Bitcoin ETFs Explained: How They Work, Fees and Investment Risks

A Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, or ETF, lets people get exposure to the price of Bitcoin through a regular brokerage account. There is no crypto wallet to set up and no private keys to guard. The fund holds the asset, and the investor holds shares of the fund. The first U.S. Bitcoin ETF was approved in October 2021. On January 10, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs at once. Since then, both the products and the rules have kept changing.