ETF Versus

BITO vs GBTC

ProShares Bitcoin ETF vs Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF

Last updated: 2026-04-08

ProShares Bitcoin ETF (BITO) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to cryptocurrency securities. It charges a high expense ratio of 0.95%. The fund offers a high dividend yield of 76.86%. Launched in 2021, the fund has a 5-year track record.

AUM: $1.7B ER: 0.95% Yield: 76.86% Since: Oct 18, 2021

Grayscale Bitcoin Trust ETF (GBTC) is an exchange-traded fund that provides exposure to cryptocurrency securities. It charges a high expense ratio of 1.50%. Launched in 2024, the fund has a 2-year track record.

AUM: $10.8B ER: 1.50% Yield: N/A Since: Jan 11, 2024

Quick Verdict

BITO is significantly cheaper at 0.95% vs 1.50% expense ratio, saving you approximately $992 per $10,000 invested over 10 years. Over the past year, GBTC has significantly outperformed with a -8.4% return vs -41.3%.

Key Metrics

Metric BITO GBTC
Expense Ratio 0.95% 1.50%
Dividend Yield 76.9% N/A
Fund Family N/A N/A
Category Cryptocurrency Cryptocurrency

Performance Chart

Indexed to 100 at start (5-year comparison)

15 56 97 138 179 220 2021-10 2022-11 2024-01 2025-02 2026-04
BITO -77.4%
GBTC +25.2%

Performance Comparison

Period BITO GBTC Difference
1 Month +3.00% +3.16% -0.16%
3 Months -22.32% -21.80% -0.52%
6 Months -49.09% -39.30% -9.79%
YTD -21.45% -20.89% -0.56%
1 Year -41.31% -8.45% -32.86%
3 Years -43.93% +258.39% -302.32%
5 Years -77.37% +23.72% -101.09%

Fee Impact Over Time

Estimated fee cost difference assuming 8% annual returns

Investment Period BITO Fees GBTC Fees You Save
$10,000 10 years $1,826 $2,818 $992
$10,000 20 years $7,549 $11,373 $3,824
$10,000 30 years $23,430 $34,483 $11,053
$50,000 10 years $9,128 $14,089 $4,961
$50,000 30 years $117,148 $172,415 $55,266
$100,000 30 years $234,296 $344,829 $110,533

Risk Metrics

Based on 5 years of daily returns

Metric BITO GBTC
Annualized Volatility 57.1% 63.9%
Max Drawdown -79.7% -85.8%
Sharpe Ratio -0.38 0.32

Dividend Comparison

Metric BITO GBTC
Annual Dividend (per share) $7.53 $0.00
Dividend Yield 76.90% 0.00%
Distribution Frequency Monthly None

Top Holdings

BITO Top Holdings

NameWeight
ProShares GENIUS Money Market ETF#IQMM63.38%

Which One Should You Choose?

Choose BITO if...

you want the lowest fees and plan to buy and hold long-term. Over decades, the expense ratio difference compounds significantly.

Choose GBTC if...

recent performance momentum matters to your strategy. Note that past performance doesn't guarantee future results.

Either works if...

you just need broad cryptocurrency exposure. Both are solid options — pick whichever your brokerage offers commission-free.

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