A trader who welcomed the approval of the first-ever spot Bitcoin ($BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF) by investing $1,000 in it would have, by press time on July 7, 2026, seen their position rise by $143.40 to $1,143.40.
Specifically, Canada’s Purpose Bitcoin CAD ETF Currency Hedged (TSE: BTCC) was approved in early 2021 and launched on February 18 of the same year.
On its first trading day, BTCC reached a price of 9.80 CAD ($6.89) while its latest – July 6 – price was 11.20 CAD ($7.88), meaning it had risen 14.34% over its lifetime so far.
For comparison, Bitcoin itself was changing hands at $51,679 on February 18, 2021, and has risen 22.47% to $63,210 at press time on July 7, 2026. Thus, purchasing $BTC instead of investing in the Canadian ETF would have seen the $1,000 investment rise $224.70 to $1,224.70 within the same timeframe.
$1,000 invested in the first U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF at launch is now worth
Elsewhere, though the road to a U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF was significantly longer, the world’s largest economy eventually simultaneously approved and launched nearly a dozen such investment vehicles on January 11, 2024.
Arguably the oldest – on account of starting its life as a trust and only later converting – is the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF (NYSEARCA: GBTC), which was trading at approximately $0.54 when it first hit the market in May 2015, and at $40.35 when it converted into an exchange-traded fund nine years later.
Considering that GBTC is, at press time, priced at $49.40, a $1,000 investment made when it converted into a spot $BTC ETF would have risen 22.43%, leading to $224.30 in profit and a position worth $1,224.30.
For comparison, Bitcoin itself was changing hands at roughly $46,402 in January 2024 and rose 36.22% to $63,210, meaning directly investing in the cryptocurrency would have led to a position worth $1,362.20 and a profit of $362.20.
ETF impact on Bitcoin price
Meanwhile, the debate regarding the impact of spot $BTC ETFs on the digital asset’s price has been ongoing through 2026 but has also, arguably, not yet led to decisive answers.
Indeed, while some prominent voices within the community, such as Strategy’s (NASDAQ: MSTR) Michael Saylor, argue that exchange-traded funds have effectively ended the traditional cycle, other analysts view the ongoing Bitcoin downtrend as precisely the continuation of historical patterns.
What is clearer is that the approval of ETFs shifted institutional attitudes toward the cryptocurrency, with major banks now being among the most vocal Bitcoin bulls, as exemplified by their continuously bullish price targets even if they result from downgrades.
Lastly, some critics and skeptics have also argued that the widespread approval and adoption will, paradoxically, prove harmful to the sector, considering that it had – paired with other factors such as more amicable regulators – bereft digital assets of clear goals to be listed in bullish narratives.
Featured image via Shutterstock
