21Shares Bitcoin ETF (EBTC) – Global X ETFs Australia

    FAQs

  • Why buy EBTC rather than Bitcoin directly?

    Since the crypto market is still relatively young, there can be issues with buying it directly. These include low exchange quality, weak custody arrangements, vulnerability to security problems, the loss of private keys and passwords, and much more. At Global X, our mission is to bring a higher quality Bitcoin proposition than what is already available to Australians.

    EBTC is 100% physically backed by Bitcoins, the private keys to which are segregated, and deposited into an offline wallet, also known as “cold storage”. Investors can invest directly through their existing brokerage account and do not require any resources for the management, custody and security of Bitcoin.

  • What is cold storage?

    There are various ways to secure a Bitcoin wallet, the popular ones being to encrypt a wallet by using a strong password or to make a backup of the wallet. However, the best method is cold storage which involves storing Bitcoin private keys offline, meaning away from any internet access. Keeping Bitcoins offline substantially reduces the threat of hacking. As an additional layer of security, all movements from these cold storage accounts require approvals from multiple individuals, as the private keys are “sharded” – meaning they are broken up and distributed across many global servers– before funds can be released.

  • Who is the custodian?

    Coinbase is the custodian. Coinbase’s vault has become the preferred storage of many institutions and it holds one of the largest stores of Bitcoins. The vault offers advanced encryption and key management, multi-signature Bitcoin addresses, military-grade physical security (like Faraday cages and former military bases) and highly secure processes to keep Bitcoins offline and geographically dispersed across three continents. The key to this process is removing all access to private keys via the internet by physically isolating them.

  • How is the net asset value (NAV) calculated?

    The net asset value, or NAV, of an ETF that holds shares is usually calculated using share prices at the close of trading. However, cryptocurrencies trade around the clock: there is no close. As such, the NAV of EBTC must be calculated using a reference benchmark.

    For our purposes, we calculate the NAV by multiplying the coin entitlement of every outstanding EBTC unit by the price of bitcoin, as measured by CryptoCompare at 3pm Central European time. We then convert that amount into AUD using the WM/Refinitiv London 4pm AUD rate. We use European time as our partner, 21Shares, is based in Switzerland.

  • What is the coin entitlement?

    If you own EBTC, you have an entitlement to Bitcoin. How much Bitcoin you are entitled to per ETF is called the coin entitlement. It is calculated very simply as the total amount of Bitcoin held by EBTC divided by the number of units on issue (less fees and costs).

  • How can I use EBTC in a portfolio?

    Bitcoin has been one of the best-performing assets for the past 10 years. Meaning that it may be used as an alpha tilt or side bet in a portfolio. However past performance is not an indication of future performance. Alternatively, as cryptocurrency like Bitcoin is a completely different asset class and uncorrelated to shares, bonds, and commodities like gold, Bitcoin can be bought as a portfolio diversifier.