BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF Not The Same As Grayscale’s Product, Experts Say

While both are technically trusts, there’s one key distinction which makes Blackrock’s proposed investment vehicle an exchange traded fund (ETF).

AccessTimeIconJun 16, 2023 at 8:44 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) terminology can sometimes be tricky, and fund management giant BlackRock’s application for a spot Bitcoin ETF has raised some questions.

To review, BlackRock’s (BLK) iShares unit on Thursday filed an application with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for creation of the iShares Bitcoin Trust.

  • Why USDT Dominates Supply With Lower Transaction Volume
    01:11
    Why USDT Dominates Supply With Lower Transaction Volume
  • ARK Sells Last of Its ProShares Bitcoin Futures ETF Shares; Consensys Files Lawsuit Against the SEC
    02:03
    ARK Sells Last of Its ProShares Bitcoin Futures ETF Shares; Consensys Files Lawsuit Against the SEC
  • Bitcoin Was 'Much More International,' Kara Swisher Says
    01:15
    Bitcoin Was 'Much More International,' Kara Swisher Says
  • Morgan Stanley May Allow Brokers to Pitch Bitcoin ETFs; 'Buy Bitcoin' Sign Auctioned for Over $1M
    01:55
    Morgan Stanley May Allow Brokers to Pitch Bitcoin ETFs; 'Buy Bitcoin' Sign Auctioned for Over $1M
  • The name and other details of the proposal sparked some confusion among industry experts as to whether BlackRock was applying for an ETF or a trust with properties similar to the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC).

    The answer is both.

    “It’s a reminder of just how complex ETF terminology is,” Noelle Acheson, editor of Crypto is Macro Now, said. “Technically, BlackRock's proposal is for a trust, but it's a trust that allows redemptions, so it functions just like an ETF.”

    In this sense, Acheson noted, the iShares product is nothing like GBTC, which has no redemption mechanism. “The market hears ‘trust’ and thinks it will be like GBTC with no redemptions, but that's not the case here,” Acheson said.

    The key distinction is that an ETF for spot bitcoin “would be able to buy bitcoin at the end of the trading day to bring the fund's assets in line with its trading price. A trust does not have the ability to do this,” Joe Consorti, market analyst at The Bitcoin Layer said.

    A trust will thus occasionally trade higher or lower than the value of its underlying assets – sometimes substantially – an issue currently facing GBTC which has been changing hands at a wide discount (currently about 40%) to its net asset value for years.

    Grayscale has been attempting to convert its trust to a spot bitcoin ETF for some time, but has been rejected in that effort by the SEC, which cited worry about market manipulation, among other concerns.

    BlackRock is hoping to get past the market manipulation, with CoinDesk reporting earlier on Friday that the fund manager’s application includes a promise of a “surveillance-sharing agreement” between exchanges.

    Edited by Stephen Alpher.

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Helene Braun

    Helene is a New York-based reporter covering Wall Street, the rise of the spot bitcoin ETFs and crypto exchanges. She is also the co-host of CoinDesk's Markets Daily show. Helene is a graduate of New York University's business and economic reporting program and has appeared on CBS News, YahooFinance and Nasdaq TradeTalks. She holds BTC and ETH.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.