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Hashdex to Close DEFI, Its $14.7 Million U.S. Spot Bitcoin ETF

The firm said low assets, thin trading liquidity and operating costs made the fund uneconomical so it will sell its Bitcoin and return cash to shareholders.

Overview

  • Hashdex announced that DEFI will stop trading on NYSE Arca after the close on Aug. 17 and will stop accepting creation orders that day before beginning an on-market sale of the fund’s holdings.
  • The fund held roughly $14.7 million in net assets and about 225 BTC as of July 30, a scale Hashdex said was too small to cover ongoing expenses and support active trading.
  • Hashdex will convert DEFI’s Bitcoin into cash and expects to distribute liquidating payments to remaining shareholders around Aug. 28 instead of transferring Bitcoin or moving shares into another product.
  • The closure highlights winner-take-most dynamics in the U.S. spot Bitcoin ETF market, where very large funds have captured the bulk of inflows and left smaller entrants with thin liquidity and wide bid-ask spreads.
  • U.S. investors who hold DEFI may face taxable events because the cash distribution will likely be treated as a taxable disposal depending on individual account type and cost basis.