Commentary: Decoding the Impact of Spot Bitcoin ETFs on Mainstream Finance

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission bridged the gap between the novel world of cryptocurrencies and mainstream finance by approving spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in January.

ETFs serve as a simplified, regulated way for people to invest in Bitcoin by allowing them to hold and track their shares of Bitcoin ETFs in the same brokerage account they use for their other investments. In effect, an ETF turns an asset into shares that investors can trade like a stock. One significant advantage of a spot Bitcoin ETF is that it gives investors a way to bet on changes in the price of Bitcoin without the inconvenience of buying or selling the cryptocurrency itself.