The Monochrome Bitcoin Trust (IBTC)

There are two key points of differentiation between investing in the Monochrome Bitcoin Trust (IBTC) and buying bitcoin on a digital currency exchange (DCE).

Firstly, with regards to custody, when investors purchase Bitcoin Interests in the IBTC, the underlying bitcoin is securely custodied with a regulated and insured custodian, Gemini Trust. Furthermore, the contract governing the custody arrangement meets the strict requirements applied by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) in relation to the safekeeping of assets on behalf of retail investors as set out in ASIC’s Regulatory Guide 133. Conversely, with bitcoin purchased through a DCE, unless investors move their assets into self-storage, the keys to their bitcoin are held by the DCE itself. This creates significant risks, as DCEs have the ability to limit or block customer withdrawals, and are able to use customer funds for their own purposes.

Secondly, with regards to regulation, the Monochrome Bitcoin Trust (IBTC) is a fully regulated and registered managed investment scheme offered under an Australian financial services licence with a specific crypto-asset authorisation, whereas DCEs operate largely outside the regulated perimeter overseen by ASIC.

Investors that want exposure to bitcoin but do not want to deal with the technical aspects of buying and storing bitcoins themselves may consider the Monochrome Bitcoin Trust (IBTC) more suited than purchasing bitcoin on a DCE. Fees generally apply when using a DCE, whilst there are management fees and costs associated with an investment in the Monochrome Bitcoin Trust (IBTC), which may impact your returns. It is important that investors carefully consider their investment objectives and seek professional advice before making any investment decisions.

Bitcoin Interests are beneficial interests in an amount of bitcoin referred to as the ‘Bitcoin Allocation’. Each Bitcoin Allocation represents the beneficial interest in bitcoin that is held by the Responsible Entity in a bare trust for the relevant Holder. The Bitcoin Allocation for each Bitcoin Interest will be calculated daily to six decimal places and shall be published on the IBTC page.

The Monochrome Bitcoin Trust (IBTC) issues Bitcoin Interests to investors, giving them an absolute entitlement to an underlying amount of bitcoin in each Bitcoin Interest. At the inception of the Monochrome Bitcoin Trust (IBTC), each Bitcoin Interest comprised 10,000 sats (a ‘sat’ or a ‘satoshi’ being the smallest denomination of bitcoin) or 0.0001 bitcoin, reducing daily for management fees.

To apply for the Monochrome Bitcoin Trust (IBTC), please complete the online Application Form available at https://apply.automic.com.au/ibtc and provide the associated identification documents to the Registry along with payment for the purchase of Bitcoin Interests. Please note that cash cannot be accepted, and all application money must be in Australian dollars. If you have any questions or require assistance with your application, please contact the Unit Registry or refer to the Product Disclosure Statement available on the IBTC page.