Tony's ETF Buyer's Guide: Blockchain ETFs

What is a blockchain ETF?

A blockchain ETF is an investment fund that holds shares in public companies actively involved in the development, transaction, custody, or management of digital assets utilizing blockchain technology.

Simply put, blockchain is a digital ledger that records transactions in a secure, transparent, and immutable way, with Bitcoin being one of the most well-known applications of this technology.

Primarily, companies within the blockchain ecosystem can be categorized into several types, each playing a unique role in the digital assets space:

1. Holding Companies - Companies like MicroStrategy fall into this category. They invest directly in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and hold them on their balance sheets. Their investment strategy often reflects their bullish stance on digital assets, making their stock a proxy for direct cryptocurrency exposure.
2. Exchanges - Coinbase is a prime example here. These platforms facilitate the buying, selling, and trading of cryptocurrencies and other digital assets. They serve as the critical infrastructure for the crypto market, similar to traditional stock exchanges but for digital currencies.
3. Miners - Publicly traded companies such as Hut 8, Marathon Digital, Riot Blockchain, and Bitfarms are involved in mining cryptocurrencies. Mining involves validating new transactions and recording them on the blockchain, a process that requires extensive computational power and is rewarded with cryptocurrency.
4. Asset Managers and Custodians - Firms like Galaxy Digital Holdings operate in this space. They manage crypto assets on behalf of clients and offer custodial services, ensuring the safekeeping of these digital assets. Many such firms have also collaborated with traditional asset managers to develop and manage spot Bitcoin ETFs, bridging the gap between conventional finance and the emerging crypto ecosystem.

Why buy a blockchain ETF?

Some investors might question the relevance of blockchain ETFs now that spot Bitcoin ETFs are available. The answer to this lies in the concept of embedded leverage that these ETFs can offer.

Similar to how gold miners and streamers can act as a leveraged bet on the price of gold, companies included in blockchain ETFs tend to experience more pronounced price fluctuations than the underlying cryptocurrencies themselves, such as Bitcoin.

This heightened volatility means that in a bull market, blockchain ETFs can provide amplified returns compared to the direct investment in spot Bitcoin. However, this also implies greater downside during bear markets, as these ETFs can fall more steeply than the cryptocurrencies they are associated with.

For instance, the Bitwise Crypto Industry Innovators ETF (

) experienced a significant drop of 83.86% in 2022, underperforming against Bitcoin's decline of 64.31%. Yet, in the subsequent rebound of 2023, BITQ surged by an impressive 241.89%, outpacing Bitcoin's gain of 157.44%.

This leverage effect makes blockchain ETFs particularly attractive to investors looking for higher return potential from their cryptocurrency-related investments, recognizing, of course, the increased risk that comes with such volatility.

The current blockchain ETFs available

Here is a list of some notable blockchain ETFs available, which investors can explore using tools like ETF Central. It's important to note that these ETFs can vary significantly in terms of underlying exposures and expense ratios, reflecting differences in their investment strategies and operational costs.

• VanEck Digital Transformation ETF (
  DAPP
  -1.56%
  )
• Valkyrie Bitcoin Miners ETF (
  WGMI
  -1.13%
  )
• Schwab Crypto Thematic ETF (
  STCE
  -1.83%
  )
• Global X Blockchain ETF (
  BKCH
  -2.23%
  )
• Invesco Alerian Galaxy Crypto Economy ETF (
  SATO
  -1.36%
  )
• Amplify Transformational Data Sharing ETF (
  BLOK
  -0.55%
  )

Please note this article is for information purposes only and does not in any way constitute investment advice. It is essential that you seek advice from a registered financial professional prior to making any investment decision.