Europe's First Bitcoin ETF Classified as Article 8 Fund

Jacobi FT Wilshire Bitcoin ETF Launches on European Market

The first-ever spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) has been launched on the European market by London-based Jacobi Asset Management. The Jacobi FT Wilshire Bitcoin ETF is also the first to be classified as an Article 8 fund, promoting environmental and/or social characteristics under the European Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation.

ETF Claims to be "Fully Decarbonized" with Investments in Renewable Energy

The Jacobi FT Wilshire Bitcoin ETF has been touted as "fully decarbonized" by Jacobi Asset Management CEO, Martin Bednall. The fund incorporates partial investments in renewable energy certificates (RECs) in order to offset the environmental impact of Bitcoin mining. However, experts have raised concerns about the volume of RECs that would be required to counterbalance Bitcoin's energy-intensive mining process.

Euronext Amsterdam Stock Exchange Welcomes Bitcoin ETF

The ETF was launched on the Euronext Amsterdam stock exchange on August 15, more than a year after its planned launch in 2022. This makes it the first Bitcoin ETF to be traded in Europe, and it adheres to the European Union's environmental, social, and governance investing rules.

Investors Can Access BTC through Physically-Backed ETF

The Jacobi FT Wilshire Bitcoin ETF offers investors the opportunity to access a financial product that is supported by actual BTC. This makes it a primary spot, or physically-backed, Bitcoin fund, providing a tangible connection to the digital currency.

Eco-Friendly Claims Supported by Blockchain Tracking

Jacobi Asset Management ensures the eco-friendly nature of the ETF by using outside data to calculate the energy usage of the Bitcoin network. The fund then purchases and "retires" renewable energy certificates, which are tracked on a blockchain service to provide transparency to investors.