FBTC vs. GDLC: One of these Crypto ETFs Offers Cheaper Bitcoin Access

Core Insights - The article compares two prominent crypto-focused ETFs: Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC) and Grayscale CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF (GDLC), highlighting their differing cost structures, asset compositions, and liquidity profiles [2][3]. Cost Structure - FBTC has a lower expense ratio of 0.25%, while GDLC charges 0.59%, making FBTC the more affordable option [3][9]. - As of January 30, 2026, FBTC has an AUM of $16.08 billion compared to GDLC's $538.8 million, indicating FBTC's significantly larger scale [3][10]. Performance Metrics - Over a two-year period, FBTC experienced a max drawdown of 33.28%, while GDLC had a max drawdown of 36.94% [4]. - A $1,000 investment in FBTC would have grown to $1,961, whereas the same investment in GDLC would have grown to $2,794 over the same period [4]. Asset Composition - FBTC primarily offers direct exposure to Bitcoin, holding almost the entire portfolio in Bitcoin, with negligible allocations to other assets [5]. - GDLC, on the other hand, holds a diversified basket of five large-cap digital assets, with Bitcoin, Ethereum, and BNB making up 93.12% of its holdings [7][10]. Investor Considerations - Investors seeking direct Bitcoin exposure may prefer FBTC due to its lower fees and concentrated investment strategy [9]. - GDLC provides a more diversified approach, which may mitigate some volatility associated with Bitcoin, but it comes with a higher expense ratio [10].