8 Best Spot Bitcoin ETFs to Buy in 2026

A lot of people want Bitcoin exposure, but they don’t want to babysit a wallet, guard private keys, or sign up for another crypto exchange. That’s where spot Bitcoin ETFs come in, as they let you buy Bitcoin-like exposure inside a regular brokerage account.

In this guide, you’ll get my picks for the 8 best Bitcoin ETF for 2026, with clear notes on who each one fits best (active traders, long-term holders, fee hawks, and everyone in between).

Let’s get into it!

The 8 best Bitcoin spot ETFs to buy in 2026: Quick comparison

If you’re picking between two “similar” funds, the real-world cost often comes down to the spread you pay when you trade, plus the expense ratio you pay every year.

Let’s take a look at each of these Bitcoin ETFs in more detail.

1. iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT): best for investors who want the most trading activity

• Issuer: BlackRock (iShares)
• Ticker: IBIT
• Expense ratio: 0.25%

If you care most about heavy trading volume and strong name recognition, IBIT is hard to ignore. BlackRock’s brand carries weight for a lot of investors, especially those who want Bitcoin exposure inside a familiar ETF wrapper, with the comfort of a big issuer behind it.

One big advantage is very high liquidity. More buyers and sellers usually means tighter bid-ask spreads, so you’re less likely to “overpay” when you buy or “undersell” when you exit.

Plus, Blackrock’s in-house tokenization tech shows they’re definitely betting on the blockchain technology long-term.

Pros

• BlackRock brand trust and strong market presence.
• Very high liquidity, which can help reduce spreads for many investors.

Watch-outs

• It’s still Bitcoin exposure, so expect sharp moves up and down.
• Even large funds can see wider spreads in busy markets (open/close, big news days).

What to check before buying

• Look at the bid-ask spread right before you place the trade.
• If your broker supports it, consider a limit order instead of a market order.

2. Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (FBTC): best for Fidelity users and long-term holders

• Issuer: Fidelity
• Ticker: FBTC
• Expense ratio: 0.25%

FBTC makes the most sense when you already live inside the Fidelity ecosystem. If your IRA, 401(k) rollover, or taxable account is there, buying and holding FBTC can feel straightforward, because it fits naturally into the same dashboard you already use for stocks and index funds.

A practical plus is custody. Custody is handled by Fidelity Digital, which may appeal if you prefer keeping more of the plumbing “in-house” with the same company you already trust for brokerage services.

Pros

• Strong platform integration for people already using Fidelity.
• Familiar issuer and infrastructure, which can matter for long-term holders.

Watch-outs

• Your total cost depends on how your broker routes trades, so don’t assume every purchase is priced the same.
• On the day you buy, the spread can differ from IBIT, sometimes by more than you’d expect.

What to check before buying

• Compare the spread on FBTC vs IBIT right before placing your order.
• Confirm your broker’s commission and order handling, even if the ETF itself is simple.

3. $ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB): best for cost-conscious buyers who still want a well-known brand

• Issuer: $ARK / 21Shares
• Ticker: ARKB
• Expense ratio: 0.21%

ARKB is a good middle ground if you want a recognizable issuer pairing, while also paying a bit less in annual fees than the big 0.25% funds. A few basis points might not sound like much, but fees compound the wrong way, and they stack up year after year.

This is still spot tracking, meaning it’s designed to follow Bitcoin’s price closely (minus fees and normal trading friction). If your plan is to hold for years, a lower expense ratio can be a quiet win.

Pros

• 0.21% fee can add up to real savings over time.
• Backed by well-known names ($ARK and 21Shares), with Coinbase custody.

Watch-outs

• Liquidity may not match the very largest funds, so trading costs can vary.
• A market order can fill at an ugly price if the spread is wide.

What to check before buying

• Check daily volume and the current spread in your broker’s order ticket.
• Use a limit order if the spread looks jumpy.

4. Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB): best for low-fee focus with a crypto-native manager

• Issuer: Bitwise
• Ticker: BITB
• Expense ratio: 0.20%

BITB tends to appeal to investors who like the idea of a crypto-native manager running the show. Bitwise built its reputation around crypto indexing and research, so if you prefer a firm that’s been “in crypto” for a long time, BITB fits that mindset.

The fee is also competitive at 0.20%, which keeps the annual drag lower than many alternatives. For long holds, that difference can matter more than people think, especially if you’re regularly adding to a position.

Pros

• Low listed fee (0.20%) for spot Bitcoin exposure.
• Crypto-focused reputation, which some investors find reassuring.

Watch-outs

• Not every broker offers the same access or trading experience for every ETF.
• If volume is lighter on a given day, the spread can widen.

What to check before buying

• Confirm the ETF is available on your broker and tradable the way you expect.
• Compare daily volume and spread before placing an order.

5. VanEck Bitcoin Trust (HODL): best for “buy and hold” investors watching for fee waivers

• Issuer: VanEck
• Ticker: HODL
• Expense ratio: 0.20%, with a waiver note

HODL stands out for two reasons. VanEck is a long-time ETF issuer, and custody is listed as Gemini, which is different from the Coinbase custody setup many other spot Bitcoin ETFs use. Some investors like that variety, even if it doesn’t change the day-to-day experience of holding shares.

The key detail here is the fee waiver note. A fee waiver is simple – the issuer temporarily charges a lower fee (sometimes even 0%) for a set time period or until the fund reaches a certain size. Then the standard fee kicks in.

That can change your real cost, depending on when you buy and how long you hold.

Pros

• Straightforward buy-and-hold style spot Bitcoin exposure.
• Fee waiver periods can reduce cost (when active).

Watch-outs

• Waivers can expire, so the fee you pay later may be higher than the promo period.
• Liquidity varies by platform, so trading costs can differ.

What to check before buying

• Verify the current net expense ratio after any waiver.
• Check spread and volume inside your broker before trading.

6. Franklin Bitcoin ETF (EZBC): best for traditional investors who want Bitcoin exposure from an established asset manager

• Issuer: Franklin Templeton
• Ticker: EZBC
• Expense ratio: 0.19%

EZBC works best for investors who want Bitcoin exposure without feeling like they’re buying a “crypto-native” product. Franklin Templeton is a long-established, traditional asset manager, and for some people that matters more than shaving off a few extra basis points in fees.

This ETF can be a good psychological fit if you’re adding Bitcoin to a portfolio that’s already built around mutual funds, index ETFs, and long-term asset allocation. It feels like an extension of a conventional investment strategy rather than a bet on a crypto-focused firm.

The fee is still competitive, but the real differentiator here is issuer comfort and familiarity, not being the absolute cheapest option on the shelf.

Pros

• Issued by a long-standing, traditional asset manager.
• Easy mental fit for investors used to classic ETFs and portfolio models.

Watch-outs

• A lower fee does not guarantee a lower total cost to own.
• If liquidity is thinner on your platform, spreads can bite.

What to check before buying

• Look at the bid-ask spread and recent trading activity.
• Confirm your broker’s execution quality for this ticker.

7. Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust ($BTC): best for lowest fees

• Issuer: Grayscale
• Ticker: $BTC
• Expense ratio: 0.15%

$BTC (the Grayscale Bitcoin Mini Trust) is positioned as a lower-fee option compared with older, higher-fee Bitcoin. If you like Grayscale’s structure and brand but hated paying up for it, this “mini” version is meant to address that pain.

The big headline is the 0.15% expense ratio, which is the lowest ongoing fee on this Bitcoin ETFs list. Over a long holding period, that can be meaningful, as long as you don’t give it back through poor trade execution.

Pros

• Very low listed fee (0.15%) for a spot Bitcoin ETF.
• Designed to be a more cost-friendly Grayscale option.

Watch-outs

• Newer or smaller funds can have less liquidity on some days, which can widen spreads.
• Grayscale has multiple Bitcoin products, so it’s easy to pick the wrong ticker if you rush.

What to check before buying

• Confirm you’re selecting $BTC (the Mini Trust) and not another Grayscale Bitcoin ticker.
• Check volume and spread at the time you trade.

8. Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF (BTCO): best for a middle-ground choice from a big issuer

• Issuer: Invesco / Galaxy
• Ticker: BTCO
• Expense ratio: 0.25%

BTCO is a solid “middle lane” option. You get a major ETF issuer (Invesco) paired with Galaxy’s crypto background, which can be appealing if you want something that feels closer to traditional finance, but still connected to a crypto specialist.

The listed fee is 0.25%, so you’re not choosing BTCO for the lowest expenses. You’re choosing it for a familiar issuer pairing and a straightforward way to hold spot Bitcoin exposure in an ETF wrapper.

Pros

• Backed by Invesco plus Galaxy, a recognizable mix of traditional and crypto experience.
• Standard spot Bitcoin structure with Coinbase custody.

Watch-outs

• Volume and spread may not match the biggest funds, so compare before trading.
• Some brokers treat crypto-related ETFs differently (restrictions, higher margin rules, or no commission-free offers).

What to check before buying

• Compare daily volume and the current spread versus IBIT and FBTC.
• Confirm whether your broker offers commission-free trading for BTCO, or any special limits.

The bottom line

Spot Bitcoin ETFs all track the same underlying asset, so the “best” pick in 2026 usually comes down to a few practical things you can control:

• Fees
• Liquidity (tight spreads)
• Whether you trust the issuer and the fund’s custody setup

If you trade often, liquidity can matter as much as the expense ratio. If you buy and hold, the ongoing fee drag matters more, as long as you still get clean execution.

The eight tickers covered here are IBIT, FBTC, ARKB, BITB, HODL, EZBC, $BTC, and BTCO.

Bitcoin is still volatile, and an ETF wrapper doesn’t change that. Make choices that fit your time horizon, taxes, and sleep.

How to buy Bitcoin safely?

FAQ

What is a spot Bitcoin ETF?

A spot Bitcoin ETF holds actual Bitcoin and is designed to track Bitcoin’s real market price, minus fees and trading costs. Unlike futures-based ETFs, it does not rely on derivatives or contract rollovers. This makes a spot Bitcoin ETF a more direct way to get Bitcoin price exposure.

Is there a Bitcoin ETF in Europe?

There is no US-style spot Bitcoin ETF in Europe yet. However, European investors can access Bitcoin exposure through ETPs and ETCs that trade on exchanges like Xetra or SIX. These products work similarly but follow different regulatory structures than US Bitcoin ETFs.

Why do Bitcoin ETF inflows matter?

Bitcoin ETF inflows show how much new money is moving into these funds. Strong inflows often signal growing demand from investors who prefer regulated, brokerage-based exposure. Recently, Bitcoin ETFs broke yearly records with $1.7 billion in inflows.

How is Bitcoin ETF value calculated?

Bitcoin ETF value is based on the net asset value (NAV), which reflects the market value of the Bitcoin held by the fund, minus fees and expenses. The ETF’s share price usually stays close to this value but can briefly differ due to trading activity and spreads.