By
Steve Muchoki
April 19th, 2024
With the uncertainty in the current investment ecosystem, Wealthfront says it is set to offer its customers an expert-backed recommended portfolio.
Robo-adviser Wealthfront has made a bold move to offer its clients a means to gain exposure to Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) through Grayscale investment funds. Per a blog post published by the firm, its expanded product offerings include the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (OTCMKTS: GBTC) and Grayscale Ethereum Trust (OTCMKTS: ETHE). The firm noted that its clients can invest as much as 10% of their total portfolio in the trusts, citing risk and volatility as the reasons for the restrictions.
“You can add GBTC and/or ETHE to your portfolio by following the instructions here and selecting a combined allocation of up to 10% of your total portfolio. We limit your allocation to GBTC and ETHE because, as a fiduciary, we act in your best interests at all times, and these investments can be riskier and more volatile than most ETFs,” Wealthfront said in the blog post.
The maturity of the cryptocurrency ecosystem has seen a growing clamor for exposure or investments in assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum by both retail and institutional investors. Several economic fundamentals have contributed to this rising embrace of nascent assets including the pangs of inflation which has continued to contribute to the devaluation of fiat currencies like the US Dollar. More than ever, the investment community is seeing a more flexible and promising means of hedging against inflation through digital assets.
The move by Wealthfront to integrate the GBTC and ETHE is geared toward enhancing the quality of investment options by its clients. While there is no obligation on customers to invest in these offerings, their availability implies the Robo adviser is moving in line with the trends in the growing digital world.
Wealthfront Grayscale Funds: Value Added Services to Owing Crypto
The Wealthfront system uses advanced automation to take “chore out of managing your portfolio and works to maximize your after-tax returns at no extra cost.” Just like the investment manager is offering GBTC and ETHE investment options, it also gives its clients the way to acquire other investment products including ARK ETFs as well as other vehicles that represent innovative tech and social advancements.
The firm said the newly added products are complementary to the existing products as customers “can now choose from a bigger selection of ARK ETFs, pick ETFs that are specific to industries like cannabis or self-driving cars, or choose from a larger pool of socially responsible investments, adding that “the choice is yours.”
With the uncertainty in the current investment ecosystem, Wealthfront says it is set to offer its customers an expert-backed recommended portfolio. As a value-added service, the firm said its clients can bring over investments from another firm and they will handle the details that is billed to drive productivity.
Wealthfront is arguably one of the largest Robo advisors in the world with about $25 billion in assets under management. Grayscale also holds as much as $25.5 billion in the GBTC trust and $7.47 billion in its ETHE trust.