VanEck Ready to Launch Delayed Bitcoin Futures ETF

The VanEck offering will likely see less demand than a pair of similar funds that launched last week, industry professionals say.

article-image

VanEck CEO Jan Van Eck; Source: VanEck

share

key takeaways

  • VanEck’s ETF will cost 65 basis points compared to the 95bps price of bitcoin futures ETF by ProShares and Valkyrie Investments
  • ProShares being first to market was an important advantage as competitors will be facing “a long, uphill slog trying to chase down BITO,” ETF Store president says

VanEck appears to be ready to bring to market its bitcoin strategy ETF after its latest SEC filing on Wednesday, though industry watchers said demand for the offering could be muted compared to similar products that launched last week.

The launch of the VanEck Bitcoin Strategy ETF (XBTF) was slightly delayed, though the firm declined to comment on why. VanEck had filed a new date on Tuesday, stating that the filing was expected to become effective on Wednesday.

Bloomberg Intelligence ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas said in a Twitter post that the latest filing means the ETF will likely start trading on Thursday or Friday. 

Loading Tweet..

“VanEck is excited to offer a long-awaited bitcoin exchange traded product to the U.S. market,” Ed Lopez, Head of ETF Product at VanEck, previously told Blockworks. “We were the first asset manager to file for a bitcoin futures ETF back in 2017, and we are offering what would be the most competitively priced ETF in the category when we come to market.”

A VanEck spokesperson did not immediately respond to Blockworks’ request for comment.

What will the demand be?

The fund is likely to be the third bitcoin futures ETF to launch in the US, following the launches of similar funds by ProShares and Valkyrie Investments last week. 

The ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) has more than $1 billion in assets under management after trading for a week. Valkyrie Investments’ Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BTF) began trading on Friday, trading $10 million in its first five minutes on the market.

While the Valkyrie and ProShares offerings carry a fee of 95 basis points, the VanEck product will cost 65 basis points. 

“This ETF should get some looks given its lower price point and VanEck’s reputation, but initial demand will be muted compared to the ProShares offering,” Nathan Geraci, president of The ETF Store, told Blockworks.

“First mover was such an important advantage in this particular category and competitors will be facing a long, uphill slog trying to chase down BITO.”

Dave Nadig, CIO and director of research for ETF Trends and ETF Database, said that VanEck’s differentiator will be price, which will matter but will likely not create “a flood” of inflows. 

“In general, later entrants will have a tougher time,” he explained. “Liquidity begets liquidity in the ETF market, especially for access-oriented products like these.”

Tags

Upcoming Events

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Brooklyn, NY

SUN - MON, JUN. 22 - 23, 2025

Blockworks and Cracked Labs are teaming up for the third installment of the Permissionless Hackathon, happening June 22–23, 2025 in Brooklyn, NY. This is a 36-hour IRL builder sprint where developers, designers, and creatives ship real projects solving real problems across […]

recent research

Featured.png

Research

Helium stands at a pivotal moment in its evolution as a decentralized wireless network, balancing rapid growth, economic restructuring, and global expansion. With accelerated growth in domestic DAUs and Hotspots supporting its network, Helium is leveraging strategic partnerships and innovative proposals to scale internationally. The recent implementation of HIP 138, “Return to HNT,” has unified its token economy under HNT, simplifying participation and strengthening liquidity, while HIP 139’s phase-out of CBRS refocuses efforts on scalable Wi-Fi offload. Meanwhile, governance shifts under HIP 141 raise questions about centralization as Nova Labs consolidates control over the roadmap.

article-image

The DeFi Education Fund has ideas on how the crypto-friendly SEC can bring Commissioner Peirce’s vision to life

article-image

“Be prepared to do more with less,” Framework Ventures’ Michael Anderson said

article-image

Q1 may have been “frustrating,” but things are looking brighter for Q2

article-image

Tokens worth 20% of the current supply of the TRUMP memecoin launched by the president are set to be unlocked tomorrow

article-image

A crypto-industry lawsuit is “moot” now that Joint Resolution 25 has been signed into law

article-image

Fed Chair Powell assured markets that the labor market is in “good place,” dependent on price stability