Spencer Li

Will we see an Ethereum (ETH) ETF Soon?

eth etf

What Is an Ethereum (ETH) ETF, and How Does It Work?

Last updated: 3 July 2026 · By Spencer Li, CFTe

An Ethereum ETF is an exchange-traded fund that holds Ethereum (ETH) on your behalf and trades as a single ticker on a regular stock exchange, so you can get exposure to ETH through a normal brokerage account without ever holding the crypto yourself. A spot Ethereum ETF holds actual ETH; a futures Ethereum ETF holds ETH futures contracts instead. The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the first spot Ethereum ETFs in mid-2024, and they began trading in July 2024, roughly six months after spot Bitcoin ETFs did the same. The appeal is simple: no private keys, no crypto exchange, no self-custody, just a line item in the same account that holds your stocks. The trade-off is just as simple: you own a fund, not the coin, so you pay a management fee and you cannot move the ETH on-chain or stake it yourself.

Here is what an Ethereum ETF actually is, how the spot and futures versions differ, and what it does and does not give you.

What is an Ethereum ETF?

An ETF (exchange-traded fund) is a fund that holds an underlying asset and trades on a stock exchange like a share. An Ethereum ETF applies that wrapper to ETH.

You buy the ticker through your normal broker. Behind the scenes, the fund holds the exposure, and the price of your shares tracks the price of Ethereum (minus fees). When ETH goes up, the fund goes up. When ETH falls, so does the fund.

The point of the wrapper is access. Buying ETH directly means opening a crypto exchange account, funding it, and then either trusting that exchange to hold your coins or moving them into a self-custody wallet and looking after the private keys yourself. An ETF removes all of that. You get the price exposure inside the same regulated, familiar account you already use for stocks.

Spot vs futures: what is the difference?

There are two kinds of crypto ETF, and the difference matters.

A spot ETH ETF holds actual Ethereum. The fund buys and stores real ETH, so the share price tracks the live spot price closely.

A futures ETH ETF holds ETH futures contracts (agreements to buy or sell ETH at a set price on a future date) rather than the coin itself. Futures funds came first, because regulators were comfortable with them earlier. They track ETH well enough for short holds, but over longer periods the cost of rolling contracts forward can cause the fund to drift away from the spot price.

Spot ETH ETFFutures ETH ETF
What it holdsActual ETHETH futures contracts
Tracks spot priceCloselyApproximately, can drift over time
Main drawbackManagement feeRoll costs over longer holds
US approvalMid-2024Earlier (futures came first)
Best forLonger-term ETH exposureShorter-term or tactical exposure

For most people who simply want ETH exposure and plan to hold it, the spot version is the cleaner instrument. The futures version exists, and it has its uses, but you should know which one you are buying.

Why did the SEC take so long to approve it?

The short version: the SEC’s job is investor protection and market integrity, and for years it treated crypto products as guilty until proven innocent.

The agency has a long, documented pattern of delaying decisions on crypto ETFs rather than rejecting them outright. It repeatedly invoked its full review windows, asked for more comment, and pushed deadlines back. The same thing happened with Bitcoin. The SEC stalled spot Bitcoin ETFs for years before approving eleven of them in January 2024, and even then the approval passed by a single vote, with then-Chair Gary Gensler stressing that approval was not an endorsement of crypto.

Ethereum carried an extra question on top of all that: is ETH a commodity or a security? That classification debate, plus Ethereum’s move to a proof-of-stake model (where the network is secured by staked ETH rather than mining), gave regulators more to scrutinise around liquidity and how the asset is treated under the law.

The resolution, when it came in mid-2024, followed the Bitcoin script almost exactly: long reluctance, then approval once the precedent and the institutional demand were impossible to ignore. That is the useful pattern to remember. With crypto products, the SEC has tended to delay, then eventually follow the precedent it set with the prior asset.

What an Ethereum ETF gives you, and what it doesn’t

This is where I want to be straight with you, because the convenience cuts both ways.

What you gain:

  • Access through a normal broker. No crypto exchange, no wallet, no seed phrase to lose.
  • Regulated, familiar custody. The fund handles storage. For a lot of people that alone is worth the fee.
  • It sits with your other assets. ETH exposure in the same account as your stocks, with normal reporting.

What you give up:

  • You own the fund, not the coin. You cannot withdraw ETH on-chain, send it, or use it in any application.
  • You pay a management fee. Small, but it is a steady drag the longer you hold.
  • Staking yield is not yours by default. Holding ETH directly can earn staking rewards. An ETF wrapper may or may not pass any of that through, so check the specific fund.

Personally, I think the ETF is the right tool for someone who wants price exposure and values simplicity over control. If you actually want to use Ethereum, stake it, or hold the keys yourself, the ETF is not that. Pick the instrument that matches what you are trying to do.

Where the human edge comes in

An ETF makes the access trivial. One click in your broker and you have ETH exposure. What it does not do is tell you how much to put on, when crypto’s volatility means a position this size is too big for your account, or whether you should be buying ETH at all right now versus sitting on your hands.

The wrapper solved the plumbing. It did nothing for the judgment, the sizing, or the discipline to wait for your spot. That part is still on you, and it is the first of the Five Edges no product can outsource for you.

FAQ

Is there a spot Ethereum ETF?
Yes. The SEC approved the first US spot Ethereum ETFs in mid-2024, and they began trading in July 2024. A spot ETH ETF holds actual Ethereum, so its price tracks the live ETH price closely.

What is the difference between a spot and a futures Ethereum ETF?
A spot ETH ETF holds real ETH; a futures ETH ETF holds ETH futures contracts. Spot funds track the live price closely, while futures funds can drift from the spot price over longer holds because of the cost of rolling contracts forward.

Do I own actual Ethereum if I buy an ETH ETF?
No. You own shares in a fund that holds the exposure. You cannot withdraw the ETH on-chain, send it, stake it yourself, or use it in any application. If you want the actual coin, you need to buy ETH directly and hold it.

Can I earn staking rewards through an Ethereum ETF?
Not by default. Holding ETH directly can earn staking rewards, but an ETF may or may not pass any staking yield through to shareholders. Check the specific fund’s structure before assuming you get it.

Why did the SEC take so long to approve an Ethereum ETF?
The SEC’s mandate is investor protection and market integrity, and it has a long pattern of delaying crypto ETF decisions rather than rejecting them. With Ethereum it also had to weigh the commodity-versus-security classification question. As with Bitcoin, it eventually approved spot ETH ETFs once the precedent and institutional demand were clear.

Now that you know what the wrapper is and is not, the real question is the same one it always is: what is your plan for the position once you own it? An ETF is just the door. The trading is still the trading.

If you want the bigger picture on crypto and DeFi, read the pillar: The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies.

Want a simple system for any market, crypto included? Grab the free 15-Minute Swing Trading Starter Kit. It’s the exact routine I use to scan once a day and trade in 15 minutes, on stocks, forex, or crypto.

About the author. Spencer Li is the founder of Synapse Trading and a Certified Financial Technician (CFTe) with 15 years of trading across stocks, forex, crypto, commodities, and bonds. His trade log is public, 404 trades, losses left in. He teaches low-risk swing trading in 15 minutes a day, one system for any market.

Education, not financial advice. Synapse Trading is not licensed by MAS to advise on investment products. Trading carries risk of loss; past performance is not indicative of future results.

Related

The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies (pillar) · Bitcoin ETF explained · How to invest in cryptocurrency · What is DeFi

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Spencer Li

Comparison of the new Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs: Which is the Best?

btc etf

Best Bitcoin ETF: How to Compare Spot Bitcoin ETFs by Fees

Last updated: 3 July 2026 · By Spencer Li, CFTe

For most people, the best Bitcoin ETF is the cheapest credible spot fund, because every one of them holds the same asset (Bitcoin), so the fee is the main thing you actually control. Among the US spot Bitcoin ETFs, the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) has the lowest expense ratio at 0.20%, with Ark 21Shares (ARKB) next at 0.21%, and the big-name funds, iShares (IBIT) from BlackRock, Fidelity (FBTC), and VanEck (HODL), clustered at 0.25%. The old Grayscale Trust (GBTC) sits far above the pack at 1.5%. A spot ETF (one that holds actual Bitcoin, not futures contracts) lets you buy Bitcoin exposure through an ordinary brokerage account, with no wallet, no private keys, and no exchange to trust. Personally, after weighing fees against fund size, I hold ARKB and IBIT. Here is how to compare them yourself, so you pick the one that fits you, not the one with the loudest ad.

What is a spot Bitcoin ETF?

A spot Bitcoin ETF is a fund that holds real Bitcoin and trades on a normal stock exchange. You buy it like any share, through the brokerage you already use.

That word “spot” matters. A spot ETF holds the actual coin. A futures ETF (the older kind, like the ProShares BITO that launched first) holds Bitcoin futures contracts instead, which can drift away from the real Bitcoin price over time. The spot funds track Bitcoin much more directly, which is why their approval was the bigger event.

The appeal is simple. You skip the parts of crypto that scare most people: setting up a wallet, guarding a private key (the secret code that controls your coins, lose it and the coins are gone), and trusting a crypto exchange not to collapse. The ETF issuer handles custody. You just hold a ticker.

How did we get spot Bitcoin ETFs? A short timeline

These funds did not appear overnight. The road to approval ran more than a decade.

  • 2013: The Winklevoss twins filed the first Bitcoin ETF application. It set the template, and it was rejected.
  • 2017 to 2019: A run of SEC rejections, citing market-manipulation worries. ProShares, Direxion, and Bitwise all got turned down.
  • 2020 to 2021: The tone shifted under SEC Chairman Gary Gensler. The first Bitcoin futures ETF, ProShares Bitcoin Strategy (BITO), was approved.
  • 2022 to 2023: More futures ETFs cleared, but spot funds still stalled over market-oversight concerns.
  • 2024: The first US spot Bitcoin ETFs were approved together, the regulatory shift that opened the door to the funds compared below.

So when you hold one of these today, you are holding the end of a long fight, not a brand-new experiment.

What is an expense ratio, and why does it decide the “best” ETF?

The expense ratio is the annual fee a fund charges to hold and run it, written as a percentage of your money in the fund.

A worked example. If an ETF has a 0.20% expense ratio and you put in $100, you pay about 20 cents a year in fees. The fee is taken straight from the fund’s assets, so you never write a cheque, you just earn slightly less than the raw Bitcoin price over time.

Here is why this is the lever that matters. Every spot Bitcoin ETF holds the same thing: Bitcoin. They do not pick better coins or time the market. So if Fund A and Fund B both just hold Bitcoin, the cheaper one wins by default, because the fee is the one number that reliably eats into your return. A lower expense ratio means more of Bitcoin’s move stays in your pocket.

Comparison of the spot Bitcoin ETFs by fee

Below are the US spot Bitcoin ETFs ranked from cheapest to most expensive. Do note that, issuers cut fees and run temporary waivers to win early assets, so always check the current ratio on the issuer’s page before you buy.

ETFTickerExpense ratioNotes
Bitwise Bitcoin ETFBITB0.20%Lowest fee; six-month waiver on the first $1B in assets
Ark 21Shares Bitcoin ETFARKB0.21%Partnered with 21Shares, a crypto specialist
iShares Bitcoin TrustIBIT0.25%Run by BlackRock, the largest asset manager
Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin FundFBTC0.25%Backed by Fidelity’s custody and platform
VanEck Bitcoin TrustHODL0.25%Established ETF issuer
Valkyrie Bitcoin ETFBRRR0.25%Started at 0.49%, cut to 0.25%; early waiver
Franklin Bitcoin ETFEZBC0.29%Franklin Templeton
WisdomTree Bitcoin FundBTCW0.30%WisdomTree
Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETFBTCO0.39%Invesco plus Galaxy Digital’s crypto desk
Hashdex Bitcoin ETFDEFI0.94%Converted from a futures fund
Grayscale Bitcoin TrustGBTC1.50%Highest fee; longest track record and large asset base

Two things jump out of that table.

First, the fee range is wide: 0.20% at the bottom, 1.5% at the top. That is a 7x gap for funds holding the same asset. Over years, that difference compounds against you.

Second, GBTC is the odd one out. It was the original Bitcoin trust before it converted to an ETF, and it kept the largest asset base and the longest history. Its 1.5% fee is the price of that legacy. Some long-term holders accept it for the track record. For most new money, the cheaper funds are the obvious starting point.

Why spot Bitcoin ETFs mattered for the market

Beyond your own cost, these funds changed who can buy Bitcoin and how.

They lowered the barrier. No wallet, no keys, no exchange. If you can buy a stock, you can buy Bitcoin exposure. That alone pulls in a large group of investors who were never going to set up a crypto wallet.

They added a layer of legitimacy. Regulatory approval of a spot ETF was a signal that Bitcoin is an investable asset inside the traditional system, not just an internet curiosity. That tends to reduce some of the old skepticism.

They made it easy to size small. You can buy a few shares. You do not have to commit to a whole coin or a minimum exchange order. For a beginner who just wants a small, sensible slice of Bitcoin in a diversified portfolio, that fractional access is the practical win.

None of this removes Bitcoin’s volatility. The wrapper is convenient. The asset inside is still the same swinging asset it always was.

Which Bitcoin ETF is best for you?

There is no single “best” fund, only the best fit for your goal. Here is how I would frame the choice.

  • If you are cost-conscious (and most long-term holders should be), start with the cheapest credible fund. BITB at 0.20% leads, with ARKB at 0.21% a hair behind.
  • If you want the biggest, most liquid name, IBIT (BlackRock) and FBTC (Fidelity) at 0.25% trade size and a household brand for a basis point or two of fee.
  • If track record and asset base matter more to you than fee, GBTC is the legacy option, though you pay 1.5% for it.

Personally, I went with ARKB and IBIT, weighing both the expense ratio and the fund’s market size. ARKB gives me a near-rock-bottom fee, and IBIT gives me the deepest liquidity and the BlackRock name. That is my read for my situation, not a recommendation for yours.

Where the human edge comes in

A comparison table can rank these funds by fee in a second, and you should let it. That part is now free. What the table will not do is decide how big a Bitcoin position belongs in your portfolio, or whether you can sit through a 50% drawdown without panic-selling at the bottom. The cheapest ETF in the world does not help if you size it wrong or bail at the worst moment. Picking the fund is the easy part. Sizing it and holding through the volatility is the judgment, and it is the first of the Five Edges no fund can supply for you.

FAQ

What is the best Bitcoin ETF?
For most investors, the best Bitcoin ETF is the cheapest credible spot fund, since they all hold the same asset. BITB has the lowest expense ratio at 0.20%, with ARKB at 0.21% and IBIT, FBTC, and HODL at 0.25%.

What is the cheapest Bitcoin ETF?
The Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB) has the lowest expense ratio at 0.20%, and at launch it also waived fees for six months on the first $1 billion in assets. Always check the current ratio, as issuers change them.

What is the difference between a spot and a futures Bitcoin ETF?
A spot Bitcoin ETF holds actual Bitcoin, so it tracks the price closely. A futures Bitcoin ETF holds futures contracts instead, which can drift away from the real Bitcoin price over time. The spot funds are the more direct way to hold Bitcoin through a brokerage.

Why is GBTC’s fee so high?
Grayscale’s GBTC was the original Bitcoin trust before converting to an ETF, and it kept the longest track record and a large asset base. Its 1.5% expense ratio is far above its peers; it cut the fee to compete but still sits at the top of the range.

Do I still need a crypto wallet if I buy a Bitcoin ETF?
No. The whole point of a spot Bitcoin ETF is that the issuer handles custody. You buy and sell it like a stock through your brokerage, with no wallet and no private keys to manage.

Which one fits how you invest, the rock-bottom fee or the big-name liquidity? Let me know in the comments.

And if you want the bigger picture on crypto beyond the ETF wrapper, read the deeper guide: The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies.

Want a simple system for any market, crypto included? Grab the free 15-Minute Swing Trading Starter Kit. It’s the exact routine I use to scan once a day and trade any market in 15 minutes.

About the author. Spencer Li is the founder of Synapse Trading and a Certified Financial Technician (CFTe) with 15 years of trading across stocks, forex, crypto, commodities, and bonds. His trade log is public, 404 trades, losses left in. He teaches low-risk swing trading in 15 minutes a day, one system for any market.

Education, not financial advice. Synapse Trading is not licensed by MAS to advise on investment products. Trading carries risk of loss; past performance is not indicative of future results.

Related

The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies (pillar) · What is Bitcoin and how does it work · How to invest in crypto for beginners · ETF investing for beginners

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Spencer Li

Pepecoin: The Meme Coin Craze That’s Making Waves in the Crypto World

Thumbnail Pepecoin The Meme Coin Craze Thats Making Waves in the Crypto World

What Are Meme Coins, and Is Pepecoin (PEPE) a Good Investment?

Last updated: 3 July 2026 · By Spencer Li, CFTe

A meme coin is a cryptocurrency built around an internet joke or mascot, with little or no underlying utility, that trades almost entirely on community hype and social-media momentum. Pepecoin (PEPE), based on the Pepe the Frog meme, is one of the best-known examples. Is it a good investment? Honestly, no, not in the sense most people mean by “investment.” Pepecoin has no cash flow, no product, and no intrinsic value to anchor a price. It rose more than 1,500% in 14 days in 2023, then dropped over 42% from its all-time high almost immediately. That is a trading vehicle, not a store of value. You can trade a meme coin if you size it as pure speculation and accept you may lose all of it. You should not park money you need in one. The rest of this post explains what meme coins actually are, what drove Pepecoin’s rise and crash, and how to think about the risk before you touch one.

What are meme coins?

Meme coins are cryptocurrencies built around comical, animated imagery and enthusiastic online trading communities. They are high-risk by design. Most have little or no intrinsic value (no product, no revenue, no real-world use), so they function as trading instruments, not utility currencies.

You will have seen the regulars: Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, Baby Doge, Dogelon Mars, and now Pepecoin. Major cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are not meme coins; they have actual networks and use cases behind them.

The thing that defines meme coins is volatility. Only a handful, such as Dogecoin and Shiba Inu, even carry the daily trading volume (over $1 million) to move size in and out without slippage wrecking you. The rest are thin, and thin markets are where you get hurt.

What is Pepecoin (PEPE)?

Pepecoin is a meme-based cryptocurrency that draws on the Pepe the Frog meme. Note this clearly: it uses the character’s likeness, but there is no official connection to Matt Furie, the cartoonist who created Pepe the Frog. That alone tells you something about the foundations.

A few facts on the coin itself:

  • Maximum supply: 420,690,000,000,000 coins (yes, that many; the number itself is a meme).
  • Rank: it climbed into the top 50 largest cryptocurrencies, and at its peak sat at #45 by overall valuation.
  • Market cap: crossed $1 billion.
  • The catalyst: trading volume jumped 425% on the Friday it was listed in Binance’s “innovation zone.”

Here is my concern, and it is the one that matters most. Whales (a few holders sitting on enormous quantities of the coin) own a large share of the supply. Concentrated ownership like that makes the market easy to manipulate and leaves it open to a rug pull (where insiders dump their holdings and crater the price for everyone else). When a handful of wallets can decide your exit price, you are not really in control of the trade.

Why did Pepecoin’s price suddenly jump?

A few things lined up at once.

First, the so-called “crypto winter” was ending, and risk appetite was coming back. When the broad market thaws, meme coins are usually the first thing to run, because they are the purest expression of speculative mood.

Second, the Binance “innovation zone” listing gave it a layer of mainstream validation. A listing on a major exchange is not an endorsement of value, but it makes a coin far easier to buy, and easier-to-buy plus rising-mood is rocket fuel for a meme coin.

Put together, Pepecoin’s value rose roughly 500% in two weeks, and the headline figure was a 1,503.9% surge within just 14 days. That is the power of social media and community-driven enthusiasm, and it is also exactly why these moves are so dangerous. Nothing changed about the coin’s fundamentals (there were none). Only the crowd’s mood changed.

The crash: a $600,000 lesson

The flip side showed up fast. Shortly after hitting its all-time high on May 6th, Pepecoin dropped more than 42%.

One crypto whale had bought 962.3 billion Pepe tokens just days before the plunge, and was left sitting on an unrealized loss of roughly $600,000. That is the part to sit with. Even a “smart money” buyer with size got caught, because in a market this driven by momentum, the timing of the crowd matters more than the quality of the asset.

To be fair, even after the drop, Pepecoin held a market cap above $1 billion and stayed the 45th largest cryptocurrency. So meme coins can keep real market presence despite the risk. But “it survived the crash” and “it was a good investment” are not the same statement.

Meme coin vs. a real asset: the honest comparison

Here is how a meme coin like Pepecoin stacks up against the kind of asset you would actually invest in.

Meme coin (e.g. Pepecoin)Established crypto (e.g. Bitcoin/Ethereum)Traditional investment (e.g. an index fund)
Intrinsic valueNoneNetwork and use caseCash flows, earnings, assets
Main price driverSocial-media hype, community moodAdoption, network use, macroFundamentals plus sentiment
VolatilityExtreme (1,500% up, 42% down in days)HighModerate
Ownership concentrationOften heavy whale concentrationMore distributedRegulated, disclosed
Rug-pull / manipulation riskHighLowVery low
Honest labelSpeculationInvestment with high riskInvestment

The point of the table is not that meme coins are evil. It is that they belong in the “speculation” column, and you should treat the money you put in like money you are prepared to lose entirely.

Is Pepecoin a good investment?

With any investment, especially in crypto, there are no guarantees. Pepecoin has seen impressive growth, but meme coins have historically struggled to hold their value. Some people characterize them, fairly, as pump-and-dump schemes. Add the concentrated ownership and the insider-trading risk, and the case for “investment” gets thin.

So my honest answer: meme coins like Pepecoin and Dogecoin are an extremely risky speculation, not an investment, because they lack fundamentals and carry extreme price volatility. If you choose to trade one anyway, do it with money you can afford to lose, size it tiny, and have an exit plan before you enter, not after the crowd turns.

Where the human edge comes in

A screener will tell you Pepecoin is up 1,500% in a second. It will not tell you to stay out. Spotting the runner is the easy, now-free part. The judgment to recognise that a thing with no fundamentals, heavy whale concentration, and a parabolic chart is a trade to size tiny or skip entirely, and the discipline to set your exit before you are emotionally in the position, is the part no tool supplies for you. That judgment is the first of the Five Edges an algorithm cannot trade for you.

FAQ

What is a meme coin?
A meme coin is a cryptocurrency built around an internet joke, mascot, or community (like a frog or a dog) rather than a product or technology. It usually has little or no intrinsic value and trades mostly on social-media hype. Examples include Dogecoin, Shiba Inu, and Pepecoin.

What is Pepecoin (PEPE)?
Pepecoin is a meme-based cryptocurrency inspired by the Pepe the Frog meme, with a maximum supply of 420,690,000,000,000 coins. It has no official connection to Pepe’s original creator, Matt Furie, and at its peak ranked among the top 50 cryptocurrencies with a market cap over $1 billion.

Is Pepecoin a good investment?
Pepecoin has no fundamentals, cash flow, or intrinsic value, so it is better described as a speculation than an investment. It rose over 1,500% in 14 days and then fell more than 42% from its all-time high soon after, which shows the extreme volatility involved. Only risk money you can afford to lose entirely.

Why did Pepecoin’s price rise so fast?
Three things combined: the end of the 2023 “crypto winter” revived risk appetite, a listing in Binance’s “innovation zone” gave it mainstream access and validation, and social-media community hype did the rest. None of it reflected any change in fundamentals.

What is a rug pull, and is Pepecoin at risk of one?
A rug pull is when insiders or large holders suddenly dump their coins and collapse the price for everyone else. Pepecoin carries elevated risk here because a small number of whales hold large quantities of the supply, which makes the market easier to manipulate.

So, before you buy a meme coin: are you prepared for the volatility and the risk, and given the concentrated ownership, how will you make sure you are deciding with your head and not the crowd’s hype? Let me know in the comments.

If you want the bigger picture on how this asset class actually works, read the pillar: The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies.

Want a system that keeps you out of trades like this? Grab the free 15-Minute Swing Trading Starter Kit. It is the exact routine I use to scan once a day and trade any market in 15 minutes, with the risk rules that stop a hype trade from blowing up an account.

About the author. Spencer Li is the founder of Synapse Trading and a Certified Financial Technician (CFTe) with 15 years of trading across stocks, forex, crypto, commodities, and bonds. His trade log is public, 404 trades, losses left in. He teaches low-risk swing trading in 15 minutes a day, one system for any market.

Education, not financial advice. Synapse Trading is not licensed by MAS to advise on investment products. Trading carries risk of loss; past performance is not indicative of future results.

Related

The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies (pillar) · What is Bitcoin and how does it work? · How to spot a pump-and-dump scheme · Risk management for traders

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Spencer Li

The Rise and Fall of FTX & FTT Token (Will Investors Get Their Money Back?)

Thumbnail Rise and Fall of FTX

What Happened to FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried? The Collapse, the FTT Token, and the Lesson

Last updated: 2026-06-14 · By Spencer Li, CFTe

FTX was a major cryptocurrency exchange founded by Sam Bankman-Fried that collapsed in November 2022, going from a $32 billion valuation to bankruptcy in a matter of days. The trigger was its own token, FTT (the native token FTX issued and used on its platform). When rival exchange Binance announced it would sell its entire FTT position, worth around $529 million, the token’s price collapsed, customers rushed to withdraw, and the exchange could not cover them. FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Bankman-Fried was arrested in December 2022 on fraud charges, and the company was accused of undisclosed leverage, price manipulation, and self-dealing between FTX and its affiliated trading firm, Alameda Research. Investors and customers lost billions, and the replacement CEO, John Ray, said not all of it would be recovered.

The short version: a business propped up by a token it printed itself is only as solid as confidence in that token. When confidence broke, everything tied to it broke at once. Here is the full story, and the one lesson that actually protects you.

What is FTX?

FTX was a cryptocurrency exchange. A cryptocurrency exchange is a platform that lets people buy, sell, or trade cryptocurrencies for other assets, such as traditional fiat money (government-issued currency like USD) or other digital coins. Exchanges are the main place people get in and out of crypto.

They are not all the same. Some only let you trade specific pairs of coins; others offer a wide range. Some are built for professional traders, others for beginners. FTX positioned itself toward the serious end of that spectrum, and for a while it was treated as one of the more credible names in the industry.

What is the FTT token?

FTT was the native token of FTX, a cryptocurrency that FTX itself issued. It was used on the platform for various purposes, like paying fees and unlocking special features for traders.

Here is the part that matters. The value of FTT was closely tied to FTX’s own performance and reputation. So when FTX wobbled, FTT did not act like an independent asset that might hold its ground. It fell with the company. That circularity, a company leaning on a token whose price depends on the company, is the structural crack the whole story runs through.

How did FTX grow so quickly?

FTX scaled fast on aggressive marketing. It ran a Super Bowl ad campaign and bought the naming rights to the home arena of the Miami Heat basketball team. It got involved in political lobbying, made donations to various causes, and worked to position itself as a supporter of the broader crypto industry.

Timing helped too. The crypto market had been volatile and had seen significant growth in the years before, and that rising tide lifted FTX along with it. Big spend plus a hot market made the company look unstoppable. It was not.

The fall of FTX: how it unfolded

In November 2022, FTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after its valuation plummeted from $32 billion to nearly nothing in just a few days. That also wiped out most of Bankman-Fried’s net worth, previously estimated at around $16 billion. By his own account in November 2022, he had roughly $100,000 left in his bank account.

The collapse came after questions surfaced about how the company actually operated. FTX was accused of questionable practices: undisclosed leverage (borrowing the platform was not transparent about), manipulation of certain crypto prices, and allegations of insider trading and self-dealing between FTX and its affiliated trading firm, Alameda Research. As those concerns spread, confidence drained, and a business built on confidence cannot survive that.

Here is the sequence, stripped to the bones:

StageWhat happenedWhy it mattered
The setupFTX issued FTT and let its value ride on the company’s own reputationThe exchange and its token were not independent; they were one bet
The sparkBinance announced it would sell its entire FTT position, around $529 millionA large, public sell signal from a rival cracked confidence in the token
The runFTT’s price plummeted; customers rushed to withdraw fundsThe exchange could not cover withdrawals tied to a now-falling token
The collapseFTX filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy; valuation fell from $32B to near zero in daysBillions in customer and investor money were frozen
The falloutBankman-Fried arrested (Dec 2022) on fraud charges; reputation destroyedOne of the largest financial frauds described in US history, per prosecutors

Binance’s CEO, Changpeng Zhao, framed the decision to liquidate the FTT holdings as protecting the interests of its users and the wider crypto community. Whatever the motive, the public announcement was the spark. Once a large, credible holder signals it is dumping a token, everyone else does the math on what that means for the issuer.

Why did FTX collapse? The shady practices

The legal trouble was not the only problem. As the situation developed, it became clear FTX had engaged in practices that should have been disclosed and were not.

  • Undisclosed leverage. Borrowing and risk-taking the platform did not make transparent to users.
  • Price manipulation. Allegations that FTX influenced the prices of certain cryptocurrencies.
  • Insider trading and self-dealing. Concerns about how money moved between FTX and Alameda Research, the affiliated trading firm.

A class-action lawsuit filed in Florida in November 2022 accused Bankman-Fried of building a fraudulent crypto scheme aimed at unsophisticated investors across the US. It named celebrities including Steph Curry, Shaquille O’Neal, Shohei Ohtani, Naomi Osaka, Larry David, and Kevin O’Leary as alleged accomplices for their roles promoting the platform. Bankman-Fried retained white-collar crime lawyer Mark S. Cohen, while Caroline Ellison, who led Alameda Research, retained the firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr.

Will FTX investors get their money back?

This is the question every affected customer asked, and the honest answer at the time was: probably not all of it, with a decent chance of getting at least something.

In December 2022, FTX and its affiliated debtors filed a motion with the bankruptcy court seeking approval to sell four businesses, including Embed, LedgerX, FTX Japan, and FTX Europe. The point of those sales was to raise funds to pay down FTX’s debts and return something to creditors. Bankruptcy recovery works like that: assets get sold, claims get ranked, and creditors are paid back in pieces over time, not refunded in full overnight.

Bankman-Fried had been seen as a leading figure in crypto. The allegations and the collapse destroyed that standing, his own and the company’s.

What is the lesson? Do your due diligence

So what do you actually take from all of this?

It is a cautionary tale about the risks of crypto, and a plain reminder to do your due diligence before putting money into any investment. Two specific red flags this saga hands you for free:

  1. A company leaning on a token it printed itself is a circular bet. If the asset backing the business is the same business’s coin, there is no independent floor under it.
  2. Where your money sits is its own risk, separate from what you are trading. Counterparty risk (the risk the platform holding your money fails) is real, and it does not show up on a price chart.

Personally, this is where I keep coming back to a point that has nothing to do with picking the right coin. A scanner can flag a price pattern. A research feed can pull a company’s headlines. Neither one will tell you to stand aside because the whole structure smells circular, or to keep your size small when the story sounds too good. That judgment, the decision to walk away from a thing everyone else is piling into, is the first of the Five Edges, and it is the part no tool trades for you. FTX did not fail because traders could not read a chart. It failed because trust was placed where it should not have been.

This is the kind of thing the Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies is built to walk you through: how the plumbing actually works, so you can spot the cracks before they spread.

FAQ

What happened to FTX?
FTX was a cryptocurrency exchange that collapsed in November 2022, falling from a $32 billion valuation to bankruptcy in days. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after a crisis of confidence in its own FTT token triggered a wave of customer withdrawals it could not cover.

Why did FTX collapse?
The trigger was rival exchange Binance announcing it would sell its entire FTT position, around $529 million, which crashed the token’s price. Underneath that, FTX was accused of undisclosed leverage, price manipulation, and self-dealing between FTX and its affiliated trading firm, Alameda Research.

What is the FTT token?
FTT was the native token issued by FTX and used on its platform for fees and special features. Its value was closely tied to FTX’s own performance and reputation, so it fell along with the company rather than holding independent value.

Who is Sam Bankman-Fried?
Sam Bankman-Fried was the founder of FTX. Once estimated to be worth around $16 billion, he was arrested in December 2022 on fraud charges, in a case prosecutors described as one of the largest financial frauds in US history.

Will FTX customers get their money back?
Recovering the full amount was always unlikely, though there was a reasonable chance of getting at least part of it back. FTX sought to sell businesses including Embed, LedgerX, FTX Japan, and FTX Europe to raise funds and return money to creditors through the bankruptcy process.

The FTX story is dramatic, but the takeaway is boring on purpose: confidence is not collateral, and convenience is not safety. Were you one of the people who had funds trapped in FTX, or did you steer clear? Let me know in the comments.

If you want the bigger picture on how exchanges, tokens, and crypto plumbing actually work, read the pillar: The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies.

Want a calmer way to trade through chaos like this? Grab the free 15-Minute Swing Trading Starter Kit. It’s the exact routine I use to scan once a day and trade any market in 15 minutes, without betting the house on any single coin or exchange.

About the author. Spencer Li is the founder of Synapse Trading and a Certified Financial Technician (CFTe) with 15 years of trading across stocks, forex, crypto, commodities, and bonds. His trade log is public, 404 trades, losses left in. He teaches low-risk swing trading in 15 minutes a day, one system for any market.

Education, not financial advice. Synapse Trading is not licensed by MAS to advise on investment products. Trading carries risk of loss; past performance is not indicative of future results.

Related

Ultimate Guide to Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies (pillar) · What is Bitcoin and how does it work · How to spot a crypto scam · Risk management for traders

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Spencer Li

What is Avalanche (AVAX) Cryptocurrency, and is it a Good Investment?

Thumbnail What is Avalanche AVAX cryptocurrency and is it a good investment

 

Avalanche (AVAX) has been touted a potential Ethereum-killer, meaning it has the potential to outperform and replace Ethereum as the dominant smart contract token.

This token aims to change the way people send money around the world by providing both speed and security that other cryptocurrencies don’t have.

Avalanche has been around for a much shorter period of time compared to Bitcoin and Ethereum, but it already has millions of users across the world.

In addition, it is highly secure, fast, and easily scalable.

But will it be good enough to emerge the winner?

In this blog post, I’m going to cover everything you need to know about Avalanche, including how it works, why it’s so popular, and whether or not it’s worth investing in right now.

 

Infographic What is Avalanche AVAX stablecoin and is it a good investment

 

What is Avalanche (AVAX)?

Avalanche is basically a next-generation blockchain platform that enables rapid and secure transactions.

The platform is based on a unique consensus algorithm that allows for the instant finality of transactions.

The project has a team of experienced developers, computer scientists, and business professionals that are aiming to bring blockchain technology into the mainstream by creating an easy-to-use platform that anyone can use.

How Does Avalanche (AVAX) Work?

The project was built on the Ethereum blockchain and uses the ERC-20 token standard.

This means that all transactions are recorded on the public ledger and are freely available for anyone to view.

You can use AVAX (the native token of the Avalanche platform) to send or receive payments or to mine various cryptocurrencies.

There are two ways you can use AVAX tokens: You can send them in transactions with other users, or you can use them to mine various cryptocurrencies.

Users will be able to purchase AVAX tokens through a variety of methods, including credit cards, bank transfers, and cryptocurrency wallets.

What Makes Avalanche (AVAX) Different?

Avalanche is a cryptocurrency that is different from other cryptocurrencies in several ways.

1. High Scalability

AVAX is designed to be more scalable than other cryptocurrencies.

It can handle a larger volume of transactions compared to other cryptocurrencies, and it can also support a much larger number of users.

Furthermore, Avalanche is more decentralized than other forms of cryptocurrencies.

The transaction speed on Avalanche is much faster than mainstream cryptocurrencies like bitcoin, which means that you can send money instantly without having to wait for confirmations.

2. New Consensus Algorithmn

It uses a new consensus algorithm called Avalanche that is different from the proof-of-work algorithm used by Bitcoin and Ethereum.

The idea behind Avalanche is to come up with a way for nodes to reach a consensus on transactions without having to rely on expensive computations like those required by proof-of-work algorithms.

3. Built-in Governance System

Avalanche has a built-in governance system that allows users to vote on proposals to improve the network.

This means that developers can implement changes by changing how nodes validate transactions without having to hard fork.

4. Built-in Privacy

It also has a built-in mechanism for privacy.

This built-in mechanism helps to protect the identities of users and prevent censorship by governments or other entities.

In addition, Avalanche is compatible with Ethereum’s ERC-20 token standard, meaning that it can be simply continued as a base layer for other applications to build on.

5. Proof of Capacity

Finally, Avalanche is built on “Proof of Capacity” instead of “Proof of Work.”

This means that miners don’t have to use expensive, power-hungry computers to verify transactions, which makes it quick for anyone with a computer to be able to participate in the network.

In addition, Avalanche uses a “delegated proof of stake” consensus mechanism, which means that token holders can vote for delegates to maintain the network.

Reasons to Invest in Avalanche (AVAX)

Avalanche is a cryptocurrency that was created in 2020 and is well-known among investors.

Even though it is relatively new compared to Ethereum and Bitcoin, it has managed to grow to a large market cap within a short period of time.

So, let’s check out the reasons why investors think it is a good choice:

1. Smart Contracts

One important reason is its support for smart contracts, which allows developers to create applications on top of the Avalanche platform.

So, this means that Avalanche has a huge potential for growth.

In addition, it is also capable of creating decentralized applications (DApps) on top of the Avalanche platform, which opens up many possibilities for developers to build and deploy their own DApps.

2. High Liquidity & Security

Next to all of this, Avalanche is also a great investment option because it offers high liquidity.

This means that you can easily convert your tokens into cash whenever you want to sell them or transfer them to another wallet.

Furthermore, Avalanche also offers a lot of security.

This is because it uses blockchain technology to store all data, which makes it hard for hackers to access your information and steal your funds.

3. Easy to Use & Scale

Another advantage of the Avalanche platform is that it’s easy to use.

This means that developers can build DApps on top of the Avalanche blockchain without any need of technical knowledge about coding or software development.

This will make it more accessible for a wider range of people and companies to create and use their own DApps.

In addition, the Avalanche platform is also easy to scale, which means that it can compass a high transaction volume without slowing down or crashing.

4. Proof of Stake

Finally, the Avalanche consensus protocol is secure.

It uses a proof-of-stake model, which means that the Avalanche network depends on its users to verify the transactions and add new blocks to the blockchain.

As long as you have some tokens in your wallet, you can help maintain this network by staking them and earning more coins in return.

How to Buy & Store Avalanche (AVAX)?

Here’s a quick summary on how to buy and store cryptocurrencies safely:

  • Choose a reputable cryptocurrency exchange that supports AVAX, like Binance or Coinbase.
  • Open an account with the crypto brokerage.
  • Deposit fiat currency into your exchange account.
  • Buy needed AVAX with your fiat currency.
  • Store AVAX in a secure and offline wallet.

The Future of Avalanche (AVAX)

AVAX is a good potential long-term play because the company has a strong team and is making significant strides in its development plans.

In. addition, the AVAX token has a lot of potential.

As the company focuses on its technology, it will need to expand its user base and increase the adoption of the platform.

The more people who use it, the higher demand there will be for AVAX tokens.

Furthermore, the company plans to integrate its technology into other areas, such as e-commerce and biometrics.

If it succeeds in these pursuits, the demand for AVAX tokens could increase dramatically.

Concluding Thoughts

Overall, Avalanche (AVAX) is a very promising company that is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for cybersecurity solutions.

It has a strong team and an impressive list of partners, which will help drive the adoption of its technology and increase the value of its token in the long term.

So, if you’re looking for a cryptocurrency that has a lot of potentials and could be an excellent investment for the long term, then AVAX is definitely one to consider.

Now that you know all about the Avalanche (AVAX) token, would you consider investing in it?

Do you think it has the potential to emerge as the dominant token for smart contracts?

Let me know in the comments below.

 

thumbnail the ultimate guide to blockchain and crypto assets

If you would like to learn more about crypto & DeFi, also check out: “The Ultimate Guide to Blockchain & Cryptocurrencies”

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