Valkyrie Investments‘ Leah Wald on Bitcoin ETFs and the future of digital assets

cointelegraph.com:

Cointelegraph sat down with Leah Wald, CEO of digital asset investment firm Valkyrie Investments, to learn more about the importance of a Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF) and the future of digital assets. 

For context, Valkyrie Investments was launched in 2021 and is one of the only asset managers to have three Bitcoin-adjacent ETFs trading on the Nasdaq. Valkyrie launched a Bitcoin Strategy ETF in October 2021 that offered indirect exposure to BTC with cash-settled futures contracts following a United States Securities and Exchange (SEC) approval for a similar ETF from ProShares. Valkyrie also has a balance sheet opportunities ETF that invests in public companies with exposure to Bitcoin. In addition, the investment firm’s Bitcoin Miners ETF began trading on the Nasdaq on February 8, 2022, under the ticker WGMI.

According to Wald, Valkyrie focuses on “taking the mystery out of investing in Bitcoin” for new investors. “We want to ensure that everybody is able to participate in this ecosystem,” Wald told Cointelegraph.

In addition, Wald explained the importance of a Bitcoin ETF, noting that this topic has been important ever since the Winklevoss twins first filed for a Bitcoin trust. Wald said that a Bitcoin ETF ultimately allows access to an asset class for many people who didn’t have access previously. Wald also stated that there are various ETFs, such as Valkyrie’s futures-based ETF and thematic ETFs. While Wald pointed out that we “shouldn’t hold our breath” for a Bitcoin spot ETF — which she refers to as the “holy grail” — she said that it’s Valkyrie’s mission to eventually ensure a Bitcoin spot ETF, noting that the firm is “fighting hard and working with regulators” to get there.

In addition to her thoughts on