- The Bitcoin ETF created by Jacobi Asset Management was originally planned to be launched on Euronext Amsterdam exchange in July 2022.
- The asset manager decided to launch the ETF now due to a gradual shift in demand compared to 2022.
- Jacobi Bitcoin ETF is a centrally custodied crypto-backed financial instrument, unlike exchange-traded notes (ETNs) traditionally.
The approved spot Bitcoin ETF created by Jacobi Asset Management will be launched in Europe this year.
Europe’s First Spot Bitcoin ETF Hits the Market
Europe’s first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) will be launched later this year following a long delay. The Bitcoin ETF created by London-based multi-asset investment platform Jacobi Asset Management was originally planned to be launched on Euronext Amsterdam exchange in July 2022.
However, unprecedented market conditions like the collapse of the Terra ecosystem in May 2022 and FTX’s crash in November forced the asset manager to postpone the listing. Jacobi Bitcoin ETF had received approval from the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (GFSC) to launch the Bitcoin ETF in October 2021.
The asset manager reported that they have decided to launch the ETF now due to a gradual shift in demand compared to 2022. They are still evaluating the launch and will share a date soon.
Difference Between ETN and ETF
Jacobi Bitcoin ETF is a centrally custodied crypto-backed financial instrument, unlike exchange-traded notes (ETNs) traditionally. The custody service for the ETF is provided by Fidelity Digital Assets. In Europe, all crypto-backed traditional financial instruments are structured as ETNs, not as funds.
The key difference between ETN and ETF is that ETF shareholders have partial ownership of the underlying assets of the fund, while ETN investors have a debt-based security. Unlike ETNs, ETFs cannot be leveraged or use derivative instruments, which otherwise can pose a risk of market manipulation.
Despite approving the first spot Bitcoin ETF in Europe in October 2021, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has so far rejected all spot Bitcoin ETFs. However, in 2023, nearly half a dozen spot Bitcoin ETF applications, including institutional giants like BlackRock and Fidelity, hope to become the first approved spot BTC ETF in the US. SEC has already approved several Bitcoin futures ETFs in 2021.
