Bitcoin ETF

What is a bitcoin ETF? They are a relatively easy-to-purchase investment vehicle that owns bitcoin (BTC), the original cryptocurrency. Just like stocks, exchange-traded funds are listed on exchanges, can be traded throughout the day and are available for purchase through normal brokerage accounts. A bitcoin ETF was first proposed in the U.S. around 2013 by Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, but were never approved by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Several applications for them are pending with the SEC as of January 2024, from companies including BlackRock, Grayscale, Fidelity, Galaxy/Invesco and Franklin Templeton. If approved, crypto ETFs could dramatically broaden the base of people who can invest in digital assets. There have been bitcoin futures ETFs available in the U.S. for several years, but the latest round of proposed products, technically known as spot bitcoin ETFs, are a more efficient and desirable product.


Finance

SEC Could Prepare Alternative Arguments to Reject Spot Bitcoin ETFs: Berenberg

Coinbase’s potential involvement in spot bitcoin ETFs could serve as part of the SEC’s reconfigured arguments for rejecting the applications, the report said.

Photo of the SEC logo on a building wall

Opinion

The Real Reasons the Grayscale Bitcoin ETF Decision Matters

The U.S. Court of Appeals, in rebuking the securities watchdog, shows that Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler won’t get the last word on crypto.

(Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash, modified by CoinDesk)

Markets

Arca’s Jeff Dorman: Market’s Fixation on Bitcoin ETF is Because 2023 is Boring

There hasn't been much to sink your teeth into as a digital asset investor this year, said Arca's chief investment officer.

BitcoinETF: What Comes Next?

Policy

SEC Must Review Grayscale's Bitcoin ETF Bid After Previous Rejection, Appeals Court Rules

A federal appeals court ordered the SEC to "vacate" its rejection of the trust issuer's bid to convert the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust into an exchange-traded fund.

Photo of the SEC logo on a building wall

CoinDesk Indices

In Canada, Spot Bitcoin ETFs Have Been Working for Years

Gorast Tasevski and Haan Palcu-Chang of Purpose Investments share thoughts about bitcoin ETFs – and Canada.

(sebastiaan stam/Unsplash)

Finance

Europe's First Spot Bitcoin ETF Lists in Amsterdam

Jacobi first won approval for the fund in October 2021 with plans to list it in 2022. However the firm opted to push back its plans due to inopportune circumstances elsewhere in the digital asset market.

Credit: Shutterstock

Markets

Bitcoin Spot ETF Approval Could Help Power up a New Crypto Cycle: Bernstein

New capital will enter the market from fresh stablecoin supply, tokenization of traditional assets, native crypto infrastructure tokenization and ETFs, the report said.

Institutional traders are more bullish on bitcoin than alternative cryptocurrencies. (Hans Eiskonen/Unsplash)

Videos

SEC Delays Decision on Ark 21Shares Bitcoin ETF Application

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) extended its review of the Ark 21Shares bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) application, as it continues to look at over a dozen applications from traditional finance heavyweights like BlackRock and Fidelity. "The Hash" panel discusses the latest in the U.S. spot bitcoin ETF race.

Recent Videos

Policy

Cathie Wood's Ark 21Shares Bitcoin ETF Application Decision Pushed Out by SEC

The regulator is reviewing more than a dozen spot bitcoin and ether future ETF applications.

Ark Invest CEO Cathie Wood (Marco Bello/Getty Images, modified by CoinDesk)

Finance

SEC Likely to Approve Several Spot ETFs, Sparking Next Bitcoin Rally: Matrixport

A report from the firm cited how big Grayscale Bitcoin Trust was at its peak.

Bitcoin's price will go up if the SEC approves spot bitcoin ETFs, Matrixport said. (Unsplash)