Grayscale posts largest outflows since switch to ETF

Grayscale posts largest outflows since switch to ETF
Bitcoin was down 6.5% in early trading Tuesday
MAR 19, 2024
By  Bloomberg

Bitcoin extended a retreat as investors digested a record daily outflow from the world’s biggest exchange-traded fund for the token as well as scaled-back expectations for Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts.

The largest digital asset dropped as much as 6.5% on Tuesday and traded at $63,619 as of 9:14 a.m. in London. Other major tokens such as Ether, Solana and meme-crowd favorite Dogecoin were also nursing losses.

The $25 billion Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, or GBTC, posted a $643 million outflow on Monday, the most since it converted into an ETF on Jan. 11, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Earlier, strong demand for nine new spot-bitcoin ETFs that went live at the same time had more than made up for a spate of GBTC exits. 

But those flows into products from titans such as Fidelity Investments and BlackRock Inc. are also cooling, and the batch of 10 ETFs as whole saw a net outflow of $154 million on March 18. 

QCP Capital, a crypto trading firm based in Singapore, wrote in a note on Tuesday that it would be “closely tracking the aggregate ETF flow numbers today,” adding that a “net negative would be a distinctly bearish signal.”

Since they began trading, the ETFs overall have attracted a net $12 billion. The investor interest propelled bitcoin to an all-time peak of $73,798 last week. The crypto bellwether has since wobbled as the initial pulse of demand for the products fizzles amid warnings about bubble-like traits in some assets.

Risks from monetary policy are among the wild cards. Persistent inflationary pressures are curbing expectations for looser Fed settings, while Japan just drew the curtain on the most aggressive monetary stimulus program in modern history, scrapping the world’s last negative interest rate.

GBTC’s manager Grayscale Investments intends to launch a clone of the fund as it vies with rivals offering cheaper products. Fees are expected to be lower than for GBTC, a person familiar with the matter earlier told Bloomberg.

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.