Spot ETF

A Spot ETF is a fund that directly holds actual cryptocurrency (like Bitcoin or Ethereum) and lets you invest in it through your regular brokerage account, just like buying a stock. Instead of tracking the price indirectly through futures contracts or other complex instruments, a Spot ETF owns the real coins in a vault. You'll encounter these mainly when crypto markets heat up—they matter because they make crypto investing simpler and more accessible for people who don't want to deal with crypto exchanges or digital wallets. For example, instead of buying Bitcoin directly on a crypto platform, you could buy shares of a Bitcoin Spot ETF through your regular investment app. It's basically crypto with the training wheels on.