Bitcoin has hit some turbulence lately. After reaching a record high of roughly $126,000 in early October, the price of Bitcoin has since fallen below $90,000, dropping about 20% in the past month, and rippling through ETFs that track the cryptocurrency. Investors pulled $523 million out of BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) in just one day last week, the largest single-day outflow in the fund’s history, Bloomberg reported. Separately, Morgan Stanley unloaded $104 million in complex structured n ...

Core Insights - Altcoins are becoming essential diversification tools for investors seeking alternatives to bitcoin, with institutional adoption of blockchain infrastructure on the rise [1][2] - The altcoin market includes various tokens from platforms like Ethereum, Solana, and Avalanche, which aim to disrupt traditional finance [1][2] Altcoin Characteristics - Altcoins complement bitcoin by providing diversification opportunities, similar to the difference between small-cap stocks and blue chips [2] - CoinShares research categorizes altcoins based on their real-world utility versus speculative nature [2] Investment Products - CoinShares offers two investment products: the CoinShares Bitcoin ETF (BRRR) for direct bitcoin exposure and the CoinShares Bitcoin and Ether Strategy ETF (BTF) for exposure to both bitcoin and ether through futures contracts, with a 1.24% expense ratio [3] - Ether is treated as a proven asset due to its smart contract capabilities, distinguishing it from other speculative altcoins [4] Market Volatility - Altcoins exhibit greater price volatility compared to bitcoin due to their smaller market values and fewer participants, making them more sensitive to market changes [5] - For instance, during a market sell-off in October 2025, bitcoin fell 14%, while the Avalanche protocol experienced a 70% drop [5] Market Trends - Over 50% of nearly 7 million coins listed on CoinGecko since 2021 have disappeared, yet memecoins have reached a market cap of $57 billion as of October 2025 [6] - Traditional financial institutions are increasingly engaging with altcoin infrastructure, as seen with BlackRock's tokenized money market fund BUIDL on Ethereum, which amassed $2.8 billion in assets under management by October 2025 [7] Decentralized Finance Applications - The research highlights various investment categories, particularly decentralized finance applications like AAVE and Uniswap, which reduce transaction costs by enabling direct transactions without intermediaries [8]

Group 1 - Bitcoin and gold share similarities as potential stores of value, with limited supply and lower correlation to currency, leading to Bitcoin being referred to as "digital gold" [1] - Bitcoin has a distinct advantage over gold in terms of speed, as it can be sent globally in moments, unlike gold which takes significantly longer [1][2] - The transition to a digital era and Web3 ecosystem allows for the sending of value globally, making Bitcoin a compelling alternative to gold, especially during times of quantitative easing [2] Group 2 - CoinShares offers the CoinShares Bitcoin ETF (BRRR), which has shown strong performance, up over 21% year-to-date as of September 24, 2025, aligning with Bitcoin's summer rally [3]

Group 1 - Traditional firms are increasingly considering exposure to bitcoin, with notable interest in bitcoin ETFs reshaping their approach to this asset class [1][2] - Major Wall Street firms like Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan Chase are beginning to offer limited access to bitcoin ETFs, indicating a shift in the perception of bitcoin as a legitimate asset [2][3] - The State of Wisconsin Investment Board has disclosed a multimillion-dollar position in spot bitcoin ETFs, further demonstrating institutional interest in this market [3] Group 2 - Spot bitcoin ETFs are gaining traction due to their regulatory compliance and cost-efficient structure, which includes secure vault storage for bitcoin [3] - The CoinShares Bitcoin ETF (BRRR) is highlighted as a well-positioned fund, boasting over $600 million in assets under management and significant recent inflows, with over $19 million in net flows recorded in just five days [3]