Brian Kelly Introduces An Active Blockchain ETF

Brian Kelly, founder of BKCM Funds and a frequent CNBC contributor and guest, partnered with exchange traded funds issuer REX Shares to introduce the REX BKCM ETF BKC.

The REX BKCM ETF, which debuted Wednesday, is the fifth blockchain ETF to come to market this year and the second actively managed fund in the space.

“Brian Kelly will serve as portfolio manager of the fund, actively managing a portfolio of companies seeking to profit from, the advancement of blockchain technology and the rise of cryptocurrency adoption,” according to a statement.

What Happened

Kelly is a noted cryptocurrency export and authored the book "Bitcoin Big Bang." His firm BKCM “manages a long/short hedge fund focusing on bitcoin, Ethereum, Stellar, Monero, Litecoin, and other cryptocurrencies,” according to Rex Shares.

BKC is the fifth ETF targeting companies with exposure to the booming blockchain space. The other four funds in the space have about $361 million in combined assets under management, with the two largest — including one active fund — combining for $308 million of the total.

Why It's Important

With over 30 industries exploring the use of blockchain, the emerging technology may fundamentally transform the way business is transacted,” according to Rex Shares. “This disruptive innovation could impact supply chains, health care, governments and financial services companies, among others.”

The new BKC has 33 holdings. Top 10 holdings in the new ETF include Taiwan Semiconductor Ltd. TSM, Square Inc. SQ and Advanced Micro Devices Inc.AMD. BKC features significant international exposure, as Japanese, Taiwanese and South Korean companies combine for 45.6 percent of the fund's weight.

The new ETF charges 0.88 percent per year, or $88 on a $10,000 investment.

What's Next

Blockchain is a decentralized ledger and is widely used throughout the cryptocurrency space to record transaction data, among other functions. Dozens of industries have adopted the technology, including financial services, health care and technology.

According to a Santander study, blockchain technology could reduce financial services infrastructure costs by over $15 billion a year, and that’s just one industry,” according to Rex Shares. 

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