Bitcoin is back, but not as you know it
The US Securities and Exchange Commission finally approved spot bitcoin ETFs this week
By Bronwyn Allen
Fri, Jan 12, 2024 10:11am
2 min
2 min
Several of the first spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to ever be listed on United States stock markets began trading last night. This follows the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approving the listing of 11 spot bitcoin ETFs after a legal battle with fund provider, Grayscale. The approval follows six years of knock-backs for many fund providers seeking permission to offer spot bitcoin ETFs. This is considered a watershed moment in the investing world, allowing more investors to gain exposure to the cryptocurrency asset without buying bitcoin directly themselves.
ETFs are baskets of assets that are professionally managed by fund providers. Ordinary investors can buy them on the stock market just like any other share. Among the 11 fund providers approved to launch their ETFs this week are BlackRock, Fidelity, Grayscale and VanEck.
Spot bitcoin ETFs give investors direct exposure to bitcoin at its spot (current) price. The ability to buy bitcoin exposure via a traditional stock exchange will give investors some degree of regulatory protection as the fund managers must comply with the Securities Act, Exchange Act, and SEC rules. Investors may also feel more peace of mind buying bitcoin via a professionally managed ETF instead of buying it directly themselves through an unregulated cryptocurrency trading platform.
However, SEC Chair Gary Gensler emphasised that the decision to approve the spot bitcoin ETFs did not mean the SEC endorsed cryptocurrency assets. He said bitcoin was “primarily a speculative, volatile asset that’s also used for illicit activity including ransomware, money laundering, sanction evasion, and terrorist financing”. He added: “While we approved the listing and trading of certain spot bitcoin ETP shares today, we did not approve or endorse bitcoin. Investors should remain cautious about the myriad risks associated with bitcoin and products whose value is tied to crypto.”
The SEC’s decision follows a lawsuit launched by Grayscale after the SEC refused to allow it to convert its Grayscale Bitcoin Trust into a listed ETF. The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia found that the SEC had failed to adequately explain its reasons for denying the listing. This meant the SEC had to review its ruling and either more fully explain its reasoning, or approve the listing of the ETF. Gensler said in light of these circumstances, “I feel the most sustainable path forward is to approve the listing and trading of these spot bitcoin [ETF] shares”. The SEC not only approved Grayscale’s product but 10 other spot bitcoin ETF applications awaiting a decision.
Gensler warned that the approval of spot bitcoin ETFs would not automatically open the door for other cryptocurrency ETF products. “It should in no way signal the Commission’s willingness to approve listing standards for crypto asset securities,” he said. Bitcoin closed slightly lower at US$46,382.60 in overnight trading. Cryptocurrencies are known for their volatility. In the case of bitcoin, it hit an all-time peak value of just under $69,000 in November 2021 before crashing to below $17,000 in 2022. Over the past 12 months, the bitcoin price has risen by almost 160%.
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The U.S. now has more billionaires than China for the first time in a decade, driven by AI and a booming stock market.
By ABBY SCHULTZ
Fri, Mar 28, 2025 3 min
3 min
The number of U.S. billionaires in the world reached 870 in mid-January, outpacing the number in China for the first time in 10 years, according to a snapshot of the wealthiest in the world by the Hurun Report.
The U.S. gained 70 billionaires since last year, powered by a rising stock market, a strong dollar, and the insatiable appetite for all things AI, according to the 14th annual Hurun Global Rich List . China gained nine billionaires overall for a total of 823. Hurun is a China-based research, media, and investment group.
“It’s been a good year for AI, money managers, entertainment, and crypto,” Rupert Hoogewerf, chairman and chief researcher of the Hurun Report, said in a news release. “It’s been a tough year for luxury, telecommunications, and real estate in China.”
Overall, the Hurun list—which reflects a snapshot of global wealth based on calculations made Jan. 15—counted 3,442 billionaires in the world, up 5%, or 163, from a year ago. Their total wealth rose 13% to just under $17 trillion.
In November, New York research firm Altrata reported that the billionaire population rose 4% in 2023 to 3,323 individuals and their wealth rose 9% to $12.1 trillion.
Elon Musk, CEO of electric-car maker Tesla and right-hand advisor to President Donald Trump, topped the list for the fourth time in five years, with recorded wealth of $420 billion as of mid-January as Tesla stock soared in the aftermath of the U.S. election, according to Hurun’s calculations.
The firm noted that Musk’s wealth has since nosedived about $100 billion, falling along with shares of Tesla although the EV car maker is benefiting on Thursday from Trump’s 25% tariff on cars made outside the U.S.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk’s wealth stood at about $336 billion as of the market’s close on Wednesday, although measuring his exact wealth —including stakes in his privately held companies and the undiscounted value of his Tesla shares—is difficult to precisely determine.
The overall list this year contained 387 new billionaires, while 177 dropped off the list—more than 80 of which were from China, Hurun said. “China’s economy is continuing to restructure, with the drop-offs coming from a weeding out of healthcare and new energy and traditional manufacturing, as well as real estate,” Hoogewerf said in the release.
Among those who wealth sank was Colin Huang, the founder of PDD Holdings —the parent company of e-commerce platforms Temu and Pinduoduo—who lost $17 billion.
Also, Zhong Shanshan, the founder and chair of the Nongfu Spring beverage company and the majority owner of Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise , lost $8 billion from “intensifying competition” in the market for bottled water. The loss knocked Zhong from his top rank in China, which is now held by Zhang Yiming founder of Tik-Tok owner Bytedance. Zhang is ranked No. 22 overall.
Hurun’s top 10 billionaires is a familiar group of largely U.S. individuals including Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, and Larry Ellison. The list has France’s LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault in seventh place, three notches down from his fourth ranked spot on the Bloomberg list, reflecting a slump in luxury products last year.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is ranked No. 11 on Hurun’s list as his wealth nearly tripled to $128 billion through Jan. 15. Other AI billionaires found lower down on the list include Liang Wenfeng, 40, founder and CEO of DeepSeek, with wealth of $4.5 billion and Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, with $1.8 billion.
Also making the list were musicians Jay-Z ($2.7 billion), Rihanna ($1.7 billion), Taylor Swift ($1.6 billion), and Paul McCartney ($1 billion). Sports stars included Michael Jordan ($3.3 billion), Tiger Woods ($1.7 billion), Floyd Mayweather ($1.3 billion), and LeBron James ($1.3 billion).
Wealth continues to surge across the globe, but Hoogewerf noted those amassing it aren’t overly generous.
“We only managed to find three individuals in the past year who donated more than $1 billion,” he said. Warren Buffet gave $5.3 billion, mainly to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, while Michael Bloomberg —ranked No. 19 with wealth of $92 billion—gave $3.7 billion to various causes. Netflix founder Reed Hastings, ranked No. 474 with wealth of $6.2 billion, donated $1.1 billion.
