The first Bitcoin ETF ordinary investors can buy will be the Bitcoin Investment Trust.
With approval last week from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to sell its shares on the OTC Markets, shares should start trading within the next couple of weeks.
The fund gives investors a way to invest in Bitcoin without going to the trouble of buying Bitcoin and worrying about having a secure place to store it.
The Bitcoin price chart for January shows volatility is just as much of an issue for the digital currency as ever.
But for Bitcoin to gain mainstream adoption, this problem must be solved. A currency that can Bitcoin's tendency to lose 20% to 40% of its value in a matter of days, or even hours, discourages its use for daily transactions.
Taking one step closer to going live, the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF filed an amendment Dec. 30 to its Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) prospectus to list 1 million shares at an offer price of $20.09 per share.
If approved, the aggregate value of the shares will be $20.09 million.
Officially known as the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust, this exchange-traded fund is intended to be an easy way to invest in Bitcoin.
Here's what we know about the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF so far...
The Bitcoin forecast for 2015 is for major strides toward the promise we've been hearing about for more than a year.
The power of the idea - a decentralized, digital currency that includes ownership data and can move money around the world in an instant - just keeps gaining traction.
But the Bitcoin forecast 2015 isn't just for more of the same. For sure, mass adoption will continue. But next year we'll see a lot more activity on Wall Street as well as a lot more innovation from Bitcoin startups.
This will be a pivotal year for Bitcoin...
For people having a hard time grasping what Bitcoin is all about, deliverance is at hand.
A new Bitcoin documentary - “The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin” - makes this abstract form of money easier to understand. And you don’t need to be a geek to get something out of it.
Along the way, “The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin” also does a thorough job of detailing the history of Bitcoin, beginning with its creation by the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto.
But here’s the reason why this film matters…
A major stumbling block to wider Bitcoin adoption was removed today (Friday) with the launch of the first regulator-approved U.S. Bitcoin derivative.
Summit, N.J.-based TeraExchange announced that trading of U.S. dollar/Bitcoin swaps started today following approval by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The availability of a Bitcoin derivative means businesses will be able to hedge against the risk of Bitcoin price volatility, which had made many merchants reluctant to accept the digital currency.
But that’s not all this new Bitcoin instrument will do…
While everyone wants to know why the Bitcoin price is falling, no one is panicking.
There are many reasons for that, such as the rising number of merchants accepting Bitcoin and the millions of dollars in venture capital that continue to pour into Bitcoin startups.
But the latest crash in the Bitcoin price took many by surprise, as it followed weeks of stability. So what happened?
It turns out the most likely explanation is one that most seasoned investors will recognize...
People who launch and run hedge funds typically are not fools. So the recent proliferation of Bitcoin hedge funds is a powerful indication that expert investors think they've found the Next Big Thing.
About a half dozen Bitcoin hedge funds have launched just this year alone. It's a huge vote of confidence in the future of Bitcoin from people who spend most of their time looking for the best places to put large amounts of money to deliver maximum returns.
Here's why the big money is suddenly so hot for Bitcoin...
In another sign that the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF is making slow but steady headway, the latest amendment to the fund's S-1 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reveals that its ticker symbol will be "Nasdaq: COIN."
Formally known as the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust, the fund will make investing in Bitcoin as easy as buying shares of stock. Now there's just one question that remains to be answered:
When will investors be able to buy the Winklevoss Bitcoin Fund?
With the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF and SecondMarket's Bitcoin Investment Trust just months away from approval, it may be time to consider the addition of a Bitcoin fund to your retirement account.
Bitcoin, you see, can easily be considered an "alternative" investment. Many retirement investing experts advocate setting aside up to 10% of a portfolio for alternative investments, which covers almost any investment outside of stocks, bonds, or cash.
Here’s why a Bitcoin fund just may be the ideal alternative investment for your retirement account…
Investors hoping to get a piece of the Bitcoin price surge are getting anxious waiting for the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF to hit the market. And an inevitable consequence of the growth of the Bitcoin economy is a proliferation of other Bitcoin investments.
Some of these will be outright fraud; efforts to trick the unsuspecting by offering an investment in Bitcoin that doesn't exist, or some similar chicanery.
But in the rush to raise money for exciting new projects, even well-intentioned folks have gotten themselves - and their investors - into some sticky situations.
One of the best ways to invest in Bitcoin will be via the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust exchange-traded fund (ETF), which is currently awaiting regulatory approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Still, because the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF will be based on a digital currency, there will be some quirks unique to this investment.
Here are answers to some of the questions investors are bound to have...
When you know where to look, it is possible to find a Bitcoin fund to buy now - if you're willing to venture into unconventional territory.
Safer alternatives - such as the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF (the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust) and SecondMarket's Bitcoin fund, the Bitcoin Investment Trust - are in the pipeline, but are still awaiting regulatory approval.
Just know this - these funds are not for investors with a weak stomach…
Sensing that it needs a voice in Washington, Falcon Global Capital, a San Diego-based Bitcoin fund, filed lobbying registration paperwork last week.
Some lawmakers have spoken out against Bitcoin in the wake of such black eyes as the Silk Road drug website (which used Bitcoin for payments) and the collapse of the Mt. Gox exchange, lost 750,000 customer bitcoins. Falcon figured a lobbyist could dispel misconceptions and educate lawmakers on the potential of Bitcoin.
But you won’t believe who the company decided to send to Washington…
With the Winklevoss Bitcoin ETF, more formally known as the Winklevoss Bitcoin Trust, on track for approval before the end of the year, and an exchange already selected (the Nasdaq), we’re waiting on just one more big piece of news: the ticker symbol.
With a product as controversial as a Bitcoin ETF, choosing the right ticker symbol can help foster wider acceptance of the digital currency as well as make the ETF easy for investors to remember.
But coming up with a catchy ticker may prove trickier than you'd imagine...
