Very much On The Record

Another extraordinary week in the ETF industry and another busy week for ETF Express. We have followed up the news of last week of the launch of spot bitcoin ETFs in the US with a summary of trading on those crucial first two days, and also a new podcast. Recorded on the first day of trading, we had the dream team of Bloomberg’s Athanasios Psarofagis in the US and LSEG Lipper’s Detlef Glow covering the European perspective.

To listen to the podcast please click here, or find us on Apple Music or Spotify.

This episode of Off the Record is sponsored by Truss Edge, providers of front, middle and  back-office software and services to ETF issuers.

Our summary of early trading recognises the crucial role that Grayscale Investments played in getting this landmark decision made. ETF Express gave Grayscale The Editor’s Award in the US ETF awards last year, writing: "Grayscale Investments won the award for being remarkably resolute in its determination to launch a spot bitcoin ETF. Other firms in the ETF cryptocurrency space have thanked this firm and recognised all its hard work in moving the crypto ETF offering in the US forwards and winning the Editor’s Award demonstrates that we join in that sentiment."

We also feature Todd Rosenbluth explaining the first in-conference distribution awards that will be held at Exchange in Miami this year. "At VettaFi, we love working with advisers. Weekly we hear about what investment products matter to them and we get a pulse on what’s ahead.

"For advisers in attendance, they will help us recognise ETFs and ETF firms for their achievements in 2023. For asset managers, they will learn what matters to advisers not just third-party judges."

We did turn our eyes away from bitcoin and the US this week and we have Fiona Nicolson to thank for that as she talked to Dragon Capital about their belief that ETFs provide an "optimal investment vehicle". Suu Vu, the firm’s lead ETF portfolio manager, says: "Investing in Vietnamese midcaps offers investors early access to the next generation of large caps, rather than some of the current large caps that have already been comprehensively rewarded with a premium market valuation".

Nominations for Service Providers for the 14th outing of the European ETF awards  will close end of next week on Friday 26th January. To ensure your chosen Service Providers have a chance of winning, you need to both nominate and vote.

To nominate your chosen companies please click here.

Beverly Chandler, Managing Editor

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