Investments
Consistent with our philosophy, Vanguard won’t offer bitcoin ETFs
January 12, 2024
The recent introduction of spot bitcoin ETFs has been generating considerable buzz and trading volumes for our industry. However, consistent with our investment philosophy, Vanguard does not offer bitcoin ETFs on its brokerage platform.
We also have no plans to launch a Vanguard bitcoin ETF. Consistent with this position, Vanguard will no longer accept purchases and transfers-in of other cryptocurrency products. These products are not aligned with our longstanding focus on offering core building blocks for long-term investment portfolios to help clients meet goals such as retirement or saving for college.
Cryptocurrencies—the decentralized, peer-to-peer means of digital or virtual exchange—remain largely unregulated and are speculative and highly volatile. Unlike equities and bonds, they generally lack intrinsic economic value and do not generate cash flows like dividends and interest payments.
Our ongoing commitment is to align our products and services to best meet the long-term interests of our investors. The decision to not offer and support trading in cryptocurrencies follows precedent. In 2019, we decided that leveraged or inverse products could only be redeemed, not purchased, on our platform, after we deemed them to be risky short-term vehicles incompatible with our investment philosophy. Similarly, in 2019 and in 2022, we stopped accepting purchases and transfers-in of certain segments of the over-the-counter (OTC) market that were prone to high risk, low liquidity, and fraud.
Consistent with our mission, we want our investor-owners to have the best chance for investment success.1
1 Vanguard is owned by its funds, which are owned by Vanguard’s fund shareholder clients.
Related links:
- New year, timeless investing principles (article, issued January 2024)
- Digital currencies: No substitute for stocks, bonds (article, issued March 2021)
Notes:
For more information about Vanguard funds and ETFs, visit vanguard.com to obtain a prospectus or, if available, a summary prospectus. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information about a fund are contained in the prospectus; read and consider it carefully before investing.
Vanguard ETF Shares are not redeemable with the issuing Fund other than in very large aggregations worth millions of dollars. Instead, investors must buy and sell Vanguard ETF Shares in the secondary market and hold those shares in a brokerage account. In doing so, the investor may incur brokerage commissions and may pay more than net asset value when buying and receive less than net asset value when selling.
All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest.
Investments in bonds are subject to interest rate, credit, and inflation risk.
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