Grayscale plans to clone its bitcoin fund, which has lost billions

Grayscale plans to clone its bitcoin fund, which has lost billions
Fees for the new ETF aren't yet listed but are expected to be lower than the fees for the existing fund.
MAR 12, 2024
By  Bloomberg

Grayscale Investments intends to launch a clone of the world’s biggest bitcoin fund as it loses billions to lower-cost rivals.

The asset manager submitted plans for the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust, which would be physically backed by the cryptocurrency and trade under the ticker BTC, a filing Tuesday showed. 

If approved, the exchange-traded fund would be seeded with an unspecified percentage of the world’s biggest bitcoin ETF, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), and existing GBTC shareholders would automatically have shares of both GBTC and BTC without creating a taxable event, according to the filing.

Grayscale’s BTC plans land as investors continue to pull cash from the $28 billion GBTC, which has posted outflows of more than $11 billion — the second-most among more than 3,400 US-listed ETFs — so far this year. Investors have instead sent cash to its cheaper rivals, the bulk of which charge 0.3%, while GBTC charges 1.5% annually. 

Separately, VanEck announced Tuesday that it was waiving the fee on the VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL) for the first $1.5 billion in assets until March 31, 2025.

Fees for BTC aren’t yet listed, but are expected to be lower than GBTC, according to a person familiar with the matter. ETF issuers State Street Global Advisors and Invesco Ltd have both launched cheaper versions of some of their biggest ETFs.

State Street introduced the $6.8 billion SPDR Gold MiniShares Trust (GLDM) in 2018 with a 0.1% fee, undercutting the 0.4% expense ratio of the older, larger SPDR Gold Shares (GLD). Invesco went a similar route with the 2020 launch of the $22.5 billion Invesco Nasdaq 100 ETF (QQQM), which charges 0.15% annually versus the 0.2% fee on the $251 billion Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (QQQ).

Don't dismiss differences between bitcoin ETFs, Invesco strategist says

Latest News

No succession plan? No worries. Just practice in place
No succession plan? No worries. Just practice in place

While industry statistics pointing to a succession crisis can cause alarm, advisor-owners should be free to consider a middle path between staying solo and catching the surging wave of M&A.

Research highlights growing need for personalized retirement solutions as investors age
Research highlights growing need for personalized retirement solutions as investors age

New joint research by T. Rowe Price, MIT, and Stanford University finds more diverse asset allocations among older participants.

Advisor moves: RIA Farther hails Q2 recruiting record, Raymond James nabs $300M team from Edward Jones
Advisor moves: RIA Farther hails Q2 recruiting record, Raymond James nabs $300M team from Edward Jones

With its asset pipeline bursting past $13 billion, Farther is looking to build more momentum with three new managing directors.

Insured Retirement Institute urges Labor Department to retain annuity safe harbor
Insured Retirement Institute urges Labor Department to retain annuity safe harbor

A Department of Labor proposal to scrap a regulatory provision under ERISA could create uncertainty for fiduciaries, the trade association argues.

LPL Financial sticking to its guns with retaining 90% of Commonwealth's financial advisors
LPL Financial sticking to its guns with retaining 90% of Commonwealth's financial advisors

"We continue to feel confident about our ability to capture 90%," LPL CEO Rich Steinmeier told analysts during the firm's 2nd quarter earnings call.

SPONSORED How advisors can build for high-net-worth complexity

Orion's Tom Wilson on delivering coordinated, high-touch service in a world where returns alone no longer set you apart.

SPONSORED RILAs bring stability, growth during volatile markets

Barely a decade old, registered index-linked annuities have quickly surged in popularity, thanks to their unique blend of protection and growth potential—an appealing option for investors looking to chart a steadier course through today's choppy market waters, says Myles Lambert, Brighthouse Financial.