It is quite common in the crypto world to hear people touting one coin or another with a fervor usually reserved for religious sentiment. That is not me. That should not be you either. Not anymore.

When bitcoin was first introduced, the whole blockchain concept was new. Many saw it as a revolution, a sort of break with the traditional financial systems that would magically erase all inequalities. Governments would no longer be able to affect your personal wealth through currency manipulation. Banks and other Financial institutions would become superfluous, after being rendered obsolete by the people’s ability to manage and store their funds themselves. Transactions would be made peer-to-peer with minimal or no interference from third parties.

But it turns out, the believers were not that many. Back then every believer had to become an active preacher, spreading the news about the untold riches that this new era of finance would bring. The only way for bitcoin, and crypto in general, to be successful was to gain enough followers.

Well, it turns out there was another path to success for bitcoin. Bitcoin, and crypto in general, just had to prove it was a good idea. And it came about little by little, people from the established financial institutions began to see value in crypto.

Some companies began to purchase bitcoin as a way to store excess capital.  Corporate treasuries now hold 4.8% of the totality of bitcoin that will ever be produced (21 million). These public companies have to justify their decisions to their stockholders, so the fact that so much bitcoin is being purchased by them shows how cryptocurrencies are gaining respectability across the financial world.

But one of the barriers keeping the general investing public away from crypto is that bitcoin requires too much involvement from the investor. An instrument was needed that could bridge the gap between computer literate cryptocurrency enthusiasts and the common investor. That is the main function of exchange traded funds (ETF).

There were many regulatory concerns when Bitcoin ETFs were first proposed. Authorities feared that bitcoin was too volatile to become the basis of a solid investment vehicle. There were also concerns about the impact a few actors (whales) could have on the price of the asset, which would open the door to price manipulation. In the end, bitcoin ETFs overcame all these concerns and became a reality, leading ETFs being created based on other cryptocurrencies also.

According to Bitbo.io (https://bitbo.io/treasuries/), bitcoin ETF account for a whooping 7.17% of the maximum amount of bitcoin there will ever be. That is proof of the importance of these instruments in the bitcoin ecosystem.

And the trend continues to grow, and has expanded to other cryptocurrencies such as Ripple, Solana and of course Ethereum. As of today, December 11, 2025 there are 124 cryptocurrency ETFs awaiting the approval of regulating authorities (https://bitcoinworld.co.in/cryptocurrency-etfs-awaiting-approval/), a clear sign that this instrument will continue to be integral part of the cryptocurrency landscape.

It is clear then what bitcoin doesn’t need believers or hardcore fans anymore. The facts are now proving that cryptocurrencies are very real financial instruments, and their valuations clearly reflect that. Today, those who remained steadfast in that belief from the beginning are now enjoying their just rewards.