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Physical/Spot-Crypto ETFs

edited January 10 in Other Investing
The SEC has approved the following physical/spot-Bitcoin ETFs on 1/10/24 for trading on 1/11/24:

NEW

ARKB - ARK-21Shares
BITB - Bitwise
BRRR - ValkyRie
BTCO - Invesco Galaxy
BTCW - WisdomTree
EZBC - Franklin
FBTC - Fidelity Wise
HODL - VanEck
IBIT - IShare/BlackRock

EXISTING IN SOME FORM - CONVERSION

DEFI - Hashdex (a futures-based ETF exists & proposal is to convert to spot-Bitcoin ETF)
GBTC - Grayscale (an illiquid trust exists & proposal is to convert to spot-Bitcoin ETF)

Gensler's Statement https://www.sec.gov/news/statement/gensler-statement-spot-bitcoin-011023
News https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/sec-approves-bitcoin-spot-etfs-in-milestone-for-digital-assets-1.2020423
Full SEC Document (22 pages) https://www.sec.gov/files/rules/sro/nysearca/2024/34-99306.pdf

Comments

  • Will funds that short these ETFs be allowed?
  • Long & short futures-bases-Bitcoins do exist, BITO, BITI, etc.

    So, in time, short spot-Bitcoin ETFs should arrive. Trading in long spot-Bitcoin ETFs starts only TOMORROW (1/11/24).
  • These "ETFs" were really approved as 1933-Act ETPs even though the term "ETF" is used loosely in some names and descriptions. All/most would issue K-1s, not 1099s. For a discussion of 1933-Act ETPs vs 1940-Act ETFs, see the link below.
    https://ybbpersonalfinance.proboards.com/post/1313/thread
  • Given the # of insane digital coins out there -- the vast majority are worthless anyway -- I wonder how long before someone creates a 'Sh*tCoin ETF' (yes, that's a real term to describe those digital coins) that invests in whatever digital nonsense coins are trending regardless of their seriousness or value. Now *that* would be a fun ETF to watch from the sidelines, albeit with a healthy dose of dramamine calls and scotch puts Q2H. :)

    There's a sucker born any minute, you know.
  • These ETPs are barely 1-day old (I will stop calling them ETFs), and already an options-based ETF has been filed for GBTC; others may follow soon.

    The firms involved (and there are some big ones) are in it for fees that are collected whether the stuff goes up or down. Remember +3x oil and -3x oil?

    Digital/Stable-Coins are a bit different and any related ETF would have to wait a while.

    There are reports that Vanguard, Merrill Lynch, etc aren't allowing trading in these ETPs.
  • These ETPs are barely 1-day old (I will stop calling them ETFs), and already an options-based ETF has been filed for GBTC; others may follow soon.

    The firms involved (and there are some big ones) are in it for fees that are collected whether the stuff goes up or down. Remember +3x oil and -3x oil?

    Digital/Stable-Coins are a bit different and any related ETF would have to wait a while.

    There are reports that Vanguard, Merrill Lynch, etc aren't allowing trading in these ETPs.

    to clarify: I wasn't referring to 'stablecoins' (though even there some have imploded recently) ... I was referring to nearly everything showing up on lists like this: https://coinmarketcap.com/all/views/all/

    If I *was* to invest in a digital currency I'd stick to the big names like BTC & ETH.

    I agree w/those who see/treat these 'products' as speculative and not for everybody.
  • How many of the investors in these know about the K-1s? Should not the prospectus say?
  • IBIT prospectus only says that the desire is to be treated as a grantor trust, and if that isn't approved by the IRS, it may be treated as a partnership, and if that isn't approved by the IRS, it may be treated as taxable corporation. It doesn't mention K-1 or 1099.

    K-1s are doable but are headaches.
  • edited January 12
    BaluBalu said:

    How many of the investors in these know about the K-1s? Should not the prospectus say?

    Call me a cynic, but I suspect most retail/momentum folks won't notice that until tax time next year.....all they hear is 'Bitcoin!'

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