According to a statement from its issuer, the first North American Bitcoin ETF has already reached $1 billion (C$1.25 billion) in assets less than two months after its launch. What exchange-traded funds did to the conventional investing market for decades could happen to cryptocurrency players in a fraction of the time.
Investors are clamoring for crypto exposure, particularly in an exchange-traded fund wrapper, and the product from Toronto-based Purpose Investments, ticker BTCC, has seen a lot of interest. Although there are many crypto funds in Europe that work similarly to ETFs, this is the first ETF anywhere.
More than $165 million worth of shares were traded on the fund’s first trading day in February, a big start for a fund in the much smaller Canadian ETF market.
Its rapid cash accumulation reflects the high demand for Bitcoin products in the United States, as issuers compete for approval of the first Bitcoin ETF in the nation. Despite regulator resistance to accept the tactics, at least eight companies, including VanEck Associates Corp. and WisdomTree Investments, now have live applications with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
On Tuesday, Bitcoin surged to an all-time high of about $63,246 ahead of Coinbase Global Inc.’s upcoming IPO later this week.
There is an increasing expectation that a bitcoin ETF will be available in the United States in the not-too-distant future. Gary Gensler, the nominated chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, has taught cryptocurrency classes. The bitcoin market has exploded in popularity in recent months, attracting the attention of major financial institutions. Bitcoin ETFs are once again being sought by VanEck, Fidelity, and others.
One advantage of ETFs is that shares can be readily created and redeemed to arbitrage away any discount or premium, which could greatly broaden their appeal. ETFs are also cheaper, which will put pressure on fees across the bitcoin ecosystem. Hence market sentiment may push the ETF higher.
