Bitcoin Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) in the United States have witnessed a remarkable first day of trading, with a staggering $4.6 billion worth of shares being traded as of January 12. The massive volume was first highlighted by Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart, drawing attention to the immediate impact of these landmark products.
The approval of eleven spot bitcoin ETFs sparked fierce competition for market dominance. Among the contenders are industry heavyweights like BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, and ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF. In this competitive arena, Grayscale, BlackRock, and Fidelity stood out, commanding significant trading volumes, according to the London Stock Exchange Group’s data.
The launch of these ETFs has had a positive impact on bitcoin’s price, pushing it to its highest level since December 2021. At the time of writing, bitcoin was trading at $46,357, showing a 0.77% increase, while ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, was up by 2.79% at $2597.95.
Analysts, on the other hand, have varied expectations regarding the potential inflows into these ETFs, with estimates ranging from $10 billion to as high as $100 billion for the current year. This influx of funds is closely watched by market participants, especially the bid-ask spreads, which indicate the ETF’s desirability.
Meanwhile, some issuers have aggressively cut their bitcoin ETF fees in a bid to capture the market share. These now range from a low of 0.2% to a high of 1.5%. Some have even offered temporary fee waivers. Grayscale, which received approval to convert its existing bitcoin trust into an ETF, now holds the title of the world’s largest bitcoin ETF, with over $28 billion in assets under management.
While there’s considerable excitement in the market, a sense of skepticism persists among many investors. Vanguard, renowned for being the largest mutual fund provider, has chosen to steer clear of the bitcoin ETFs, preferring to concentrate on more traditional asset classes.
Meanwhile, Robinhood, a prominent figure in the retail investment sector, has welcomed this new era of bitcoin ETFs. The platform has made all eleven of the bitcoin ETFs available for trading on its platform.
The recent launch had a notable impact on the stocks of cryptocurrency-focused companies, including Riot Platforms, Marathon Digital, Microstrategy, and Coinbase. In contrast, the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF, known for tracking bitcoin futures, saw a relatively modest gain amidst these market movements.
