Osprey Bitcoin Trust (OBTC) is an exchange-traded product holding spot Bitcoin, structured to track the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate (New York Variant) minus fund expenses. As of October 2026, the trust held 735 Bitcoins representing approximately $61.8M in assets under management across 2,290,535 outstanding shares.
Sponsor and background
The trust is sponsored by Osprey Funds, LLC, an investment firm based in Tarrytown, New York, originally founded in 2019 as a crypto unit within REX Shares before spinning out as an independent business in 2021. The firm is led by founder and CEO Greg King, who previously structured exchange-traded products at Barclays, Credit Suisse, Citigroup, and Global X Funds.
Structure and mechanics
OBTC holds physical Bitcoin directly rather than futures contracts. The trust uses third-party institutional custody. The fund operates as a Delaware statutory trust and is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Investors access the vehicle through standard brokerage and retirement accounts, trading secondary shares on Nasdaq without holding native wallet keys. The trust does not provide a redemption rail for physical Bitcoin delivery to individual retail shareholders.
Expenses and trading liquidity
The fund carries a total annual expense ratio of 0.49%, deducted continuously from the trust's underlying Bitcoin holdings. As of October 2026, OBTC traded at a net asset value of $27.07 per share with a -0.37% discount and a 30-day median bid-ask spread of 0.42%. Daily trading volume averaged roughly 7,500 shares.
Operational milestones and risks
OBTC launched as a private placement vehicle for accredited investors in 2019 before commencing public trading on OTC markets in February 2021 under ticker OBTC on the OTCQX Best Market. In August 2024, Osprey explored strategic alternatives and agreed to sell the trust's Bitcoin assets to the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), but the transaction was terminated in February 2025 following a settlement payment. Osprey subsequently filed for conversion and successfully transferred OBTC's secondary trading listing to the Nasdaq Stock Market on December 19, 2025.
Key risks include underlying Bitcoin price volatility, bid-ask spread costs resulting from modest secondary liquidity, and tracking deviations from spot pricing due to the trust expense ratio and exchange trading premiums or discounts.
Founders
GK
Greg KingFounder & CEO
Launched over 100 exchange-traded products with previous experience at firms including Barclays, Credit Suisse, Citi, and Global X Funds.
Backs shares with 100% spot Bitcoin rather than futures contracts
Eligible for tax-advantaged US retirement accounts like IRAs
0.49% total annual expense ratio
Cons
Modest fund size of about $61.8M compared to larger spot Bitcoin ETFs
Median 30-day bid-ask spread of 0.42% increases trading friction
No option for shareholders to withdraw physical Bitcoin directly
Exempt from protections provided by the Investment Company Act of 1940
Our review
2.8/5
Weak
OBTC offers direct spot Bitcoin exposure on Nasdaq through traditional brokerage accounts, but carries a 0.49% expense ratio and modest secondary market liquidity.
Fees2.5
Size & liquidity2.5
Issuer & custody3.5
Structure & tracking4.0
Extras (staking, options)2.0
Osprey Bitcoin Trust (OBTC) is an exchange-traded product that tracks the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate (New York Variant). Sponsored by Osprey Funds and affiliated with REX Shares, the vehicle originally traded on the OTCQX Best Market before converting to a Nasdaq listing on December 19, 2025. It holds spot Bitcoin directly, backed by institutional custody, removing the need for investors to manage self-custody private keys.
As of October 2026, OBTC manages $61.8M in fund assets across 735 BTC, with a net asset value of $27.07 per share. Its expense ratio is 0.49% annually. That fee is higher than many direct spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds launched in the United States. While conversion to a national exchange eliminated the wide structural discounts typical of OTC trusts, trading liquidity remains modest, reflected in daily trading volumes around 7,500 shares and a 30-day median bid-ask spread of 0.42% in October 2026.
Osprey Funds was founded in 2019 by Chief Executive Officer Greg King, who previously structured exchange-traded products at Barclays, Credit Suisse, and Global X Funds. The trust experienced corporate turbulence prior to its national listing. In August 2024, Osprey agreed to sell its Bitcoin holdings to the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (BITB), but that agreement was terminated in February 2025 following a settlement payment before Osprey pursued its own exchange conversion.
OBTC suits investors who require exposure to Bitcoin through tax-advantaged retirement accounts or standard brokerages and prefer an established independent trust structure. Active traders or institutional allocators seeking tight bid-ask spreads and the lowest expense ratios may prefer larger spot Bitcoin funds with deeper secondary market order books.
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Not disclosed by the provider: Fee waiver, Custodian, Options available.
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Key features
Spot Bitcoin backing
OBTC holds native Bitcoin in institutional custody, holding 735 BTC as of October 2026.
Index tracking
The trust benchmark tracks the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate (New York Variant) to establish daily net asset values.
Brokerage account access
Shares trade directly on the Nasdaq exchange under ticker OBTC for access via standard taxable or retirement brokerage accounts.
Continuous creation and redemption
Authorized participants manage share liquidity via block basket sizes of $270,765 to align market prices with net asset value.
Annual expense structure
The fund operates under a 0.49% total expense ratio deducted from trust assets.
Inside Osprey Bitcoin Trust (OBTC)
1
Fact sheet
Summarizes the fund's objective, primary portfolio metrics, expense ratio, exchange listing details, and current net asset value.
2
Prospectus
Provides official regulatory disclosures, detailed risk factors, fee breakdowns, and statutory trust operational rules.
3
Discount / premium chart
Tracks daily share market prices relative to net asset value per share. The chart records tracking performance alongside historical premium and discount variations.
4
Holdings
Lists current portfolio assets, reporting the exact number of Bitcoin held alongside cash equivalents and associated portfolio weightings.
Osprey Bitcoin Trust (OBTC) screenshots
The page shows the Osprey Bitcoin Trust product page with its OBTC designation · Oct 26, 2026
What users say about Osprey Bitcoin Trust (OBTC)
There is insufficient user feedback to evaluate Osprey Bitcoin Trust, as no relevant reviews or user experiences were provided.
Based on 1 Reddit posts and comments from the last 12 months, checked Oct 26, 2026. These are posts by users on other sites, not reviews submitted on CryptoReview.
User reviews
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FAQ
Who founded Osprey Bitcoin Trust (OBTC)?
Osprey Funds was founded by Chief Executive Officer Greg King, who launched the firm in 2019 as a crypto unit affiliated with REX Shares before spinning it off in 2021.
What are the fees for Osprey Bitcoin Trust (OBTC)?
OBTC charges an annual total expense ratio of 0.49% to cover management and fund administrative operations.
Where is OBTC available to trade?
OBTC trades under the ticker symbol OBTC on the Nasdaq Stock Market and can be purchased through standard US brokerage and retirement accounts.
Who provides custody for OBTC?
The trust's spot Bitcoin holdings are safeguarded under institutional custody.
Does OBTC hold physical Bitcoin or futures contracts?
OBTC holds physical Bitcoin directly, with 735 BTC held on behalf of the trust in October 2026 rather than derivatives or futures contracts.
Does OBTC offer staking rewards or yield?
No, the trust does not stake assets or distribute yield, functioning as a passive grantor trust that tracks the spot price of Bitcoin.
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