One year of bitcoin ETFs in Australia: mass affluent driving steady momentum
June 2025
Global asset manager VanEck today marked the first anniversary of mainstream bitcoin exposure in Australia, following the launch of the first bitcoin exchange traded fund (ETF) on the ASX in June 2024.
This milestone reflects a broader trend of increasing bitcoin adoption worldwide. Since early 2024, bitcoin exchange traded products have accumulated more than $80 billion worldwide. VanEck’s Bitcoin ETF (ASX: VBTC) has led the Australian market, amassing $290 million in total net assets as of 26 June 2025.
A recent analysis of VanEck’s investors suggests the mass affluent have been making meaningful allocations to bitcoin, with the average investment in VBTC approximately $40K.
Arian Neiron, CEO and Managing Director of VanEck Asia Pacific, said: “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. 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,” said Neiron.
With multiple bitcoin ETFs now available in Australia, VBTC has attracted the largest share of net inflows this year. This indicates recognition of VanEck’s extensive global expertise in digital asset investing and its proven local commitment to investor interests, further underscored by the fund’s notable liquidity.
“VBTC has consistently maintained the tightest trading spreads on average among its peers since inception.[i] 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,” concluded Neiron.
[i] ASX, CBOE. Data 30 June 2024 to 31 May 2025.
VanEck Investments Limited (ACN 146 596 116 AFSL 416755) (VanEck) is the issuer and responsible entity of all VanEck exchange traded funds (Funds) trading on the ASX. This information is general in nature and not personal advice, it does not take into account any person’s financial objectives, situation or needs. The product disclosure statement (PDS) and the target market determination (TMD) for all Funds are available at vaneck.com.au. You should consider whether or not an investment in any Fund is appropriate for you. Investments in a Fund involve risks associated with financial markets. These risks vary depending on a Fund’s investment objective. Refer to the applicable PDS and TMD for more details on risks. Investment returns and capital are not guaranteed.
An investment in the fund involves extremely high risk and the potential for loss of all capital invested. Investors should actively monitor their investment as frequently as daily to ensure it continues to meet their investment objectives. Risks associated with an investment in the fund include those associated with pricing risk, regulatory risk, custody risk, immutability risk, ASX trading time risk, concentration risk, environmental risk, currency risk, operational risk, underlying fund risk and forking risk. See the VanEck Bitcoin ETF PDS and TMD for more details.