VanEck leads market on first anniversary of bitcoin ETF launch

Yasmine Raso

Senior Journalist, Financial Newswire

1 July 2025

Global exchange traded fund (ETF) issuer, VanEck, has confirmed its Bitcoin ETF – the first mainstream cryptocurrency exposure released in Australia – still leads the market on its one-year anniversary.

First launched on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in June 2024, the ETF (VBTC) has recorded $290 million in total net assets as of 26 June this year.

This comes as bitcoin-related exchange traded products (ETPs) have amassed over $80 billion in global assets since early 2024.

VanEck said new analysis of investors in its bitcoin ETF revealed the “mass affluent” were mostly responsible for the fund’s growth over the past year, with the average investment sitting at approximately $35,000.

“Exchange traded funds have changed the game for bitcoin, giving investors exposure to bitcoin’s price momentum without the risk and complication of holding the digital asset directly,” Arian Neiron, CEO and Managing Director of VanEck Asia Pacific, said.

“We are witnessing various use cases emerge as investors explore the role bitcoin can play in their portfolios, ranging from an alternative store of value through to a high beta technology play.

“Bitcoin continues to push through price barriers – the most recent being the US$100,000 mark – and we think its upside potential is significant.

“But it is important to note that bitcoin’s evolution as an asset class is still in its early stages. It remains a polarising asset class, with many financial professionals considering bitcoin speculative due to its price volatility and a lack of conviction in its investment thesis.

“Anecdotal evidence suggests only one in five financial advisers will allocate to a bitcoin ETF.”

According to the ETF provider, VBTC has continued to earn the largest share of net inflows among the other bitcoin ETFs so far this year.

“VBTC has consistently maintained the tightest trading spreads on average among its peers since inception,” Neiron said.

“Tighter spreads directly translate to greater cost efficiency for investors – a critical yet often overlooked aspect when assessing costs.

“This difference can be significant on large trades, which could be a factor in the mass affluent groundswell we are seeing in VBTC’s investor base.”