Our weekly crypto derivatives analytics report delves into macro events; the current state of crypto and trading signals from spot trading volume; and futures, options and perpetual contracts.

At the start of the week, Bitcoin showed signs of decoupling from US equities. However, US president Trump's positive remarks about the US-China trade war (which had included a 145% tariff on Chinese goods) triggered a relief rally across markets. As a result, BTC has resumed moving up with US equities. 

This rally has led to a rise in short-tenor implied volatility and a recovery in BTC’s put-call skew, indicating that traders are seeking upside exposure.

Please check out the report’s highlights.

Perp open interest rises across the board

Perpetual open interest increased significantly this week across various tokens, especially ETH. Perpetual trading volumes also rose. Notably, Ap 7, 2025 recorded the highest trade volume of the month, following Trump's comment, "Forget markets for a second, we have all the advantages."

BTC option open interest shows a mixed picture; put-call skew in short tenor sends positive signals

President Trump’s recent willingness to negotiate a trade deal with China’s President Xi triggered a relief rally across asset classes, including crypto. Bitcoin had already risen 7% since Apr 21, 2025, prior to Trump's comments. Despite this rally, open interest in puts has outpaced calls, with options volume remaining relatively balanced. 

It's unclear if the demand for puts reflects a hedge against downside risks, or a bet against the upward movement. Meanwhile, perpetual funding rates are providing limited insight into sentiment. However, the recovery of the put-call skew at short tenors indicates that traders are seeking upside exposure to the rally — and are willing to pay for it.

ETH unexpectedly outperforms BTC in this relief rally

ETH's response to the recent crypto market recovery has diverged from previous trends: it outperformed BTC in spot prices, a rarity in past rallies, and open interest in calls exceeds that in puts — opposite to BTC's trend. In addition, ETH call open interest is nearly double that of puts, with calls dominating options volumes. This suggests traders anticipate ETH will reduce its significant underperformance against both BTC and other “ETH killers” like SUI and SOL. Additionally, the spot rally has led to another term structure inversion for ETH.

Advanced

block-scholes-x-bybit-report.jpeg

Bybit X Block Scholes crypto derivatives analytics report (Apr 24, 2025): Put-call skew recovers at short tenors, showing reviving sentiment

Explore all the hottest Bybit events happening during the week of TOKEN2049 Dubai in this article.

It’s that time of year again — TOKEN2049 Dubai is back, and the city is buzzing with excitement. As one of the most anticipated events on the crypto calendar, it’s not just about the main conference; it’s about everything happening around it, too. From side events and workshops to exclusive mixers and demo days, Bybit is showing up in full force this year. Here's your inside look at what to expect during this action-packed week.

The heart of TOKEN2049 Week, TOKEN2049 Dubai promises two full days of future-facing discussions and innovation in the world of crypto. At the center of it all is Bybit’s immersive booth experience, built on the theme 

. It’s not just a theme — it’s a vibe. Picture claw machines, 

If you’re heading to TOKEN2049 Dubai, be sure to drop by the Bybit booth (located at P33) and chat with our extraordinary Bybit team! And don’t miss your chance to grab a gacha token by scanning our QR code with Bybit Pay. You could walk away with exclusive Bybit merch! 

DMCC x VARA: Crypto regulations and business growth

Policy meets progress at this exclusive evening event co-hosted by DMCC and VARA. This gathering brings together regulators and industry leaders for an open discussion on the future of digital asset compliance and business growth in the region.

You can expect sharp insights, candid perspectives and forward-thinking dialogue about what it really takes to scale a crypto business in a regulated environment. If you care about the future of web3 in the UAE, this is one event to mark on your calendar.

Bybit After Hours: Exclusive Insights & Networking 

 is a private cocktail evening for top-tier traders and long-time supporters of Bybit. This event is equal parts networking, knowledge sharing and celebration.

 to strategic conversations with the Bybit team, this night is tailored to those who trade big and think bigger. With an invite-only guest list, it’s set to be one of the most exclusive experiences of the week.

The Crypto Hub x Bybit Crypto Ark Demo Day

 is all about bringing hands-on energy to the web3 scene. Hosted at the Crypto Ark inside Bybit’s office, this event welcomes founders, devs and crypto creatives for a casual evening of product showcases, idea exchange and light networking.

While Bybit provides the space, the real spotlight is on the community — those shaping the next wave of innovation in web3.

 from across the CIS region are gathering for a deep dive into the tools, tips and strategies that drive growth at Bybit. This meetup goes beyond surface-level sharing — expect actionable workshops covering our Bybit Affiliate program and affiliate best practices.

It’s also a chance to hear directly from Bybit product leads and regional managers, share success stories and walk away with fresh ideas to maximize conversions. 

Wunderbit x Bybit: “Hey, Trading Bot, where is my profit?”

 are here to stay — and this event is going deep into what makes them tick. Co-hosted by Wunderbit and Bybit, the evening workshop blends honest stories from real traders with expert insights on how to avoid common automation pitfalls.

From bot setups that work to the ones that quietly drain your profits, this is your chance to ask the tough questions, hear unfiltered answers — and maybe rethink how you’re running your own bot strategy.

 (RWAs) are taking center stage at the RWA Gulf Summit, a high-powered event co-hosted by Qatar National Bank, Commercial Bank International and DMZ Finance. This summit brings together bank leaders, wealth funds, participants in DIFC, institutional investors and industry pioneers to explore the evolution of tokenized finance in the Middle East and beyond.

Bybit’s Head of Financial Products Jerry Li will take the stage to discuss how 

 (CEXs) can harness RWAs for enhanced yield and 

Dubai's Pinnacle Mixer: Mantle, Mirana, Bybit and Ethena

High above the city, this mixer brings together some of the biggest names in web3 — Mantle, Mirana, Bybit and Ethena. Expect an unforgettable evening of casual chats, cross-chain connections and cocktails with the minds behind some of today’s most innovative projects.

This private event is all about experiencing Bybit Pay in action. See interactive demos, grab a sneak peek at upcoming partnerships and network over bites and drinks. It’s a rare behind-the-scenes look at the way Bybit is shaping the future of crypto payments. 

Wrapping up the week is the Bybit Institutional Symposium — a full-day event dedicated to aligning strategies with institutional clients and forging new collaborations. From macro views to product deep-dives, this conference is built to spark big conversations among serious players.

The day concludes with a gala dinner, a fitting finale to a week in which ideas, connections and innovation have taken center stage.

Intermediate

Bybit Learn Highlights What to Expect at Bybit

Bybit Learn Highlights What to Expect at Bybit.png

Highlights: What to expect at Bybit (Apr 28–May 2, 2025)

Balance (EPT) is revolutionizing web3 gaming with evolving AI companions, blending blockchain, strategy, and intelligent gameplay in one powerful platform.

Artificial intelligence (AI) agents are a key growth area within the blockchain industry. Projects like Artificial Superintelligence Alliance (FET), 

 (AI16Z) and countless others have been essential components driving the overall crypto market. As of April 2025, the CoinGecko portal lists more than 500 cryptocurrencies within its category of AI Agents. These intelligent assistants are now helping individuals and businesses analyze markets, create textual and visual content, automate work processes and trade profitably.

There's a further area where AI agents on the blockchain are flourishing: the world of 

 gaming. In this sphere, bots and agents based on AI algorithms are helping users develop the best in-game strategies, succeed in the competitive world of play-to-earn (P2E) and overcome key challenges in complex gameplay.

Balance (EPT) is a blockchain gaming project that takes the use of 

 to a completely new level. The creation of the team at the world’s largest social gaming platform, E-Pal, Balance offers players AI agents that can aid them in the in-game environment and serve as their personal companions. Based on a multi-layer architecture, the platform offers some of the most cutting-edge use cases for gaming-oriented AI agents.

 (EPT) is a web3 gaming platform that allows players to easily create, own and use AI companions within the blockchain games it supports.

 Balance supports a variety of first-party (internally developed) and third-party web3 games. You can deploy your AI gaming companions and they’ll act as your assistants, friends or co-players within Balance games.

Using Balance.fun, the platform’s primary web interface, you can create your AI agents and specify various details, such as appearance, personality and functions.

Balance isn’t just another obscure crypto gaming platform. The origins of the project date back to 2020, when the E-Pal social gaming provider was launched by four young California-based technology entrepreneurs — Brian Xiong, Tung Pham, Yuzhe Norris Wang and Yuanzhe Li. E-Pal quickly became a leading force in the newly emerging social gaming field, helping players worldwide find gaming companions. By early 2024, E-Pal had become the world’s largest gaming companion platform, boasting 4.2 million users and 450,000 Epals (gaming companions).

In February 2024, the E-Pal team focused its efforts on 

 and AI technologies, starting the development work on the Balance gaming platform. In September of the same year, Balance went live.

Per the project’s documentation, the platform operates on its own chain, Balance Chain, with 

 (AA) technology used for cross-chain communication. The fungible and 

 (NFTs) held by user accounts are based on the 

A key part of the Balance ecosystem is Key Nodes — purchasable 

 that help with the processing, storage and distribution of data required in the resource-intensive environment of web3 gaming. Some applied instances are the management of real-time leaderboards and the automatic distribution of loot and in-game currency. These nodes can also support the computational requirements of training AI models. As a reward for their work in supporting the platform’s operations, Key Nodes receive a wide range of rewards and benefits, including distributions of EPT tokens, the platform’s native cryptocurrency.

As the ecosystem develops, Key Nodes are envisioned to be involved in governance, 

 launch in September 2024, Balance introduced its Points System, designed to reward early contributors to the platform. During the campaign run in September, users could earn points by completing various specified tasks in various activities, such as joining the project’s social media pages or commenting and reposting.

The 400 users with the best performance in the Points System earned a whitelist spot to receive Pioneer Badge NFTs — distinct tokens that provide owners with early access to games, future campaigns, airdrops and beta testing opportunities. Pioneer Badge NFT holders can also enjoy other benefits, such as premium NFTs and voting rights on the Balance platform.

Balance’s platform provides a set of tools to create and use intelligent companions for Balance-based games. You can design your AI companions by specifying their key traits and behaviors through custom prompts and strategies. The AI agents on Balance can assist you in battles, gaming contests, learning, routine task execution and interactive entertainment.

Balance’s platform is made up of five key layers, each one serving a specific purpose in supporting its user and developer communities. At the top of the architectural stack is the application layer, which acts as the main interface for users to interact with human and AI companions and the wider Balance community.

The application layer also contains the AI Battle Reporting System, which is designed to give users feedback and analysis tools on their performance in the platform’s gaming ecosystem. AI technology is leveraged here to provide personalized analytics and performance improvement recommendations.

A range of NFTs are also part of the layer. These include in-game asset NFTs, as well as 

 (SBTs) that serve as summaries of the holder’s achievements.

The platform layer hosts the various games within the Balance gaming universe. These include both internal games and third-party games that have partnered with Balance. The key concept uniting all of the games is the active integration of AI companions and AI players, making the platform a unique environment in which humans and AI agents play, interact and compete.

The platform layer also features an AI-driven NFT launchpad that offers a rich tool set for creating personalized NFTs for games and applications. These NFTs can be traded on Balance's NFT marketplace, which is also an integral part of the platform layer.

The protocol layer includes a trio of critical protocols — the Fans Protocol, Epal Fan Token (FT) Exchange Protocol and Asset Protocol. The Fans Protocol lets players launch and manage their Fan Tokens, creating opportunities for influencers and community builders to tokenize their efforts and launch high-potential crypto assets. Meanwhile, the Epal FT Exchange Protocol facilitates the management of (and trade in) Fan Tokens.

The third protocol, Asset, is used for the comprehensive management of a wide range of digital assets on Balance, providing easy-to-use tools for asset creation and trading.

The token layer is designed for core operations involving the platform’s native EPT token. This layer supports the use of EPT for in-game purchases, access to services and AI companions, Fan Token minting and trading, in addition to other functionalities.

This is the underlying infrastructural layer that powers the platform’s operational mechanism. It can be described as Balance's operating system, and is made up of several critical components: the node system, the Balance 

, the Balance Chain network and the platform's unique ID system.

The node system provides the computational and storage resources to power games and other functionality on Balance. In addition, the system acts as a key connecting medium between Balance Chain and the AA functionality that lets the platform enjoy cross-chain capabilities.

The Balance stablecoin, also part of the infra layer, is designed to reduce volatility and bring rate stability to the platform's gaming ecosystem. The Balance stablecoin system helps players engage in asset trading without the fear of wild market fluctuations, an important consideration in the 

Designed to support multiple chains, Balance Chain operates based on dynamic protocol adaptation, automatically selecting the optimal blockchain platform according to user preferences and needs. This dynamic adaptability is designed to reduce costs, improve operational speed and enhance overall security for users.

The final major component of the Balance infrastructure layer, the Balance ID system, is a unified and secure user authentication and identity management solution. To be introduced later in 2025, the ID system will let users access all services and games within the Balance ecosystem via a single set of cross-platform decentralized credentials. In addition to human players, also AI companions will have their unique IDs.

EPT is the native cryptocurrency of Balance. Although the platform has been operational since 2024, the EPT token was just launched on Apr 21, 2025, with a total and maximum supply of 10 billion. It was issued on two major blockchains — Ethereum and BNB Chain. EPT has a wide range of functional use cases on the platform, including the following:

The EPT token's supply allocation is per the chart below.

 as a swap pair with USDT, and through the exchange's 

 based on USDT. You can also take advantage of Bybit’s campaign dedicated to the token to grab a share of the 

Under the terms of the event, new users can earn EPT rewards by accumulating a deposit volume of at least 3,000 EPT, or by depositing at least 100 USDT and trading 100 USDT worth of EPT via their first spot trade with Bybit. Meanwhile, existing users can qualify for rewards by trading at least 500 USDT worth of EPT on Spot. The event is valid through May 5, 2025, 9AM UTC.

As of Apr 25, 2025, the EPT token has been on the market for only four days, and is trading at $0.0117, which is 26.4% lower than its ATH of $0.01708 on Apr 21, 2025, and 11.4% higher than its ATL of $0.01129 on Apr 22, 2025.

Long-term price forecasts for EPT are mostly bullish. DigitalCoinPrice 

 of $0.0412 in 2027 and $0.0615 in 2030, whilePricePrediction 

These and other emerging long-term forecasts for the token don't constitute investment advice. Given EPT's extremely short history on the market so far, 

 on the token's future prospects, carefully assess market fluctuations within the crypto gaming niche and consider all other relevant factors before investing in it or any other cryptocurrency.

Capturing emerging market trends and sensing the broader market conditions, the team at E-Pal recognized the tremendous potential of gaming companions back in 2020. Four years later, E-Pal realized that the new market dynamics in gaming called for something even more innovative — the use of AI companions, in addition to fellow humans. The resulting product, the Balance platform, is now racing to stake the claim to the best web3 gaming environment supported by AI agents.

The platform's unique features — cross-chain functionality supported by an AA mechanism, a dynamic exchange system that selects the best network for users' transactions and, most importantly, intelligent AI companions — can certainly help establish Balance as a leader in this niche of web3 gaming.

AI agents are taking the gaming industry by storm, with blockchain technology acting as a powerful enabler of these intelligent friends of ours. The Balance gaming universe — supported by the proven track record of E-Pal — has a great chance of becoming the go-to environment in which to befriend your next artificial gaming partner.

balance ept crypto.png

Balance (EPT): Revolutionizing web3 gaming with evolving AI companions

Mantle has launched the Mantle Index Four (MI4), an institutional-grade fund providing diversified exposure to yield-bearing digital assets. 

The S&P 500 rose 2.03% on strong Alphabet earnings and optimism over a possible Fed rate cut. Gold jumped 1.5% to $3,338 as trade tensions rose and a weaker dollar, along with falling yields, boosted demand. Fed rate cut signals also supported the rally. The Coindesk Indices, which tracks the broader crypto market, rose 0.74%, with Bitcoin up 0.06% and Ether down 1.89%, in the past 24 hours. Trade these markets and more with up to 500x leverage on Bybit MT5 using this 

Today's top performer is INIT, up 15.4%, following the launch of Initia, which aims to revive the appchain concept with an interconnected network and an INIT token airdrop.

Initia (INIT), founded in 2022, is a modular blockchain platform that combines a Layer 1 network with customizable Layer 2 rollups, enabling scalable decentralized app development. It offers flexibility in virtual machines, gas tokens, and transaction systems, while ensuring interoperability and addressing issues like liquidity fragmentation and network congestion. Initia has 

 to revive the appchain concept by offering a network that integrates appchains in a cohesive, interconnected way. The platform emphasizes full-stack control for apps, avoiding fragmentation. Initia is also launching an airdrop with claims available until May 24, 2025. The native token, INIT, has a fixed supply of 1 billion, distributed across eight categories.

Check out the latest prices, charts, and data of 

, an institutional-grade fund providing diversified exposure to yield-bearing digital assets. In partnership with Securitize, which has tokenized over $3B in assets, the fund aims to fill a market gap by offering native yield generation in a traditional fund format. Mantle Treasury has committed up to $400M as the anchor investment. The fund will rebalance quarterly and incorporate DeFi-native staking strategies, such as mETH and bbSOL, while ensuring investor protections. MI4 targets both crypto-native and traditional investors, with Phase 1 rollout scheduled for Q2 2025.

Yesterday, BTC spot ETFs saw a total inflow of $114.7 million, all from non-GBTC funds, while GBTC recorded no flow.

Dolomite, the 10th largest DeFi lending app, is launching a 200M token 

 (20% of total supply) during its TGE on April 24, rewarding users based on platform usage. The DOLO token powers a three-token system alongside oDOLO and veDOLO, enabling incentives, governance, and potential revenue sharing. With over $800M in TVL, Dolomite expands to Berachain, integrating with its Proof of Liquidity system to offer advanced lending features and asset utility.

Beginner

2.png

Mantle launches MI4 fund for institutional-grade digital asset exposure and yield generation

Bybit Learn

Investing

Bitcoin

GBTC is the world's largest Bitcoin fund and the first-ever publicly traded trust that has a digital currency as its underlying value.

Screenshot_2023-08-31_at_3.30.21_PM.png

Screenshot_2023-08-31_at_3.40.35_PM.png

Screenshot_2023-08-31_at_3.39.37_PM.png

Screenshot_2023-08-31_at_4.59.33_PM.png

Grayscale® Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), an investment trust that’s traded publicly on the stock market, is a great option for individuals, companies and institutions unfamiliar with the crypto market who want to invest in Bitcoin without directly managing it.

But is it a good investment option for everyone else? Are you missing out if you haven’t invested in it yet? Are there drawbacks that might deter some people from buying Grayscale?

In this article, we’ll answer these questions and more.

) is the world's largest Bitcoin fund. It’s also the first-ever publicly traded trust that has a digital currency as its underlying value. If you don’t know what that is, here’s a quick rundown.

Trusts and funds on public stock exchanges have an underlying asset that dictates their value. These assets are mostly stocks in publicly traded companies. The price of the trust or fund fluctuates based on the underlying 

 (NAV), which is affected by the asset’s demand. An investor can buy a portion of the asset by purchasing shares in the fund.

Since GBTC is a cryptocurrency trust, you can 

 through your brokerage account. In doing so, you indirectly buy Bitcoin — avoiding the hassle of purchasing BTC through a 

. This means that you’re relying on Grayscale to buy and hold Bitcoin for you as a third party.

So the actual BTC is stored in the Grayscale institutional trust, and its retail index is traded on either the open or over-the-counter market. GBTC is similar to a crypto exchange-traded fund (

), as it pools investors’ funds to invest in Bitcoin and charges investors a management fee for investing in the fund.

How Does the GBTC Investment Vehicle Compare to a Bitcoin ETF?

, is a competitor of GBTC. That’s because ETFs track the market data or value of the underlying asset much more closely than a trust. Hence, the market price per Bitcoin ETF share is relatively close to the actual value of BTC.

But that’s not the case with shares of GTBC, because the trust charges an annual 

, and sometimes also a premium. That significantly increases the price of a GBTC share as compared to the market price of BTC while spot buying, or while buying shares of a Bitcoin ETF.

Currently, the crypto investment landscape is predominantly occupied by Bitcoin futures ETFs. These financial instruments allow investors to speculate on the future price of Bitcoin, but they don't necessarily offer the most accurate reflection of the asset's real-time market value. In contrast, GBTC has been proactive in seeking regulatory approval to transition into a 

 — a financial product that could revolutionize the way investors interact with Bitcoin.

Spot Bitcoin ETFs are designed to track the actual, real-time price of Bitcoin, providing a more immediate and accurate representation of the cryptocurrency's market value. Unlike 

, which are subject to the complexities of futures contracts and can deviate from the spot price due to factors like 

, spot ETFs aim to offer a one-to-one tracking of the underlying asset. This makes them potentially more reliable and straightforward for both retail and institutional investors.

Grayscale Bitcoin Trust gathers money, usually U.S. dollars (USD), from institutional investors and uses that to buy BTC directly. These BTC are stored in the Grayscale fund, which essentially makes the Grayscale institution — rather than its investors — the actual 

. You can then buy shares of GBTC and indirectly own BTC.

Ever since Grayscale became a publicly traded fund in 2015, various investors have poured a lot of cash into GBTC by buying Grayscale stocks during bull 

. Grayscale has used that capital to buy more and more BTC. Now, it’s accumulated over 643,572 bitcoins, which is 

 as of the time of this writing (Aug 31, 2023).

To put that number into perspective, Tesla holds approximately 10,725 BTC.

What Are Premiums and Discounts on GBTC Shares?

When you buy or sell GBTC shares, the trust doesn’t immediately buy or sell BTC with your investment. That’s where the concepts of premium and discount come into play, which are essential to learn about if you want to understand how GBTC works.

Suppose the Grayscale trust has about 500,000 BTC, which are all bought by shareholders. Then five investors come in, and each buys 1,000 BTC worth of GBTC shares.

Those purchases will raise the overall value of the trust by increasing the number of BTC held by GBTC investors as compared to the number of bitcoins owned by Grayscale as an institution. That’s because GBTC doesn’t immediately use the new investment to buy 5,000 more BTC.

This means that there’s a greater demand for GBTC shares than the supply of BTC. In such a case, the trust will add a premium to BTC’s value. Anyone who wants to buy GBTC shares will then have to pay that premium on top of the share value.

Similarly, if a bunch of investors sell their GBTC shares, the new investors will get a discount. This fluctuation means that you have to buy BTC at a different price than what you’ll get by buying directly from exchanges. That’s why GBTC share prices aren’t the same as the actual value of BTC.

Finally, you can only buy or sell GBTC shares during the opening hours of the stock market, unlike 

 buying and selling, which you can do at any time.

Grayscale’s Court Battle Against the SEC

Grayscale's legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) began when the regulatory body rejected Grayscale's application to convert its GBTC into a Bitcoin spot ETF. The SEC's primary concern was the potential for market manipulation, a stance that Grayscale vehemently opposed. Unlike other asset managers who also faced rejection, Grayscale took the bold step of suing the SEC, arguing that the regulatory requirements for Bitcoin futures ETFs should similarly apply to Bitcoin spot ETFs.

On Aug 29, 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit 

 in favor of Grayscale. The court found the SEC's decision to be "arbitrary and capricious," stating that the regulatory body failed to provide a sufficient explanation for its denial. This ruling effectively vacated the SEC's initial denial order and set a new precedent in the cryptocurrency investment landscape.

Following the court's decision, there was a notable uptick in trading activity surrounding GBTC, as investors anticipated a narrowing discount to Bitcoin's spot price. First, the price of GBTC shares increased from $17.58 to a high of $20.56, the highest since BTC reached $31,000 in the middle of July 2023. This 17% increment to its share price has narrowed its 

Following this, Bitcoin’s price surged from $25,960 to a high of $27,974. The impact extended beyond just Bitcoin, as the ruling also had a positive effect on the broader cryptocurrency market, where altcoins such as 

GBTC's recent legal victories against the SEC have not only increased the likelihood of its own conversion into a Bitcoin spot ETF, but have also paved the way for other Bitcoin spot ETFs to gain regulatory approval. This could mark a significant shift in the cryptocurrency investment ecosystem, offering a more precise and potentially less volatile investment vehicle for those looking to gain exposure to Bitcoin.

Pros and Cons of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC)

To help you decide whether or not to invest in the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, let’s look at its pros and cons.

Some advantages of buying GBTC stocks over owning Bitcoin directly include:

Crypto exchanges and wallets are vulnerable to 

. GTBC charges a management fee for keeping their BTC secure in cold storage, which is safe from hacks.

2. Regular Audits of the Bitcoin Investment Trust

 with the securities and exchange commission (SEC) to prove that it has the BTC that investors have paid for. That’s an advantage over crypto exchanges, which have the potential to scam people. An example of one such scam is the 

Investors can get tax breaks when they buy GBTC shares through 

, such as a 401(k) or an IRA. It’s also easier for investors to file taxes for publicly traded stocks of a trust that’s approved by the SEC.

Some drawbacks of owning GBTC stock are as follows:

GBTC charges a 2% annual fee. On top of that, you have to pay a premium to buy shares when demand is high. It’s not a good fit for smaller investors, because you need a minimum investment of $50,000 to buy into Grayscale Bitcoin Trust.

You can never redeem your shares for actual BTC because the Grayscale trust owns the private keys to the BTC in your shares.

The value of a GBTC share hasn’t been growing at the same rate as its underlying asset. Even if you don’t have to pay a premium, you still won’t earn as much profit by buying shares as you will by owning Bitcoin directly. From 2020 to 2021, GBTC’s share price 

 in value while BTC surged by nearly 340%.

 (PoR) with its customers due to security concerns, despite the global panic over the 

. This refusal has sparked public furor over the company's future.

Is Grayscale Bitcoin Trust a Good Investment?

GBTC may not be a good investment option because the value of GBTC shares doesn’t accurately match the value of Bitcoin. Prior to its win against the SEC, GBTC shares were trading at a record-low 45.08% discount to Bitcoin’s net asset value 

. Now that Grayscale has won its court battle, GBTC shares are currently trading at a discount of 19.51% (as of Aug 31, 2023). While the discount has narrowed significantly, it still doesn’t change the fact that if you purchase GBTC shares today, you’ll get fewer BTC than you would through spot buying for the same amount in USD. 

Investing in GBTC doesn’t give you voting rights on protocols, because you don’t own the 

to the BTC in your shares. Also, transactions occurring on the trust are censored by government agencies — which defeats the original purpose of a decentralized digital currency.

Perhaps in the future, if the shares start trading at a premium again, then Grayscale will be a good option for accredited investors who can purchase GBTC shares at the NAV price.

While Grayscale's recent legal victory against the SEC has been a game changer, it's essential to consider the broader context when evaluating GBTC as an investment vehicle. Historically, GBTC has been a go-to option primarily for affluent investors, given its premium pricing and unique structure. Moreover, the trust has been under scrutiny for its lack of transparency, particularly its unwillingness to disclose proof of reserves. This has raised legitimate concerns about the trust's overall credibility and risk profile.

The court ruling has certainly bolstered GBTC's prospects of becoming a Bitcoin spot ETF, but it doesn't entirely mitigate the existing criticisms and risks associated with the Grayscale trust. For retail investors, the question then becomes whether the potential benefits of a Bitcoin spot ETF outweigh the existing concerns. When looking at the volatility within the cryptocurrency market, coupled with GBTC's opaque practices, some may argue that direct ownership of Bitcoin could be a more straightforward and potentially safer alternative.

Volatility is unavoidable, whether you’re buying BTC directly or on the open market through GBTC. Whenever lawmakers release new rules about regulating crypto or deny a 

In addition, since you don’t own the BTC in your GBTC shares, you can’t use it. If you want to actually use Bitcoin and save on management fees, then you’re better off 

While Grayscale’s recent legal win has opened new doors for its Bitcoin Trust, investors must weigh the inherent risks and criticisms against the potential rewards. The court ruling is a significant milestone, but it doesn't serve as a blanket endorsement of GBTC as an investment option. Retail investors need to exercise 

 and consider multiple avenues for cryptocurrency exposure, including the direct ownership of Bitcoin.

Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC): All You Need to Know

Compete for 2,500 USDT Every Week

Earn Points by Completing Tasks

Event Rules

Register now and get 10 points

Write/Reply Comments (0/5)

Publish an Article (0/5)

Share an Article on Social Media (0/5)

Like an Article (0/5)

Read an Article (0/5)

Weekly Leaderboard