting recommendations BAIS makes to BlackRock’s active portfolio managers. It applies to active equity holdings in BlackRock’s fundamental equity, systematic equity and multi-asset solutions strategies. It also may apply to holdings in BlackRock’s index and active fixed income strategies, to the extent those strategies hold voting securities or conduct issuer engagements. The guidelines are not prescriptive as active portfolio managers have discretion as to how they integrate these guidelines within their investment processes in light of their clients’ or funds’ investment objectives. There are separate, independently developed principles and voting policies that are applied to BlackRock’s index equity investments by a distinct and independent function, BlackRock Investment Stewardship.

 

 

This document includes BAIS’ benchmark policy, which covers nearly all active equity holdings in BlackRock’s fundamental equity, systematic equity and multi-asset solutions strategies. The benchmark policy also may apply to holdings in BlackRock’s index and active fixed income strategies, to the extent those strategies hold voting securities or conduct issuer engagements. This document also includes BAIS’ decarbonization policy, which covers holdings in BlackRock active funds that have climate and decarbonization objectives in addition to financial objectives.

BlackRock segmented active and index equity investment functions, including stewardship, in January 2025 as part of a strategic initiative to unlock the full breadth of the firm’s active and private markets capabilities for clients. As a result, there are two stewardship teams, which operate independently of one another and have separate voting policies.

 

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INTRODUCTION TO BLACKROCK

BlackRock’s mission is to help more people invest better. The money BlackRock manages is not its own — it belongs to BlackRock’s clients, many of whom make their own asset allocation and portfolio construction decisions. As a fiduciary, BlackRock invests on clients’ behalf to help them meet their investment objectives. The firm does this by understanding clients’ long-term investment objectives and offering choice on how and where they wish to invest their money. BlackRock then helps clients seek the best risk-adjusted returns based on those choices, underpinning this work with research, data and analytics.

At BlackRock, investment stewardship is core to our role as an asset manager and a fiduciary to our clients. As stewards of our clients’ assets, we engage with companies to discuss the corporate governance and business practices that, in our experience, support companies in delivering durable, risk-adjusted financial returns over time. We are committed to building strong relationships through constructive, ongoing dialogue with the boards and executive management of the companies in which our clients are invested.

ABOUT BLACKROCK ACTIVE INVESTMENT STEWARDSHIP

BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship (BAIS) is a specialist team within the Portfolio Management Group and manages BlackRock’s stewardship engagement and voting on behalf of clients invested in active strategies globally. BAIS is also responsible for engagement with issuers in index fixed income strategies, where appropriate. Our activities are informed by these Global Engagement and Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) and insights from active investment analysts and portfolio managers, with whom we work closely in engaging companies and voting at shareholder meetings.

Engagement with public companies is the foundation of our approach to stewardship within fundamental active investing. Through direct dialogue with company leadership, we seek to understand their businesses and how they manage risks and opportunities to deliver durable, risk-adjusted financial returns. Portfolio managers and stewardship specialists may engage jointly or independently on material corporate governance matters. Our discussions focus on topics relevant to a company’s success over time, including governance and leadership, corporate strategy, capital structure and financial performance, operations and material sustainability-related risks, as well as macro-economic, geopolitical and sector dynamics. We aim to be constructive investors and are generally supportive of management teams that have a track record of financial value creation. We aim to build and maintain strong relationships with company leadership based on open dialogue and mutual respect.

Different active equity strategies may implement these voting guidelines differently, as a result of the latitude each portfolio manager has to make independent voting decisions on their holdings. For example, BAIS will generally vote the holdings in Systematic Active Equity portfolios in accordance with these guidelines. We provide voting recommendations to fundamental equity portfolio managers, who may determine to vote differently based on each portfolio’s investment objectives and strategy.

These guidelines discuss BAIS’ views on corporate governance topics on which we may engage with management teams and board directors and on matters that routinely come to a shareholder vote. We recognize that accepted corporate governance norms can differ across markets, and believe these guidelines represent globally applicable elements of governance that support a company’s ability to manage material risks and opportunities and deliver financial returns to investors. Generally, we believe companies should observe accepted corporate governance norms within their local markets or, particularly in markets without well-established norms, aspire to widely recognized international best practices. As one of many minority shareholders, BlackRock cannot — and does not try to — direct a company’s strategy or its implementation. We look to companies to provide disclosures that explain how their approach to corporate governance best aligns with the financial interests of their investors.

OUR APPROACH TO STEWARDSHIP WITHIN ACTIVE EQUITIES

Voting at a company’s shareholder meeting is a right of share ownership and a core principle of corporate governance. The voting rights attached to clients’ holdings are an important mechanism for investors to express support for, or concern about, a company’s performance. As a fiduciary, BlackRock is legally required to make proxy voting determinations, on behalf of clients who have delegated voting authority to us, in a manner consistent with BlackRock’s contractual arrangements with clients and funds.

 

 

On February 11, 2025, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff issued updated guidance for shareholders to maintain their eligibility to report their beneficial ownership under Schedule 13G of the Exchange Act. We comply fully with these requirements and do not engage with portfolio companies for the purpose, or with the effect, of changing or influencing control of the company.

References to the board, board directors or non-executive directors should be understood to include supervisory boards and their members, where relevant.

 

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In general, we tend to support the recommendations of the board of directors and management. As indicated below, we may vote against management recommendations when we have concerns about how companies are serving the financial interests of our clients as their shareholders. BAIS takes a globally consistent approach to voting but considers the different corporate governance regulations and norms across markets. Votes are determined on a case-by-case basis, in the context of a company’s situation and the investment mandate we have from clients. Please see page 19 for more information about how we fulfill and oversee our investment stewardship responsibilities for BlackRock’s non-index equity strategies.

OUR APPROACH TO STEWARDSHIP WITHIN FIXED INCOME

Although fixed income investors do not have the right to vote at shareholder meetings, issuer engagement is a component of fixed income investment strategies at BlackRock, particularly for those with sustainability objectives in addition to financial objectives. Most corporate governance-related fixed income engagements are undertaken in conjunction with the active investment stewardship team, and often active equity investors. In addition to the topics listed below, engagement with fixed income investment teams may help inform an issuer’s approach to structuring specialist issuances and the standard terms and information in bond documentation.

 

 

Non-index equity strategies include active equity holdings in BlackRock’s fundamental equity, systematic equity and multi-asset solutions strategies, as well as holdings in BlackRock’s index and active fixed income strategies, to the extent those strategies hold voting securities or conduct issuer engagements.

 

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BOARDS OF DIRECTORS

Roles and responsibilities

There is widespread consensus that the foundation of good corporate governance is an effective board of directors that is able to advise and supervise management in an independent and objective manner.

We look to the board of directors (hereafter the “board”) to have an oversight role in the establishment and realization of a company’s strategy, purpose and culture. These constructs are interdependent and, when aligned, can better position a company to be resilient in the face of a changing business environment, help reduce the risks of corporate or employee misconduct, and attract and retain the caliber of workers necessary to deliver financial performance over time.

In overseeing the management of the company, the board ensures the necessary resources, policies and procedures are in place to help management meet its strategic objectives within an agreed risk tolerance.

One of the most important responsibilities of the board is to appoint, and remove as necessary, the chief executive officer (“CEO”). In addition, the board plays a meaningful role in monitoring the performance of the CEO and other key executives, determining executive compensation, ensuring a rigorous audit, overseeing strategy execution and risk management and engaging with shareholders, and other stakeholders, as necessary.

Composition and effectiveness

Appointment process

A formal and transparent process for identifying and appointing director candidates is critical to ensuring the board is composed of directors with the appropriate mix of skills and experience. Generally, the board or a sub-committee determines the general criteria given the company’s circumstances (e.g., sector, maturity, geographic footprint) and any additional criteria for a specific role being filled (e.g., financial expertise, industry track record). To inform the process, we encourage companies to review the skills and experience of incumbent directors to identify any gaps and whether the skills and experience of a director candidate would be additive. We welcome disclosures that explain how the board considered different skills and experience to ensure that the directors collectively can be effective in fulfilling their responsibilities. We assess a company’s board composition against that of its peer group and local market requirements.

Shareholders periodically vote to elect directors to serve on the board. We do not prescribe any particular board composition in our engagements or voting but seek to understand how well placed a board is to act in investors’ interests. We may vote against the election of the most senior independent director, or the chair of the relevant committee, where a company has not demonstrated it has an appointment process that results in a high functioning board with the appropriate complement of skills and experience amongst the directors to support strong financial performance over time. We may vote against newly nominated directors who do not seem to have the appropriate skills or experience to contribute to the board’s effectiveness.

Independence

Director independence from management, significant shareholders or other stakeholders (e.g., government or employees) is of paramount importance to the protection of the interests of minority shareholders such as BlackRock’s clients. We consider it good practice for at least half the directors to be independent and free from conflicts of interest or undue influence. This also helps to ensure that board committees are composed of a sufficient number of independent directors. Companies domiciled in markets with a higher threshold for board independence should meet those local requirements.

We may vote against the election of non-independent directors if the board does not have a sufficient balance of independence. We may also vote against the election of the chair of the committee responsible for board composition if this is a perennial issue.

 

 

See the Corporate Governance Codes of Germany, Japan, and the UK, as well as the corporate governance principles of the US Business Roundtable as examples.

Common impediments to independence may include but are not limited to: current or recent employment at the company or a subsidiary; being, or representing, a shareholder with a substantial shareholding in the company; interlocking directorships; lengthy tenure, and having any other interest, business, or other relationship which could, or could reasonably be perceived to, materially interfere with a director’s ability to act in the best interests of the company and shareholders.

 

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Independent board leadership

Practices across markets differ, as do board structures, but we observe two main approaches to independent board leadership. One is a non-executive, independent chair of the board who is responsible for leading the board in the effective exercise of its duties. The other is a lead or senior independent director, who is responsible for coordinating with the other non-executive directors and working closely with the executive chair on the board agenda and other board procedures. In this case, the executive chair and the lead independent director work together to ensure the board is effectively fulfilling its responsibilities. In our view, the independent leader of the board, and/or the chair of a relevant committee, should be available to investors to discuss governance matters such as CEO succession, executive pay, and board performance. We look to boards to explain their board leadership model and how it serves the interests of shareholders.

We may vote against the election of the chair of the committee responsible for board composition if there is not an identified independent leader of the board with clear responsibilities for board performance. We may vote against the most senior independent director if the board has a policy of not engaging with shareholders.

Tenure and succession

In our view, it is good practice for boards to establish the length of time a director would normally be expected to serve, in line with market norms where those exist. We find it helpful when companies disclose their approach to director tenure particularly around the contributions of directors who have served for longer periods than typically provided for under local practice. In our experience, long-serving directors could become less independent given their long-term relationship with management and involvement in past board decisions.

Succession planning for board roles helps achieve the appropriate cadence of turnover that balances renewal through the regular introduction of directors with fresh perspectives and expertise with continuity through the retention of directors with long-term knowledge of the board and company.

In markets where there is not specific director tenure guidance from regulation or corporate governance best practices, we may vote against the election of the chair of the committee responsible for board composition if a company does not clearly disclose its approach to director tenure and board renewal. We may vote against the election of directors who have served for more years than is typical in markets with specific guidance, where the case for their continued service is not evident.

Capacity

To be effective and engaged, directors need to have the time and energy to commit to the role. In our view, an effective board will assess the ability of its members to maintain an appropriate focus on board matters and the company taking into consideration competing responsibilities. We recognize that board leadership roles vary across markets in responsibilities and required time commitment but note that they are generally more intensive than a standard directorship. We will take local norms and practices into consideration when making our voting determinations across markets.

We may vote against the election of directors who do not seem to have sufficient capacity to effectively fulfill their duties to the board and company.

Director elections

Regular election of directors, ideally annually, supports director accountability to shareholders. A classified board structure may be justified by a company when it needs consistency and stability during a time of transition, or on the basis of its business model (e.g., a non-operating company such as closed-end funds).

Shareholders should have the opportunity to evaluate nominated directors individually rather than in bundled slates. We look to companies to provide sufficient information on each director standing for election so that shareholders can assess their capabilities and suitability. We will generally not support the election of directors whose names and biographical details have not been disclosed sufficiently in advance of the shareholder meeting.

Each director’s appointment should be dependent on receiving a simple majority of the votes cast at the shareholder meeting. Where a company’s practices differ, we look to the board to provide a detailed explanation as to how its approach best serves investors’ interests.

We may vote for shareholder or management proposals seeking to establish annual election of directors and/or a simple majority vote standard for director elections. We may vote against all the directors standing for election as part of a single slate if we have concerns about the profile or performance of an individual director.

 

 

A classified board divides the directors into classes with different overlapping terms. As a result, only one class of directors stands for election in any one year.

 

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Committees

Many boards establish committees to focus on specific responsibilities of the board such as audit and risk, governance and human capital, and executive compensation, amongst other matters. We do not prescribe to companies what committees they should establish, but we seek to understand the board’s rationale for the committee structure it determines is appropriate. We note that, in some markets, regulation requires such committees. The responsibilities of each committee should be clear, and the board should ensure that all critical matters are assigned either to the full board or to one of the committees. It is helpful to investor understanding when the board discloses the structure, membership, proportion of independent directors, and responsibilities of each committee. The responsibilities we typically see assigned to the three most common committees include:

 

 

Audit and risk — oversight responsibilities for the integrity of financial reporting, risk management and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; may also play an oversight role in relation to the internal audit function and whistleblowing mechanisms.

 

 

Nominating, governance and human capital — oversight responsibilities for corporate governance principles and practices of the company, including the periodic review of board performance; responsibility for succession planning for CEO and key board roles, as well as the director appointment process; may also have oversight responsibilities for human capital management strategies, including corporate culture and purpose.

 

 

Executive compensation — determines the compensation policies and programs for the CEO and other executive officers, approves annual awards and payments under the policies; may also have oversight responsibilities for firm-wide compensation policies.

We may vote against the election of the chair of the committee or other directors serving as committee members to convey concerns about how a committee has undertaken its responsibilities. We may vote against the election of the most senior non-executive director if there is not a clearly disclosed approach to board committees.

Board and director evaluation

We consider it best practice for companies to conduct an annual review of the performance of the board, the committees, the chair and individual directors. Periodically, this review could be undertaken by an independent third party able to bring objective perspectives to the board on governance and performance. We encourage companies to disclose their approach to and the objectives of evaluations, including any changes made to the board’s approach as a result.

Access to independent advice

To support the directors in effectively fulfilling their duties to the company and shareholders, they should have access to independent advice. In certain circumstances, it may be helpful to boards to retain independent third parties to advise on critical matters. These might include new industry developments such as emergent and disruptive technology, operating events with material consequences for the company’s reputation and/or performance, or significant transactions. Board committees may similarly retain third parties to advise them on specialist matters such as audit, compensation and succession planning.

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

Boards play an important role in establishing compensation arrangements that enable the company to recruit, retain and reward the caliber of executive management necessary to lead and operate the company to deliver superior financial returns over time. We focus on alignment between variable pay and a company’s financial performance.

Generally, executive compensation arrangements have four components: base salary, annual bonus that rewards performance against short-term metrics, incentives — most often share-based that reward performance against long-term metrics, and pensions and benefits. In our observation, base salary, pensions and benefits are largely set relative to market norms and benchmarks. The annual bonus and share-based incentive, or variable pay plans, tend to be tailored to the company, its sector and long-term strategy, as well as the individuals the board is seeking to recruit and motivate.

Recognizing the unique circumstances of each company, we determine whether to support a company’s approach to executive compensation on a case-by-case basis. We rely on companies providing sufficient quantitative and qualitative information in their disclosures to enable shareholders to understand the compensation arrangements and assess the alignment with investors’ interests. Features we look for in compensation arrangements include:

 

 

Fixed pay components, including base salary, benefits and prerequisites that are appropriate in the context of the company’s size, sector and market.

 

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Variable pay subject to performance metrics that are closely linked to the company’s short- and long-term strategic objectives.

 

 

Long-term incentives that motivate sustained performance across a multi-year period.

 

 

A balance between fixed and variable pay, short- and long-term incentives, and specific instruments (cash and equity awards) that promotes pay program durability and seldom necessitates one-off, discretionary payments.

 

 

Pay outcomes that are consistent with the returns to investors over the relevant time period.

 

 

Board discretion, if allowed within the variable pay arrangements, to be used sparingly, responsibly and transparently.

 

 

A requirement, that participants in long-term share-based incentive plans build a meaningful shareholding in the company within a defined time period, as determined by the board or relevant board committee.

 

 

Change of control provisions that appropriately balance the interests of executives and shareholders.

 

 

Clawback or malus provisions that allow the company to recoup or hold back variable compensation from individuals whose awards were based on fraudulent activities, misstated financial reports, or executive misconduct.

 

 

Severance arrangements that protect the company’s interests but do not cost more than is contractual.

We may vote against proposals to introduce new share-based incentives, approve existing policies or plans, or approve the compensation report where we do not see alignment between executive compensation arrangements and our clients’ financial interests. When there is not an alternative, or where there have been multi-year issues with compensation misaligned with performance, we may vote against the election of the chair of the responsible committee, or the most senior independent director.

NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

Companies generally pay non-executive directors an annual retainer or fee in cash, shares or a combination of the two. Some companies also pay additional fees for service on board committees or in board leadership roles. We do not support non-executive directors participating in performance-based incentive plans as doing so may create a conflict of interest and undermine their independence from management, whom they oversee.

CAPITAL STRUCTURE

Boards are responsible for ensuring senior executive leadership has established a capital strategy that achieves appropriate capital allocation in support of long-term financial resilience.

Where company practices diverge from those set out below, we look for companies to disclose why they view these practices to be aligned with shareholders’ interests. We may vote against management proposals seeking capital-related authorities, or the election of the most senior independent director, if we have concerns about a company’s approach. We may also support a shareholder proposal seeking conversion of shares with differentiated voting rights to a one-share, one-vote standard.

Share issuance

We assess requests for share issuance for particular transactions on a case-by-case basis. We will generally support authorities to issue shares when subject to pre-emptive rights, and up to 20% absent pre-emptive rights. We consider it good practice for companies to seek regular approval of these authorities to allow shareholders to take into consideration how prior authorities were used, as well as the current circumstances of the company and the market environment.

Share buybacks

We assess share buyback proposals in the context of the company’s disclosed capital management strategy and management’s determination of the appropriate balance between investment that supports the long-term growth of the company and returning cash to investors. We also take into consideration the effect of a buyback program on the company’s balance sheet and executive compensation arrangements and the price at which shares are repurchased relative to market price. We consider it good practice for companies to seek regular approval of these authorities to allow shareholders to take into consideration how prior authorities were used, as well as the current circumstances of the company and the market environment.

Dividends

We generally defer to management and the board on dividend policy but may engage to seek further clarification where a proposed dividend appears out of line with the company’s financial position.

 

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Differentiated voting rights

We prefer companies to adopt a one-share, one-vote structure for share classes with the same economic exposure. Certain companies, particularly those new to public markets, could make the case to adopt a differentiated voting rights structure, or dual class stock. In those situations, we encourage companies to evaluate and seek approval for their capital structure on a periodic basis.

TRANSACTIONS AND SPECIAL SITUATIONS

We monitor developments in transactions and special situations closely and undertake our own detailed analyses of proposals.

Mergers and acquisitions

We evaluate proposed mergers or acquisitions by assessing the financial outcome for our clients as minority shareholders. Management should provide an assessment of the proposed transaction’s strategic and financial rationale, along with its execution and operational risks. We review each transaction independently based on these factors and the degree to which the transaction enhances shareholder value. The board might consider establishing an ad hoc transaction committee to undertake an independent assessment of a significant merger or acquisition, in advance of making its recommendation to shareholders.

We will vote against transactions that, in our assessment, do not advance our clients’ financial interests.

Anti-takeover defenses

In principle, we do not support companies using anti-takeover defenses, also known as poison pills or shareholder rights plans, as they can entrench management and boards which have not delivered long-term shareholder value. By exception, a poison pill may be supported if its purpose is to delay a takeover that is considered sub-optimal and enable management to seek an improved offer. Similarly, management could make the case to use a poison pill to block a shareholder activism campaign that may be counter to the interests of other investors. Defense mechanisms introduced in these circumstances should be limited in term and threshold, and also be closely monitored by the independent members of the board. We consider it good practice for companies to put to a shareholder vote any mechanisms expected to be in place for more than 12 months.

Shareholder activism

When companies are the focus of an activism campaign, we may communicate with the activist to understand their analysis and objectives, once they have publicly disclosed their campaign. We may also engage with company management and possibly board members, especially those the activist may be seeking to replace. In our assessment, we evaluate various factors, including the concerns raised by the activist and the case for change; the quality of both the activist’s and management’s plans; and the qualifications of each party’s candidates. We evaluate each contested situation by assessing the potential financial outcome for our clients as minority shareholders.

We may support board candidates nominated by a shareholder activist if BAIS, in its independent judgment, or the relevant portfolio manager has determined that there is a case for change to enhance shareholder value, or if the incumbent board members do not demonstrate the relevant skills and expertise or have a poor track record of protecting shareholders’ interests.

Significant shareholders and related party transactions

Boards of companies with affiliated shareholders or directors should give equitable consideration to the interests of all shareholders when evaluating related party transactions.

We consider it good practice for transactions with related parties, such as significant shareholders or companies affiliated with the public company, to be disclosed in detail and conducted on terms similar to what would objectively have been agreed with a non-related party. In our view, such transactions should be reviewed and approved by the independent members of the board, and if voted on, only disinterested shareholders should vote.

CORPORATE REPORTING, RISK MANAGEMENT AND AUDIT

Investors depend on corporate reporting, both regulatory and voluntary, to understand a company’s strategy, its implementation and financial performance, as well as to assess the quality of management and operations and potential for the company to create shareholder value over time. We consider it good practice for the board to oversee corporate reporting and the policies and procedures underpinning the internal audit function and external audit.

A company’s financial reporting should provide decision-useful information for investors, and other stakeholders, on its financial performance and position. It should provide an accurate and balanced assessment of the risks and opportunities the company faces in realizing its long-term strategy. Accordingly, the assumptions made by

 

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management and reviewed by the auditor in preparing the financial statements should be reasonable and justified. Financial statements should be prepared in accordance with globally developed reporting standards and any divergence from generally accepted accounting principles should be explained in detail and justified. Accounting restatements should be explained in detail and any remedial actions, and the implications of these, disclosed.

In this context, audit committees play a vital role in a company’s financial reporting system by providing independent oversight of the accounts, material financial and, where appropriate to the jurisdiction, non-financial information, internal control frameworks and Enterprise Risk Management systems. In our view, effective audit committee oversight strengthens the quality and reliability of a company’s financial statements and provides an important level of reassurance to shareholders. Audit committees should have a procedure in place for assessing the independence of the auditor and the quality of the external audit process annually.

Similarly, we encourage companies to disclose material sustainability-related factors that are integral to how a company manages risks or generates revenue. BAIS finds it helpful to our understanding when companies provide robust, standardized disclosures on their material sustainability-related risks and opportunities. The International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) is one entity working to meet these objectives through its reporting standards, which may be helpful to companies in preparing such reports. However, we do not mandate any specific disclosure framework, and note that companies in certain jurisdictions are subject to mandatory reporting requirements under standards specified by policy makers.

Companies should establish robust risk management and internal control processes appropriate to the company’s business, risk tolerance, and regulatory environment. A credible whistleblowing system for employees, and potentially other stakeholders, can be a useful mechanism for ensuring that senior management and the board are aware of potential misconduct or breaches in risk management and internal control processes.

A comprehensive audit conducted by an independent audit firm contributes to investor confidence in the quality of corporate reporting. It is helpful when the audit report gives some insight into the scope and focus of the audit, as well as any critical audit matters identified and how these were resolved. A comprehensive and effective audit is time and resource intensive, and the audit fee should be commensurate. Fees paid to the audit firm for non-audit consulting should not exceed the audit fee to a degree that may prompt concerns about the independence of the audit. The audit committee should explain its position on auditor tenure and how it confirmed that the auditor remained independent.

We may vote against the election of the responsible directors if corporate reporting is insufficient or there are material misstatements in financial reports. In markets where relevant, we may vote against a proposal to approve the financial statements or the discharge of the board when we are concerned about the quality of corporate reporting or the audit. We may vote against proposals to appoint the auditor, ratify the audit report, or approve the audit fee if we are concerned about the auditor’s independence, the quality of the audit, or there are material misstatements in financial reports and the board has not established reasonable remediation plans.

SHAREHOLDER RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS

General shareholder meetings

Companies normally have an annual general meeting of shareholders at which routine and non-routine items of business are discussed and voted on by shareholders in attendance or submitting proxy votes. Companies should disclose materials relevant to the shareholder meeting sufficiently in advance so that shareholders can take them into consideration in their voting decisions. Many companies offer shareholders the option of participating in the meeting virtually which, whilst welcome, should not limit the rights of shareholders to participate as they would during an in-person meeting.

We may vote against directors when materials related to the business of the shareholder meeting are not provided in a timely manner or do not provide sufficient information for us to make an informed voting decision. We may vote against directors if the format of the shareholder meeting does not accommodate reasonable shareholder participation.

 

The ISSB is an independent standard-setting body within the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation. Please refer to the IFRS website to learn more about the framework and standards S1 “General Requirements for Disclosure of Sustainability-related Financial Information” and S2 “Climate-related Disclosures.”

See, for examples, https://www.ifrs.org/news-and-events/news/2025/06/ifrs-foundation-publishes-jurisdictional-profiles-issb-standards/ and https://finance.ec.europa.eu/capital-markets-union-and-financial-markets/company-reporting-and-auditing/company-reporting/corporate-sustainability-reporting_en.

 

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Bylaw amendments

We review bylaw amendments proposed by management on a case-by-case basis and will generally support those that are aligned with the interests of minority shareholders. Any material changes to the bylaws should be explained in detail and put to a shareholder vote.

We may vote against bylaw amendments that reduce shareholder rights and protections or introduce additional burdens. We may vote against directors if material changes are made to the bylaws without shareholder approval.

If not provided for in the relevant corporate law, company bylaws should allow shareholders, individually or as a group, with a meaningful shareholding, the right to call a special meeting of shareholders. The shareholding required to exercise this right should balance its utility with the cost to the company of holding special meetings.

If not provided for in the relevant corporate law, company bylaws should allow shareholders, individually or as a group, with a meaningful shareholding, the right to nominate directors to the company’s board. The threshold for this right should be set so that shareholders can exercise it without being unduly disruptive to the board’s own nomination process.

Whilst we would not use either of these rights ourselves, we see them as important accountability mechanisms. We may vote for a shareholder proposal seeking the addition of either of these provisions to a company’s bylaws.

Change of domicile

We generally defer to management on proposals to change a company’s domicile as long as the rationale for doing so is consistent with the company’s long-term strategy and business model and the related costs are immaterial.

We may vote against directors or a proposal to change a company’s domicile where it does not seem aligned with our clients’ financial interests.

Changes to a company’s purpose or the nature of its business

Plans to materially change the nature of a company’s business or its purpose should be disclosed and explained in the context of long-term strategy and business dynamics. Such changes may significantly alter an investor’s views on the suitability of a company for their investment strategy or portfolio.

Where relevant, we may vote against proposals to change a company’s purpose or the nature of its business if the board has not provided a credible argument for change.

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

Shareholders in many markets, who meet certain eligibility criteria, have the right to submit proposals to the general shareholder meeting asking a company to take a particular course of action subject to the proposal being supported by a majority of votes cast at the meeting. The topics raised can address a range of matters that may be relevant to a company’s business.

We vote on these proposals on a case-by-case basis. We assess the relevance of the topic raised to a company’s business and its current approach, whether the actions sought are consistent with shareholders’ interests, and what impact the proposal being acted upon might have on financial performance.

Our general approach where we have concerns about a company’s governance, disclosures or performance is to engage to understand the apparent difference in perspective. If we are concerned a company is not acting in shareholders’ financial interests, we may vote against the election of directors. We may support a relevant shareholder proposal if doing so is aligned with our clients’ financial interests. We generally do not support shareholder proposals that are legally binding on the company, seek to alter a company’s strategy or direct its operations, or are unrelated to how a company manages risk or generates financial returns.

BlackRock is subject to rules, regulations, agency guidance and contractual agreements that place restrictions and limitations on how we can interact with the companies in which we invest on behalf of our clients, including our ability to submit shareholder proposals. We do not submit shareholder proposals but can vote, on behalf of clients who authorize us to do so, on proposals put forth by others.

CORPORATE POLITICAL ACTIVITIES

A corporation’s ability to engage in the policy process is subject to rules and regulations set by the jurisdictions in which they engage. When a corporation reports material financial risk related to policy and or regulatory changes, BAIS may seek to understand how it is addressing the material risk identified. We seek to understand how companies engage in corporate political activities and ensure that their participation is consistent with their public statements on policy matters material to the company’s long-term strategy. The board should be aware of the approach taken by management on corporate political activities as there can be reputational risks arising from

 

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inconsistencies between a company’s policy engagement and stated policy positions. Companies should, as a minimum, meet all regulatory disclosure requirements on political activities. We may engage a company where we would like to better understand its approach to policy engagement, where relevant.

To mitigate the risk of inconsistencies, companies may wish to assess the alignment between their policy priorities and the policy positions of the trade associations of which they are active members and any engagements undertaken by trade associations on behalf of members.

We may support a relevant shareholder proposal, or vote against directors, where a company’s disclosures are insufficient to address the material risk it has identified.

 

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MATERIAL SUSTAINABILITY- RELATED RISKS AND OPPORTUNITIES

We seek to understand how companies manage the material risks and opportunities inherent in their business operations. In our experience, sustainability-related factors that are relevant to a company’s business or material to its financial performance, are generally operational considerations embedded into day-to-day management systems. Certain sustainability issues may also inform long-term strategic planning, for example, investing in product innovation in anticipation of changing consumer demand or adapting supply chains in response to changing regulatory requirements.

We recognize that the specific sustainability-related factors that may be financially material or business relevant will vary by company business model, sector, key markets, and time horizon, amongst other considerations. From company disclosures and our engagement, we aim to understand how management is identifying, assessing and integrating material sustainability-related risks and opportunities into their business decision-making and practices. Doing so helps us undertake a more holistic assessment of a company’s potential financial performance and the likely risk-adjusted returns of an investment.

We may vote against directors or support a relevant shareholder proposal if we have concerns about how a company is managing or disclosing its approach to material sustainability-related risks that may impact financial returns.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

In our view, companies should understand and take into consideration the interests of the various parties on whom they depend for their success over time. It is for each company to determine their key stakeholders based on what is material to their business and long-term financial performance. For many companies, key stakeholders include employees, business partners (such as suppliers and distributors), clients and consumers, regulators, and the communities in which they operate. Companies that appropriately balance the interests of investors and other stakeholders are, in our experience, more likely to be financially resilient over time.

CLIMATE AND DECARBONIZATION INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES

Certain active BlackRock funds have climate and decarbonization objectives in addition to financial objectives. Consistent with the objectives of those investment strategies, our stewardship activity in relation to the holdings in those funds differs in some respects from BAIS’ benchmark guidelines, which are described above. Specifically, for those funds’ holdings, we look to investee companies to demonstrate that they are aligned with a decarbonization pathway that means their business model would be viable in a low-carbon economy, i.e., one in which global temperature rise is limited to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. In addition, clients in separately managed accounts may instruct BlackRock to apply these guidelines to their holdings. Both in the case of funds and separately managed accounts, these guidelines are only implemented upon explicit selection and approval by the applicable fund board or client.

These decarbonization stewardship guidelines focus on companies which produce goods and services that contribute to real world decarbonization or have a carbon intensive business model and face outsized impacts from the low carbon transition, based on reported and estimated scopes 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions. These companies should provide disclosures that set out their governance, strategy, risk management processes and metrics and targets relevant to decarbonization. It is helpful to investors’ understanding when these disclosures include an explanation of the decarbonization scenarios a company is using in its near- and long-term planning, as well as its scope 1, scope 2 and material scope 3 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduction targets for scope 1 and 2 emissions.

Under these climate- and decarbonization-specific guidelines, BAIS may recommend a vote against directors or support for a relevant shareholder proposal if a company does not appear to be adequately acting to address or disclosing material climate-related risks, consistent with the parameters set out in these climate-and decarbonization-specific guidelines. We may recommend supporting shareholder proposals seeking information relevant to a

 

By material sustainability-related risks and opportunities, we mean the drivers of risk and financial value creation in a company’s business model that have an environmental or social dependency or impact. Examples of environmental issues include, but are not limited to, water use, land use, waste management, and climate risk. Examples of social issues include, but are not limited to, human capital management, impacts on the communities in which a company operates, customer loyalty, and relationships with regulators. It is our view that well-managed companies will effectively evaluate and manage material sustainability-related risks and opportunities relevant to their businesses. Governance is the core means by which boards can oversee the creation of durable financial value over time. Appropriate risk oversight of business-relevant and material sustainability-related considerations is a component of a sound governance framework.

 

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company’s stated low-carbon transition strategy or targets that the company does not currently provide and that would be helpful to investment decision-making. We would not recommend support for shareholder proposals that seek to constrain board or management decision-making or direct specific business or strategic decisions. As under the BAIS benchmark approach, the active portfolio managers are ultimately responsible for voting consistent with their investment mandate and fund objectives. For the funds and accounts in scope, voting on matters not related to climate risk and the energy transition is undertaken in line with BAIS’ benchmark guidelines.

 

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APPENDIX 1: HOW WE FULFILL AND OVERSEE OUR INVESTMENT STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES FOR

NON- INDEX EQUITY INVESTMENT STRATEGIES

Oversight

The Global Head of BAIS has primary oversight of and responsibility for the team’s activities, including voting in accordance with the BlackRock Active Investment Stewardship Global Engagement and Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), which require the application of professional judgment and consideration of each company’s unique circumstances, as well as input from active investors. BAIS is independent from BlackRock Investment Stewardship in our engagement and voting activities, reporting lines, and oversight.

The Stewardship Leaders Group, comprised of senior active investors and other relevant stakeholders in BlackRock’s legal, public policy, sustainability and communications teams, helps shape the firm’s approach to investment stewardship on non-index equity investment strategies. The Group may advise on and review amendments to BAIS’ policies and practices. It does not determine voting decisions, which are the responsibility of BAIS and the relevant active equity investors.

BAIS carries out engagement with companies in collaboration with active investment colleagues, executes proxy votes, and conducts vote operations (including maintaining records of votes cast) in a manner consistent with the Guidelines. BAIS also conducts research on corporate governance issues and participates in industry discussions to contribute to and keep abreast of important developments in the corporate governance field. BAIS may use third parties for certain of the foregoing activities and performs oversight of those third parties (see “Use and oversight of third-party vote services providers” below).

Voting guidelines and vote execution

BlackRock votes on proxy issues when our clients authorize us to do so. We carefully consider the voting items submitted to funds and other fiduciary account(s) (Fund or Funds) for which we have voting authority. BlackRock votes (or refrains from voting) for each Fund for which we have voting authority based on our evaluation of the alignment of the voting items with the long-term economic interests of our clients, in the exercise of our independent business judgment, and without regard to the relationship of the issuer (or any shareholder proponent or dissident shareholder) to the Fund, the Fund’s affiliates (if any), BlackRock or BlackRock’s affiliates, or BlackRock employees (see “Conflicts management policies and procedures,” below).

When exercising voting rights, BAIS will normally vote on specific proxy issues in accordance with the Guidelines, although portfolio managers have the right to vote differently on their holdings if they determine doing so is more aligned with the investment objective and financial interests of clients invested in the funds they manage.

The Guidelines are not intended to be exhaustive. BAIS applies the Guidelines on a case-by-case basis, in the context of the individual circumstances of each company and the specific issue under review. As such, the Guidelines do not indicate how BAIS will vote in every instance. Rather, they reflect our view about corporate governance issues generally, and provide insight into how we typically approach issues that are commonly put to a shareholder vote. The Guidelines are reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in market practices, developments in corporate governance and feedback from companies and clients. In this way, BAIS aims to maintain policies that explain our approach to governance practices most aligned with clients’ long-term financial interests.

In certain markets, proxy voting involves logistical issues which can affect BAIS’ ability to vote such proxies, as well as the desirability of voting such proxies. These issues include, but are not limited to: i) untimely notice of shareholder meetings; ii) restrictions on a foreigner’s ability to exercise votes; iii) requirements to vote proxies in person; iv) “share-blocking” (requirements that investors who exercise their voting rights surrender the right to dispose of their holdings from the point at which votes are submitted until after the shareholder meeting has occurred); v) potential difficulties in translating the proxy; vi) regulatory constraints; and vii) requirements to provide local agents with powers of attorney to facilitate voting instructions. We are not supportive of impediments to the exercise of voting rights such as share-blocking or overly burdensome administrative requirements.

BlackRock votes proxies in these situations on a “best-efforts” basis. In addition, BAIS may determine that it is generally in the interests of BlackRock’s clients not to vote proxies (or not to vote our full allocation) if the costs (including but not limited to opportunity costs associated with share-blocking constraints) associated with exercising a vote are expected to outweigh the benefit the client would derive by voting on the proposal.

Voting Choice

BlackRock offers Voting Choice, a program that provides eligible clients with more opportunities to participate in the proxy voting process where legally and operationally viable.

 

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Voting Choice is currently available for eligible clients invested in certain institutional pooled funds in the U.S., UK, and Canada that use systematic active equity (SAE) and multi-asset strategies. In addition, institutional clients in separately managed accounts (SMAs) are eligible for BlackRock Voting Choice regardless of their investment strategies.

As a result, the shares attributed to BlackRock in company share registers may be voted differently depending on whether our clients have authorized BAIS to vote on their behalf, have authorized BlackRock to vote in accordance with a third-party policy, or have elected to vote shares in accordance with their own policy. Our clients have greater control over proxy voting because of Voting Choice.

Use and oversight of third-party vote services providers

Third-party vote services providers – or proxy research firms – provide research and recommendations on proxy votes, as well as voting infrastructure. BlackRock contracts primarily with the vote services provider ISS and leverages its online platform to supply research and support voting, record keeping, and reporting processes. We also use Glass Lewis’ research and analysis as an input into our voting process. It is important to note that, although proxy research firms provide important data and analysis, BAIS does not rely solely on their information or follow their voting recommendations. A company’s disclosures, our engagements and voting, investment colleagues’ insights and our Guidelines are important inputs into our voting decisions on behalf of clients.

Given the large universe of actively held companies, BAIS employs the proxy services provider to streamline the voting process by making voting recommendations based on BAIS’ Guidelines when the items on a shareholder meeting agenda are routine. Agenda items that are not routine are referred back to BAIS to assess, escalate as necessary to the relevant portfolio managers and vote. BAIS reviews and can override the recommendations of the vote services provider at any time prior to the vote deadline. Both BAIS and the vote services provider actively monitor securities filings, research reports, company announcements, and direct communications from companies to ensure awareness of supplemental disclosures and proxy materials that may require a modification of votes.

BAIS closely monitors the third-party vote services providers we contract with to ensure that they are meeting our service level expectations and have effective policies and procedures in place to manage potential conflicts of interest. Our oversight of service providers includes regular meetings with client service teams, systematic monitoring of vendor operations, as well as annual due diligence meetings in accordance with BlackRock’s firmwide policies.

Conflicts management policies and procedures

BlackRock maintains policies and procedures that seek to prevent undue influence on BAIS’ proxy voting activity. Such influence might stem from any relationship between the investee company (or any shareholder proponent or dissident shareholder) and BlackRock, BlackRock’s affiliates, a Fund or a Fund’s affiliates, or BlackRock employees. The following are examples of sources of perceived or potential conflicts of interest:

 

   

BlackRock clients who may be issuers of securities or proponents of shareholder resolutions

 

   

BlackRock business partners or third parties who may be issuers of securities or proponents of shareholder resolutions

 

   

BlackRock employees who may sit on the boards of public companies held in Funds managed by BlackRock

 

   

Significant BlackRock, Inc. investors who may be issuers of securities held in Funds managed by BlackRock

 

   

Securities of BlackRock, Inc. or BlackRock investment funds held in Funds managed by BlackRock

 

   

BlackRock, Inc. board members who serve as senior executives or directors of public companies held in Funds managed by BlackRock

BlackRock has taken certain steps to mitigate perceived or potential conflicts including, but not limited to, the following:

 

   

Adopted these Guidelines which are designed to advance our clients’ long-term financial interests in the companies in which BlackRock invests on their behalf

 

   

Established a reporting structure that separates BAIS from employees with sales, vendor management, or business partnership roles. In addition, BlackRock seeks to ensure that all engagements with corporate issuers, dissident shareholders or shareholder proponents are managed consistently and without regard to BlackRock’s relationship with such parties. Clients or business partners are not given preferential treatment or differentiated access. BAIS prioritizes engagements based on factors including, but not limited to, our need for additional

 

With Voting Choice, SMAs have the ability to select from a set of voting policies from third-party proxy advisers the policy that best aligns with their views and preferences. BlackRock can then use its proxy voting infrastructure to cast votes based on the client’s selected voting policy.

BlackRock does not disclose client information, including a client’s selection of proxy policy, without client consent.

 

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information to make a more informed voting decision or to better understand a company’s perspectives on financially material risks and opportunities. Within the normal course of business, BAIS may engage directly with BlackRock clients, business partners and/or third parties, and/or with employees with sales, vendor management, or business partnership roles, in discussions regarding our approach to stewardship, general corporate governance matters, client reporting needs, and/or to otherwise ensure that proxy-related client service levels are met

 

   

Determined to engage, in certain instances, an independent third-party voting service provider to make proxy voting recommendations as a further safeguard to avoid perceived or potential conflicts of interest, to satisfy regulatory requirements, or as may be otherwise required by applicable law. In such circumstances, the independent third-party voting service provider provides BlackRock with recommendations, in accordance with the Guidelines, as to how to vote such proxies. BlackRock uses an independent third-party voting service provider to make proxy voting recommendations for shares of BlackRock, Inc. and companies affiliated with BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock may also use an independent third-party voting service provider to make proxy voting recommendations for certain perceived or potential conflicts of interest, including:

 

   

public companies that include BlackRock employees on their boards of directors

 

   

public companies of which a BlackRock, Inc. board member serves as a senior executive or a member of the board of directors

 

   

public companies that are the subject of certain transactions involving BlackRock Funds

 

   

public companies that are joint venture partners with BlackRock, and

 

   

public companies when legal or regulatory requirements compel BlackRock to use an independent third-party voting service provider

In selecting an independent third-party voting service provider, we assess several characteristics, including but not limited to: independence, an ability to analyze proxy issues and make recommendations in the economic interest of our clients in accordance with the Guidelines, reputation for reliability and integrity, and operational capacity to accurately deliver the assigned recommendations in a timely manner. We may engage more than one independent third-party voting service provider, in part to mitigate potential or perceived conflicts of interest at a single voting service provider.

Securities lending

If authorized, BlackRock acts as a securities lending agent on behalf of its clients. Securities lending is a well-regulated practice that contributes to capital market efficiency. It also enables funds to generate additional returns which in turn may allow fund providers to offset fund expenses.

With regard to the relationship between securities lending and proxy voting, BlackRock cannot vote shares on loan and may determine to recall them to allow for voting. This decision is guided by our fiduciary duty as an asset manager to our clients in helping them achieve their investment goals. While this has occurred in a limited number of cases, the decision to recall securities on loan as part of BlackRock’s securities lending program in order to vote is based on an evaluation of various factors that include, but are not limited to, assessing potential securities lending revenue alongside the potential long-term financial value to clients of voting those securities (based on the information available at the time of recall consideration). BAIS works with active portfolio managers, as well as colleagues in the Securities Lending team, to evaluate the costs and benefits to clients of recalling shares on loan.

In almost all instances, BlackRock anticipates that the potential long-term financial value to clients of voting shares would not warrant recalling securities on loan. However, in certain instances, BlackRock may determine, in our independent business judgment as a fiduciary, that the value of voting outweighs the securities lending revenue loss to clients and would therefore recall shares to be voted in those instances.

Periodically, BlackRock reviews our process for determining whether to recall securities on loan in order to vote and may modify it as necessary.

Reporting and vote transparency

BAIS is committed to transparency in the stewardship work we do on behalf of clients. We inform clients about our engagement and voting policies and activities through direct communication and disclosure on our website.

 

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Want to know more?

blackrock.com/stewardship | ContactActiveStewardship@blackrock.com

The document is provided for information purposes only and is subject to change. Reliance upon this information is at the sole discretion of the reader.

Prepared by BlackRock, Inc.

2025 BlackRock, Inc. All rights reserved. BLACKROCK is a trademark of BlackRock, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. All other trademarks are those of their respective owners.

 

  

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BlackRock FundsSM

PART C.

OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28.  Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  1       

— Articles of Incorporation

  (a   

— Declaration of Trust of Registrant dated December 22, 1988 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form N-1A (File No. 33-26305) (the “Registration Statement”) filed on January 27, 1998.

  (b   

 Amendment No. 1 to the Declaration of Trust dated May 4, 1989 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 1998.

  (c   

— Amendment No. 2 to the Declaration of Trust dated December 23, 1993 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 1998.

  (d   

— Amendment No. 3 to the Declaration of Trust dated January 5, 1996 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 23 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 18, 1996.

  (e   

— Amendment No. 4 to the Declaration of Trust dated December 23, 1997 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 33 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 1998.

  (f   

Amendedand Restated Certificate of Classification of Shares dated June 10, 2025 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1261 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June  12, 2025.

  2       

— By-laws.

  (a   

— Amended and Restated Code of Regulations of Registrant, effective as of November 29, 2018 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 962 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September  25, 2019.

  (b   

 Amendment No. 1 to the Amended and Restated By-laws of Registrant, effective as of November 11, 2020 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 2(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1055 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 23, 2020.

  3       

— Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders.

  (a   

— Article IV, Article V (Sections 5.1 and 5.4), Article VI (Sections 6.2, 6.5 and 6.7), Article VIII, Article IX (Sections 9.2, 9.5 and 9.6) and Article X (Sections 10.1, 10.4, 10.5, 10.6, 10.8 and 10.9) of Registrant’s Declaration of Trust are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibits 1(a)—1(e) to Registrant’s Registration Statement and Article I, Article II (Sections 2 and 3), Article IV (Section 1) and Article V (Sections 3, 4, 5 and 6) of Registrant’s Amended and Restated Code of Regulations are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibits 2(a)—2(b) to Registrant’s Registration Statement.

  4       

— Investment Advisory Contracts.

  (a   

 Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC relating to non-index funds is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 100 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 13, 2006.

  (b   

— Form of Addendum No.  6 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund and BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Emerging Markets Long/Short Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 186 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 29, 2011.

 

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Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (c   

— Form of Addendum No.  7 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Short Obligations Fund, BlackRock Global Equity Market Neutral Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Long/Short Equity Fund) and BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 259 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2012.

  (d   

— Form of Addendum No.  8 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Core Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Disciplined Small Cap Core Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 13, 2013.

  (e   

 Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited with respect to BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Managed Volatility Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(r) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 269 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 28, 2013.

  (f   

— Form of Amended and Restated Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1014 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 21, 2020.

  (g   

 Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock (Singapore) Limited with respect to BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ee) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 450 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29, 2015.

  (h   

— Form of Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Midcap Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(dd) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 454 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 13, 2015.

  (i   

— Appendix A to Form of Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Midcap Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(gg) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 465 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 8, 2015.

  (j   

 Form of Addendum No.  1 with respect to iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Developed Real Estate Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(jj) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 473 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.

  (k   

 Form of Addendum No. 2 with respect to iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small/Mid Cap Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(kk) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 474 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.

  (l   

 Form of Addendum No.  3 with respect to iShares Total U.S. Stock Market Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Total Stock Market Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ll) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 475 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.

  (m   

— Form of Addendum No.  13 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Sustainable Advantage Large Cap Core Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Advantage ESG U.S. Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(mm) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 486 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 5, 2015.

 

C-2


Table of Contents

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (n   

 Form of Addendum No. 5 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio, BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small Cap Growth Equity Portfolio), BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Managed Volatility Portfolio), BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio, BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Science & Technology Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Energy Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock All-Cap Energy & Resources Portfolio), BlackRock High Equity Income Fund (f/k/a BlackRock U.S. Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Advantage International Fund (f/k/ a BlackRock Global Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Exchange Portfolio and BlackRock Wealth Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Money Market Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(nn) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 491 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2015.

  (o   

— Form of Amendment to Addendum No.  5 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock High Equity Income Fund (f/k/a BlackRock U.S. Opportunities Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(oo) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 491 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 24, 2015.

  (p   

— Form of Addendum No.  4 with respect to iShares Short-Term TIPS Bond Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) to Investment Advisory Agreement for certain index funds between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(qq) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 537 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 16, 2016.

  (q   

— Form of Amendment to Addendum No.  6 to Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(oo) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  620 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 22, 2016.

  (r   

 Form of Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Fund Advisors is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(qq) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 649 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December  20, 2016.

  (s   

— Form of Amendment No. 2 to Addendum No.  5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small Cap Growth Equity Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(rr) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 663 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 2017.

  (t   

 Form of Amendment No. 3 to Addendum No.  5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock High Equity Income Fund, BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Growth Fund and BlackRock Advantage International Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(tt) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 757 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 21, 2017.

  (u   

— Form of Amendment No. 2 to Addendum No.  6 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(uu) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  757 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 21, 2017.

  (v   

 Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Fund Advisors with respect to iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Developed Real Estate Index Fund), iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Midcap Index Fund), iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small/Mid Cap Index Fund), iShares Short-Term TIPS Bond Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) and iShares Total U.S. Stock Market Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Total Stock Market Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(vv) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 757 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 21, 2017.

  (w   

— Form of Amended and Restated Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Energy Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock All-Cap Energy & Resources Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(kk) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 996 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 2020.

 

C-3


Table of Contents

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (x   

— Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited with respect to BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Managed Volatility Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(bbb) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 808 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 25, 2018.

  (y   

— Form of Amendment No. 4 to Addendum No. 5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio and BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ccc) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 851 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 27, 2018.

  (z   

— Form of Amendment No. 3 to Addendum No.  6 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ddd) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  851 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 27, 2018.

  (aa   

— Form of Addendum No. 1 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Fund Advisors with respect to iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(fff) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  865 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 31, 2018.

  (bb   

— Form of Addendum No.  16 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(fff) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  920 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2018.

  (cc   

— Form of Amended and Restated Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Global Equity Market Neutral Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Long/Short Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(uu) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 968 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 22, 2019.

  (dd   

— Form of Amendment No. 4 to Addendum No. 6 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(vv) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 970 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 22, 2019.

  (ee   

— Form of Amended and Restated Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(xx) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 976 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 25, 2019.

  (ff   

— Form of Amendment No. 5 to Addendum No. 5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Advantage International Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(xx) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 992 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 24, 2020.

  (gg   

— Form of Amendment No. 6 to Addendum No. 5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(rr) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1032 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 24, 2020.

  (hh   

— Form of Addendum No.  18 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Sustainable Aware Advantage International Equity Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Sustainable Advantage International Equity Fund) and BlackRock Sustainable Aware Advantage Emerging Markets Equity Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Sustainable Advantage Emerging Markets Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ss) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1035 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 17, 2020.

  (ii   

— Form of Addendum No. 19 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Defensive Advantage Emerging Markets Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(tt) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1063 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 14, 2020.

 

C-4


Table of Contents

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (jj   

— Form of Amendment to Addendum No.  7 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Global Equity Market Neutral Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Long/Short Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(rr) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1074 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 25, 2021.

  (kk   

— Form of Amendment No. 7 to Addendum No. 5 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ss) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1074 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 25, 2021.

  (ll   

— Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Defensive Advantage Emerging Markets Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(uu) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1078 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 24, 2021.

  (mm   

— Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Wealth Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(zz) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1100 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 29, 2021.

  (nn   

— Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Short Obligations Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(aaa) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1100 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 29, 2021.

  (oo   

— Form of Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Contract, among the Registrant, on behalf of iShares U.S. Long Credit Bond Index Fund, iShares U.S. Intermediate Credit Bond Index Fund, iShares U.S. Long Government Bond Index Fund, iShares U.S. Intermediate Government Bond Index Fund and iShares U.S. Securitized Bond Index Fund, BlackRock Funds III and BlackRock Fund Advisors is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ddd) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1116 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 16, 2022.

  (pp   

— Schedule A to the Amended and Restated Investment Advisory Contract, among the Registrant, BlackRock Funds III and BlackRock Fund Advisors, dated October 3, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(zz) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1242 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 3, 2024.

  (qq   

— Form of Addendum No. 23 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to Circle Reserve Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ccc) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1137 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 1, 2022.

  (rr   

— Form of Addendum No. 24 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock Emerging Markets ex-China Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(eee) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1166 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 22, 2023.

  (ss   

— Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock Emerging Markets ex-China Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(fff) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1166 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 22, 2023.

  (tt   

— Form of Sub-Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited with respect to BlackRock Emerging Markets ex-China Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(ggg) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1166 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 22, 2023.

  (uu   

— Form of Addendum No.  25 to the Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC with respect to BlackRock U.S. Insights Long/Short Equity Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(hhh) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1174 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 7, 2023.

 

C-5


Table of Contents

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (vv   

— Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock International Limited with respect to BlackRock U.S. Insights Long/Short Equity Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(iii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1174 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 7, 2023.

  (ww   

— Form of Sub-Investment Advisory Agreement between BlackRock Fund Advisors and BlackRock International Limited with respect to iShares Enhanced Roll Yield Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4(iii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1242 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 3, 2024.

  5     

— Underwriting Contracts.

  (a   

— Form of Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 5 of Post-Effective Amendment No. 66 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap Fund, Inc. (f/k/a BlackRock Advantage U.S. Total Market Fund, Inc.) (File No. 2-60836), filed on July 26, 2019.

  (b   

— Exhibit A to the Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC, amended as of October 3, 2024 is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 5(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1242 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 3, 2024.

  6     

— Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts.

  (a   

— None

  7     

— Custodian Agreements.

  (a   

— Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement dated February 10, 2004 between BlackRock Funds and PFPC Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  86 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 3, 2004.

  (b   

— Custody Agreement dated October 12, 2011 between BlackRock Funds and The Bank of New York Mellon is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  387 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 29, 2014.

  (c   

— Form of Custody Agreement (U.S. Dollar Only) between BlackRock Funds and The Bank of New York Mellon is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  728 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 28, 2017.

  (d   

— Form of Master Global Custody Agreement between BlackRock Funds and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(d) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 728 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July  28, 2017.

  (e   

— Master Custodian Agreement dated December 31, 2018 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 7(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  943 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 28, 2019.

  8     

— Other Material Contracts.

  (a   

— Form of Administration Agreement dated January 1, 2015 between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 148 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds II (File No. 333-142592), filed on January 28, 2015.

  (b   

— Form of Amendment No. 1 to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(2) of Pre-Effective Amendment No. 1 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds V (File No. 333-224371), filed on July 23, 2018.

  (c   

— Form of Amendment No. 2 to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(c)(3) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Large Cap Series Funds, Inc. (File No. 333-89389), filed on January 26, 2021.

  (d   

— Form of Amendment No. 3 to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(g)(4) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap Fund, Inc. (File No. 2-60836), filed on March 1, 2021.

 

C-6


Table of Contents

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (e   

— Form of Amendment No. 4 to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(6) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 49 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds V (File No. 333-224371), filed on October 15, 2021.

  (f   

— Form of Amendment No. 5 to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 84 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds VII, Inc. (File No. 2-56978), filed on October 18, 2021.

  (g   

— Form of Amendment No. 6 to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(h) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Municipal Bond Fund, Inc., filed on March 10, 2022.

  (h   

— Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement dated June  25, 2010 between Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (f/k/a PNC Global Investment Servicing (U.S.) Inc.) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(g) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  28 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc. (File No. 33-47875), filed on January 28, 2013.

  (i   

— Form of Joinder and Amendment to Administration and Accounting Services Agreement between Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  148 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds II (File No. 333-142592), filed on January 28, 2015.

  (j   

— Administration and Fund Accounting Services Agreement dated December 31, 2018 between Registrant and State Street Bank and Trust Company is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(k) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  43 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of Managed Account Series (File No. 333-124463), filed on February 28, 2019.

  (k   

— Form of Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement between Registrant and BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  48 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Series Fund, Inc. (File No. 2-69062), filed on April 18, 2014.

  (l   

— Share Acquisition Agreement dated April 29, 1998 by and among Registrant and PNC Bank, National Association and PNC Bank, Delaware, respectively, each as trustee for certain of the common trust funds listed therein is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 9(l) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 36 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on April 29, 1998.

  (m   

— Form of Thirteenth Amended and Restated Expense Limitation Agreement by and between Registrant, BlackRock Advisors, LLC and BlackRock Fund Advisors is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  70 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock ETF Trust (File No. 333-228832), filed on March 21, 2024.

  (n   

— Form of Amended and Restated Shareholders’ Administrative Services Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC, dated July 1, 2019, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(k) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  305 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds III (File No. 33-54126), filed on July 1, 2019.

  (o   

— Form of Thirteenth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement among Registrant, a syndicate of banks and certain other parties is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 164 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock ETF Trust (File No. 333-228832), filed on April 27, 2026.

  (p   

— Form of Twelfth Amended and Restated Securities Lending Agency Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investment Management, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(p) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1289 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 26, 2026.

  (q   

— Form of Master Fund Services Agreement between Registrant and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(n) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 728 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July  28, 2017.

 

C-7


Table of Contents

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (r   

— Form of Tenth Amended and Restated Securities Lending Agency Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Institutional Trust Company, N.A. is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(r) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1289 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 26, 2026.

  (s   

— Appendix A to the Amended and Restated Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC, dated October 3, 2024, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(w) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1242 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 3, 2024.

  (t   

— Form of BlackRock 12d1-4 Fund of Funds Investment Agreement between Registrant and the other registered open-end investment companies party thereto is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(f) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 119 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc. (File No. 002-74452), filed on April 21, 2026.

  (u   

— Schedule B to the Administration Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Advisors, LLC is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(bb) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1174 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June  7, 2023.

  (v   

 Fund of Funds Agreement between Fidelity Rutland Square Trust II and the other registrants party thereto, dated as of January 18, 2022, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(15) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  24 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds IV (File No. 333-224373) filed on September 20, 2022.

  (w   

— Amendment No. 1 to Fund of Funds Agreement between Fidelity Rutland Square Trust II and the other registrants party thereto, dated as of May 20, 2022, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit (h)(16) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 24 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds IV (File No. 333-224373) filed on September 20, 2022.

  (x   

— Amendment No.  2 to Fund of Funds Agreement between Registrant, Fidelity Rutland Square Trust II and the other registrants party thereto, dated as of December 8, 2023, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(ee) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1204 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 24, 2024.

  (y   

— Fund of Funds Agreement between John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust and the other registrants party thereto, dated as of January 19, 2022, and Amendment No. 1 to Fund of Funds Agreement between John Hancock Variable Insurance Trust and the other registrants party thereto, dated as of August 16, 2024, are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(ff) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1226 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 23, 2024.

  (z   

— Fund of Funds Agreement between Voya Balanced Portfolio, Inc. and the other registrants party thereto, dated as of January 19, 2022, and Amendment No. 1 to Fund of Funds Agreement between Voya Balanced Portfolio, Inc. and the other registrants party thereto, dated as of September 10, 2024, are incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 8(gg) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1226 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 23, 2024.

  9       

— Legal Opinion.

  (a   

— None.

  10       

— Other Opinions.

  (a   

— None.

  11       

— Omitted Financial Statements.

  (a   

— None.

  12       

— Initial Capital Agreements

 

C-8


Table of Contents

Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (a   

 Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and Registrant’s distributor relating to BlackRock Advantage Large Cap Growth Fund, BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund, BlackRock High Equity Income Fund, BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio, BlackRock Wealth Liquid Environmentally Aware Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Money Market Portfolio) and BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 13(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 34 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 13, 1998.

  (b   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Science  & Technology Opportunities Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(e) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 54 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 10, 2000.

  (c   

 Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio (f/k/a BlackRock Health Sciences Portfolio) and BlackRock Exchange Portfolio is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(t) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 86 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 3, 2004.

  (d   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock Energy Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock All-Cap Global Resources Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(u) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 87 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 19, 2004.

  (e   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock Advantage International Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Opportunities Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(v) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 94 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 27, 2006.

  (f   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Distributors, Inc. relating to BlackRock Tactical Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Managed Volatility Portfolio), BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Growth Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small Cap Growth Equity Portfolio), BlackRock Mid-Cap Growth Equity Portfolio, BlackRock High Equity Income Fund (f/k/a BlackRock U.S. Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Technology Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Science & Technology Opportunities Portfolio), BlackRock Health Sciences Opportunities Portfolio, BlackRock Energy Opportunities Fund (f/k/a BlackRock All-Cap Global Resources Portfolio) and BlackRock Advantage International Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Opportunities Portfolio) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(x) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 97 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 19, 2006.

  (g   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Commodity Strategies Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(dd) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  187 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 29, 2011.

  (h   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Advantage Emerging Markets Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Emerging Markets Long/Short Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ee) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 188 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 6, 2011.

  (i   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Real Estate Securities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ff) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  298 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 31, 2013.

  (j   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Investments, LLC relating to BlackRock Short Obligations Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(hh) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  243 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 2, 2012.

  (k   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Global Equity Market Neutral Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Global Long/Short Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 257 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 19, 2012.

 

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Exhibit
Number

    

Description

  (l   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Advantage Small Cap Core Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Disciplined Small Cap Core Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ll) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 282 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 13, 2013.

  (m   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Russell Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Midcap Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(pp) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 454 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 13, 2015.

  (n   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Developed Real Estate Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Developed Real Estate Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(tt) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 473 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.

  (o   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Russell Small/Mid-Cap Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Small/Mid Cap Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(uu) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 474 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.

  (p   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Total U.S. Stock Market Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Total Stock Market Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(vv) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 475 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 12, 2015.

  (q   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to BlackRock Sustainable Advantage Large Cap Core Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Advantage ESG U.S. Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ww) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 486 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 5, 2015.

  (r   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Holdco 2, Inc. relating to iShares Short-Term TIPS Bond Index Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(xx) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 537 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February 16, 2016.

  (s   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ccc) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  894 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 19, 2018.

  (t   

 Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to iShares Municipal Bond Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ddd) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  894 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on November 19, 2018.

  (u   

 Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to BlackRock China A Opportunities Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ddd) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 920 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 21, 2018.

  (v   

 Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to BlackRock Sustainable Aware Advantage International Equity Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Sustainable Advantage International Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ff) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1035 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 17, 2020.

  (w   

 Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to BlackRock Sustainable Aware Advantage Emerging Markets Equity Fund (f/k/a BlackRock Sustainable Advantage Emerging Markets Equity Fund) is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(gg) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1035 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on August 17, 2020.

  (x   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to BlackRock Defensive Advantage Emerging Markets Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(jj) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1063 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on December 14, 2020.

 

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Exhibit

Number

    

Description

  (y   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to iShares U.S. Long Credit Bond Index Fund, iShares U.S. Intermediate Credit Bond Index Fund, iShares U.S. Long Government Bond Index Fund, iShares U.S. Intermediate Government Bond Index Fund and iShares U.S. Securitized Bond Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ii) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1116 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on February  16, 2022.

  (z   

 Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to Circle Reserve Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(jj) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1137 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on September 1, 2022.

  (aa   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to BlackRock Emerging Markets ex-China Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(kk) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1166 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on March 22, 2023.

  (bb   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to BlackRock U.S. Insights Long/Short Equity Fund, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(ll) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1174 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June 7, 2023.

  (cc   

— Form of Purchase Agreement between Registrant and BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. relating to iShares Enhanced Roll Yield Index Fund and iShares FTSE NAREIT All Equity REIT Index Fund is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 12(jj) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1242 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on October 3, 2024.

  13       

— Rule 12b-1 Plan.

  (a   

 Form of Distribution and Service Plan is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 13(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 111 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 28, 2009.

  (b   

— Exhibit A to the Distribution and Service Plan, amended as of June 6, 2023, is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 13(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1174 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on June  7, 2023.

  14       

— Rule 18f-3 Plan.

  (a   

 Amended and Restated Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for Operation of a Multi-Class Distribution System is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 14(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1122 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on May 2, 2022.

  15       

— Reserved.

  16       

— Codes of Ethics.

  (a   

— Code of Ethics of Registrant, BlackRock Investments, LLC, BlackRock Advisors, LLC, BlackRock Fund Advisors, BlackRock International Limited, BlackRock (Singapore) Limited and BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 16(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1257 to Registrant’s Registration Statement, filed on May 23, 2025.

  (b   

— Code of Ethics (Global Personal Investments Policy) for BlackRock, Inc. and its subsidiaries is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 16(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No.  1289 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 26, 2026.

  99       

— Power of Attorney.

  (a   

— Power of Attorney is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99(a) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 922 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on January 22, 2019.

  (b   

 Power of Attorney of Lori Richards is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99(b) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 1212 to Registrant’s Registration Statement filed on July 5, 2024.

  (c   

 Power of Attorney of Christopher J. Ailman is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99(c) of Post-Effective Amendment No. 391 to the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of BlackRock Funds III (File No. 33-54126), filed on September 18, 2024.

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund.

The Registrant does not control and is not under common control with any other person.

Item 30. Indemnification.

Indemnification of Registrant’s principal underwriter against certain losses is provided for in Section 9 of the Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 5(a). Indemnification of Registrant’s Custodians is provided for in Section 12 of the Amended and Restated Custodian Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 7(a), Article VIII of the Custody Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 7(b), Article V of the Form of Custody Agreement (U.S. Dollar Only) incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 7(c), Section 7 of the Form of Master Global Custody Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 7(d) and Section 15 of the Master Custodian Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 7(e). Indemnification of Registrant’s Transfer Agent is provided for in Section 12 of the Transfer Agency and Shareholder Services Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 8(k). Indemnification of Registrant’s Administrators is provided for in Section 9 of the Form of Administration Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 8(a), Section 9 of the Form of Administration Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 8(a), Section 12 of the Form of Administration and Accounting Services Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 8(h) and Section 8 of the Administration and Fund Accounting Services Agreement incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 8(j). Registrant intends to obtain from a major insurance carrier a trustees’ and officers’ liability policy covering certain types of errors and omissions. In addition, Section 9.3 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust incorporated by reference herein as Exhibit 1(a) provides as follows:

 

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Indemnification of Trustees, Officers, Representatives and Employees. The Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees against all liabilities and expenses (including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, as fines and penalties, and as counsel fees) reasonably incurred by him in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, in which he may be involved or with which he may be threatened, while as a Trustee or thereafter, by reason of his being or having been such a Trustee except with respect to any matter as to which he shall have been adjudicated to have acted in bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his duties, provided that as to any matter disposed of by a compromise payment by such person, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no indemnification either for said payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless the Trust shall have received a written opinion from independent legal counsel approved by the Trustees to the effect that if either the matter of willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of duty, or the matter of bad faith had been adjudicated, it would in the opinion of such counsel have been adjudicated in favor of such person. The rights accruing to any person under these provisions shall not exclude any other right to which he may be lawfully entitled, provided that no person may satisfy any right of indemnity or reimbursement hereunder except out of the property of the Trust. The Trustees may make advance payments in connection with the indemnification under this Section 9.3, provided that the indemnified person shall have given a written undertaking to reimburse the Trust in the event it is subsequently determined that he is not entitled to such indemnification.

The Trustee shall indemnify officers, representatives and employees of the Trust to the same extent that Trustees are entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 9.3.

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Section 9.6 of the Registrant’s Declaration of Trust, incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1(a), also provides for the indemnification of shareholders of the Registrant. Section 9.6 states as follows:

Indemnification of Shareholders. In case any Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be held to be personally liable solely by reason of his being or having been a Shareholder and not because of his acts or omissions or for some other reason, the Shareholder or former Shareholder (or his heirs, executors, administrators or other legal representatives or, in the case of a corporation or other entity, its corporate or other general successor) shall be entitled out of the assets belonging to the classes of Shares with the same alphabetical designation as that of the Shares owned by such Shareholder to be held harmless from and indemnified against all loss and expense arising from such liability. The Trust shall, upon request by the Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against any Shareholder for any act or obligations of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon from such assets.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Advisers.

(a) BlackRock Advisors, LLC is an indirect majority-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. BlackRock Advisors, LLC was organized in 1994 for the purpose of providing advisory services to investment companies. The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BlackRock Advisors, LLC, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by BlackRock Advisors, LLC pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-47710).

(b) BlackRock International Limited (“BIL”). The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BIL, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by BIL pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-51087).

 

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(c) BlackRock Fund Advisors (“BFA”). The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BFA, together with information as to any other business profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedule A and D of Form ADV, filed by BFA pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-22609).

(d) BlackRock Asset Management North Asia Limited (“BNA”) is a majority-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. BNA currently offers investment advisory services to pooled investment vehicles, corporations or other businesses and government agencies or quasi-government agencies. The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BNA, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by BNA pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-77343).

(e) BlackRock (Singapore) Limited (“BSL”) is a majority-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc. BSL currently offers investment advisory services to pooled investment vehicles, state or municipal government entities and insurance companies. The information required by this Item 31 about officers and directors of BSL, together with information as to any other business, profession, vocation or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated by reference to Schedules A and D of Form ADV, filed by BSL pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (SEC File No. 801-76926).

Item 32. Principal Underwriters.

(a) BlackRock Investments, LLC (“BRIL”) acts as the principal underwriter or placement agent, as applicable, for each of the following open-end registered investment companies, including the Registrant:

 

BlackRock Advantage Global Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Advantage SMID Cap Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Allocation Target Shares

BlackRock Balanced Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Bond Fund, Inc.

BlackRock California Municipal Series Trust

BlackRock Capital Appreciation Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Emerging Markets Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Equity Dividend Fund

BlackRock ETF Trust

BlackRock ETF Trust II

BlackRock Financial Institutions Series Trust

BlackRock FundsSM

BlackRock Funds II

BlackRock Funds III

BlackRock Funds IV

BlackRock Funds V

BlackRock Funds VI

BlackRock Funds VII, Inc.

BlackRock Global Allocation Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Index Funds, Inc.

BlackRock International Select Equity Fund

BlackRock Large Cap Focus Growth Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Large Cap Focus Value Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Large Cap Series Funds, Inc.

BlackRock Liquidity Funds

BlackRock Mid-Cap Value Series, Inc.

BlackRock Multi-State Municipal Series Trust

BlackRock Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Municipal Series Trust

BlackRock Natural Resources Trust

BlackRock Series Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Series Fund II, Inc.

BlackRock Series, Inc.

BlackRock Strategic Global Bond Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Unconstrained Equity Fund

BlackRock Variable Series Funds, Inc.

BlackRock Variable Series Funds II, Inc. iShares, Inc.

iShares Trust

iShares U.S. ETF Trust Managed Account Series Managed Account Series II

Master Investment Portfolio Master Investment Portfolio II

Quantitative Master Series LLC

 

 

BRIL also acts as the distributor or placement agent for the following closed-end registered investment companies:

 

BlackRock Alpha Strategies Fund

BlackRock Core Bond Trust

BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Debt Strategies Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Enhanced Equity Dividend Trust

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Strategies Fund, Inc.

BlackRock Floating Rate Income Trust

BlackRock HPS Credit Strategies Fund

BlackRock Income Trust, Inc.

BlackRock Limited Duration Income Trust

BlackRock Multi-Sector Income Trust

BlackRock Municipal Credit Alpha Portfolio, Inc.

BlackRock Private Investments Fund

BlackRock Utilities, Infrastructure & Power Opportunities Trust

 

 

BRIL provides numerous financial services to BlackRock-advised funds and is the distributor of BlackRock’s open-end funds. These services include coordinating and executing Authorized Participation Agreements, preparing, reviewing and providing advice with respect to all sales literature and responding to Financial Industry Regulatory Authority comments on marketing materials

 

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(b) Set forth below is information concerning each director and officer of BRIL. The principal business address of each such person is 50 Hudson Yards, New York, New York 10001.

 

Name

  

Position(s) and Office(s) with BRIL

  

Position(s) and
Office(s) with
Registrant

Jon Maro

   Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Board of Managers    None

Christopher J. Meade

   Chief Legal Officer, General Counsel and Senior Managing Director    None

Zachary Marcus

   Chief Financial Officer    None

Gregory Rosta

   Chief Compliance Officer and Director    None

Cynthia Rzomp

   Chief Operating Officer    None

Andrew Dickson

   Secretary and Managing Director    None

Martin Small

   Senior Managing Director    None

Michael Bishopp

   Managing Director    None

Samara Cohen

   Managing Director    None

Jonathan Diorio

   Managing Director    None

Lisa Hill

   Managing Director    None

Brendan Kyne

   Managing Director    None

Stuart Murray

   Managing Director    None

Jonathan Steel

   Managing Director    None

Ariana Brown

   Director    None

Chris Nugent

   Director    None

Angelica Neto-Nolan

   Vice President    None

Lourdes Sanchez

   Vice President    None

Lisa Belle

   Anti-Money Laundering Officer    Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer

Joseph Devico

   Board of Managers    None

Meredith Herold

   Board of Managers    None

Dominik Rohe

   Board of Managers    None

Roland Villacorta

   Board of Managers    None

(c) Not applicable. 

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records.

Omitted pursuant to Instruction 3 of Item 33 of Form N-1A.

Item 34. Management Services.

None.

Item 35. Undertakings.

None.

 

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York and the State of New York, on May 8, 2026.

 

BLACKROCK FUNDSSM (REGISTRANT)

ON BEHALF OF

BLACKROCK DAILY REINVESTMENT STABLECOIN RESERVE VEHICLE

By:   /S/ JOHN M. PERLOWSKI

(John M. Perlowski,

President and Chief Executive Officer)

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature

  

Title

 

Date

/S/ JOHN M. PERLOWSKI

(John M. Perlowski)

  

Trustee, President and Chief Executive Officer

(Principal Executive Officer)

  May 8, 2026

/S/ TRENT WALKER

(Trent Walker)

  

Chief Financial Officer

(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)

  May 8, 2026

CHRISTOPHER J. AILMAN*

(Christopher J. Ailman)

   Trustee  

SUSAN J. CARTER*

(Susan J. Carter)

   Trustee  

COLLETTE CHILTON*

(Collette Chilton)

   Trustee  

NEIL A. COTTY*

(Neil A. Cotty)

   Trustee  

HENRY R. KEIZER*

(Henry R. Keizer)

   Trustee  

CYNTHIA A. MONTGOMERY*

(Cynthia A. Montgomery)

   Trustee  

DONALD C. OPATRNY*

(Donald C. Opatrny)

   Trustee  

LORI RICHARDS*

(Lori Richards)

   Trustee  

MARK STALNECKER*

(Mark Stalnecker)

   Trustee  

 

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Signature

  

Title

 

Date

KENNETH L. URISH*

(Kenneth L. Urish)

   Trustee  

CLAIRE A. WALTON*

(Claire A. Walton)

   Trustee  

ROBERT FAIRBAIRN*

(Robert Fairbairn)

   Trustee  
*By:   /S/ JANEY AHN           May 8, 2026
    (Janey Ahn, Attorney-In-Fact)

 

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