Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
The following discussion and analysis of our
financial condition and results of operations should be read together with, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to, our financial
statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report, which have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted
accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”).
This Quarterly Report contains “forward-looking
statements” with respect to the Trust’s financial conditions, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance
and business. Statements preceded by, followed by or that include words such as “may,” “might,” “will,”
“should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,”
“predict,” “potential” or “continue,” the negative of these terms and other similar expressions are
intended to identify some of the forward-looking statements. All statements (other than statements of historical fact) included in this
Quarterly Report that address activities, events or developments that will or may occur in the future, including such matters as changes
in market prices and conditions (for bitcoin and the Shares), the Trust’s operations, the Sponsor’s plans and references to
the Trust’s future success and other similar matters are forward-looking statements. These statements are only predictions. Actual
events or results may differ materially. These statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses the Sponsor made based on its
perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors appropriate in the circumstances.
Whether or not actual results and developments will conform to the Sponsor’s expectations and predictions, however, is subject to
a number of risks and uncertainties, including:
● the special considerations discussed in this Quarterly Report;
● general economic, market and business conditions;
● the use of technology by us and our vendors, including the Custodians, in conducting our business, including disruptions in our computer
systems and data centers and our transition to, and quality of, new technology platforms;
● changes in laws or regulations, including those concerning taxes, made by governmental authorities or regulatory bodies;
● the costs and effects of any litigation or regulatory investigations;
● our ability to maintain a positive reputation; and
● other world economic and political developments.
Consequently, all the forward-looking statements
made in this Quarterly Report are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments
the Sponsor anticipates will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will result in the expected consequences to, or
have the expected effects on, the Trust’s operations or the value of the Shares. Should one or more of these risks discussed in
the Quarterly Report or other uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially
from those described in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are made based on the Sponsor’s beliefs, estimates
and opinions on the date the statements are made and neither the Trust nor the Sponsor is under a duty or undertakes an obligation to
update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, other than as required
by applicable laws. Moreover, neither the Trust, the Sponsor, nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness
of any of these forward-looking statements. Investors are therefore cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Overview of the Trust
CoinShares Valkyrie Bitcoin Fund, formerly Valkyrie
Bitcoin Fund (the “Trust”), is a Delaware statutory trust formed on January 20, 2021. The Trust issues common units of beneficial
interest (“Shares”), which represent units of fractional undivided beneficial interest in and ownership of the Trust. The
Shares of the Trust are listed on The Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC (“Nasdaq” or the “Exchange”). On June 14, 2024,
CoinShares Co., a Delaware corporation (the “Sponsor”), succeeded Valkyrie Digital Assets LLC, a Delaware limited liability
company (the “Initial Sponsor”), as the sponsor of the Trust. As of June 30, 2024, CoinShares Co. is the sponsor of the Trust,
and Delaware Trust Company is the trustee of the Trust (the “Trustee”). The operations of the Trust are governed by the Amended
and Restated Trust Agreement of the Trust, among the Trustee, the Sponsor, and the shareholders from time to time thereunder (the “Shareholders”),
as may be amended from time to time (the “Trust Agreement”). The Trust is an exchange-traded product. When the Trust sells
or redeems its Shares, it will do so in blocks of 5,000 Shares (a “Basket”) based on the quantity of bitcoin attributable
to each Share of the Trust (net of accrued but unpaid expenses and liabilities). Only registered
broker-dealers that have previously entered into an agreement with the Sponsor governing the terms and conditions of such issuance (such
broker-dealers, the “Authorized Participants”), can place orders to receive Baskets in exchange for cash. Baskets may be redeemed
by the Trust in exchange for the cash proceeds from selling the amount of bitcoin corresponding to their redemption value.
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Shares of the Trust trade on Nasdaq under the
ticker symbol BRRR.
The Sponsor maintains a website (www.valkyrieinvest.com/BRRR),
through which the Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and amendments
to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934
Act”), can be accessed free of charge, as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically file with, or furnished
to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Additional information regarding the Trust may also be found
on the SEC’s EDGAR database at www.sec.gov .
Investment Objectives and Principal Investment Strategies
Investment Objectives
The investment objective of the Trust is for the
Shares to reflect the performance of the value of a bitcoin as represented by the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate – New York Variant
(the “Index”), less the Trust’s liabilities and expenses.
Principal Investment Strategies
In seeking to achieve its investment objective,
the Trust holds bitcoin and values its Shares daily based on the value of bitcoin as reflected by the Index, which is an independently
calculated value based on an aggregation of executed trade flow of major bitcoin spot exchanges. The Index currently uses substantially
the same methodology as the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate (“BRR”), including utilizing the same bitcoin exchanges, which is
the underlying rate to determine settlement of CME bitcoin futures contracts, except that the Index is calculated as of 4:00 p.m. ET,
whereas the BRR is calculated as of 4:00 p.m. London time. There can be no assurance that the Trust will achieve its investment objective.
The Sponsor is authorized under the Trust Agreement to substitute an alternative index, reference rate, or other methodology for valuing
bitcoin for the Index for purposes of the Trust’s investment objective and valuation policies at its sole discretion and without
Shareholder approval. The Shares are designed to provide investors with a cost-effective and convenient way to invest in bitcoin.
Valuation of Bitcoin; Use of the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate –
New York Variant
On each day other than a Saturday or a Sunday,
or a day on which Nasdaq is closed for regular trading (a “Business Day”), as soon as practicable after 4:00 p.m. ET, the
Trust evaluates the bitcoin held by the Trust as reflected by the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate – New York Variant for the Bitcoin
– U.S. Dollar trading pair (the “CF Benchmarks Index”) and determines the net asset value of the Trust and the net asset
value per Share (“NAV”).
CF Benchmarks Index is calculated as of 4:00 p.m.
ET. The CF Benchmarks Index is designed based on the IOSCO Principles for Financial Benchmarks and is a Registered Benchmark under UK
Benchmark Regulations (“BMR”). The administrator of the CF Benchmarks Index is CF Benchmarks Ltd. (the “Index Administrator”)
a UK incorporated company, authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) of the UK as a Benchmark Administrator,
under UK BMR.
Results of Operations for the Period Ended June 30, 2024
The Trust’s net asset value decreased from
$543,197,988 at March 31, 2024, to $518,313,439 at June 30, 2024. The change in the Trust’s net assets resulted from an increase
in outstanding Shares, which grew from 27,075,000 at March 31, 2024, to 29,545,000 at June 30, 2024, as a result of 4,960,000 Shares (992
Baskets) being created and 2,490,000 Shares (498 Baskets) being redeemed during the quarter, and a decrease in the value of bitcoin,
which depreciated 12.5% from $70,764 at March 31, 2024, to $61,910 at June 31, 2024.
The net asset value per Share decreased 12.6%
from $20.06 at March 31, 2024 to $17.54 at June 30, 2024.
The net asset value per Share of $20.36 at April
8, 2024 was the highest during the quarter, compared with a low of $16.42 at May 1, 2024.
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The decrease in net assets from operations for
the quarter ended June 30, 2024 was $69,741,963, resulting from a decrease in unrealized gain on the Trust’s bitcoin investment
of $82,428,503, realized gains on the disposition of bitcoin of $12,977,021, and Sponsor Fees incurred of $290,481.
Cash Resources and Liquidity
The Trust does not hold a cash balance except
in connection with the creation and redemption of Baskets or to pay expenses not assumed by the Sponsor. To the extent the Trust does
not have available cash to facilitate redemptions or pay expenses not assumed by the Sponsor, the Trust will sell bitcoin. When selling
bitcoin on behalf of the Trust, the Sponsor endeavors to minimize the Trust’s holdings of assets other than bitcoin. As a consequence,
the Sponsor expects that the Trust will have an immaterial amount of cash flow from its operations and that its cash balance will be insignificant
at the end of each reporting period. The Trust’s only sources of cash are proceeds from the sale of Baskets and bitcoin. The Trust
will not borrow to meet liquidity needs.
In exchange for the Sponsor Fee, the Sponsor has
agreed to assume most of the expenses incurred by the Trust. The Sponsor Fee accrues at an annual rate of 0.25% of the Trust’s Bitcoin
Holdings. As a result, the only ordinary expense of the Trust is the Sponsor Fee. The Trust is not aware of any trends, demands, conditions
or events that are reasonably likely to result in material changes to its liquidity needs.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements and Contractual Obligations
The Trust has not used, nor does it expect to
use in the future, special purpose entities to facilitate off balance sheet financing arrangements and have no loan guarantee arrangements
or off balance sheet arrangements of any kind other than agreements entered into in the normal course of business, which may include indemnification
provisions related to certain risks service providers undertake in performing services for the Trust. While the Trust’s exposure
under such indemnification provisions cannot be estimated, these general business indemnifications are not expected to have a material
impact on a Trust’s financial position.
Sponsor Fee payments made to the Sponsor are calculated
as a fixed percentage of the Trust’s Bitcoin Holdings. As such, the Sponsor cannot anticipate the payment amounts that will be required
under these arrangements for future periods as the Trust’s net assets are not known until a future date.
Critical Accounting Policies
Principal Market and Fair Value Determination
The Trust’s periodic financial
statements may not utilize the net asset value of the Trust determined by reference to the Index to the extent the methodology used to
calculate the Index is deemed not to be consistent with GAAP. The Trust’s periodic financial statements will be prepared in accordance
with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification Topic 820, “Fair Value Measurements
and Disclosures” (“ASC Topic 820”) and utilize an exchange-traded price from the Trust’s principal market for
bitcoin on the Trust’s financial statement measurement date. The Sponsor will determine at its sole discretion the valuation sources
and policies used to prepare the Trust’s financial statements in accordance with GAAP. The Trust intends to engage a third-party
vendor to obtain a price from a principal market for bitcoin, which will be determined and designated by such third-party vendor daily
based on its consideration of several exchange characteristics, including oversight, and the volume and frequency of trades. Under GAAP,
such a price is expected to be deemed a Level 1 input in accordance with the ASC Topic 820 because it is expected to be a quoted price
in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
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To determine which market is the
Trust’s principal market (or in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market) for purposes of calculating the
Trust’s financial statements, the Trust follows ASC 820-10, which outlines the application of fair value accounting. ASC 820-10
determines fair value to be the price that would be received for bitcoin in a current sale, which assumes an orderly transaction between
market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820-10 requires the Trust to assume that bitcoin is sold in its principal market to market
participants or, in the absence of a principal market, the most advantageous market. Market participants are defined as buyers and sellers
in the principal or most advantageous market that are independent, knowledgeable, and willing and able to transact. The Trust may transact
through digital asset brokers or dealers, in multiple markets, and its application of ASC 820-10 reflects this fact. The Trust anticipates
that, while multiple venues and types of markets will be available to the digital asset brokers or dealers from whom the Sponsor acquires
or disposes of the Trust’s bitcoin, the principal market in each scenario is determined by looking at the market-based level of
volume and bitcoin trading activity. Digital asset brokers or dealers may transact in a Brokered Market, a Dealer Market, Principal-to-Principal
Markets and Exchange Markets (each as defined in the FASB ASC Master Glossary). Based on information reasonably available to the Trust,
Exchange Markets have the greatest volume and level of activity for the asset. The Trust therefore looks to accessible Exchange Markets
as opposed to the Brokered Market, Dealer Market and Principal-to-Principal Markets to determine its principal market. As a result of
the aforementioned analysis, an Exchange Market has been selected as the Trust’s principal market. The Trust determines its principal
market (or in the absence of a principal market the most advantageous market) on a quarterly basis to determine which market is its Principal
Market for the purpose of calculating fair value for the creation of quarterly and annual financial statements.
The process that the Sponsor has
developed for identifying a principal market, as prescribed in ASC 820-10, which outlines the application of fair value accounting. The
process begins by identifying publicly available, well-established and reputable bitcoin trading venues (Exchange Markets, as defined
in the FASB ASC Master Glossary), which are selected by the Sponsor and its affiliates at their sole discretion. Those markets include
Binance, Bitstamp, Coinbase, itBit, Kraken, Gemini, and LMAX. The Sponsor then, through a service provider, calculates on each valuation
period, the highest volume venue during the 60-minute period prior to 4:00 ET for bitcoin. The Sponsor then identifies that market as
the principal market for bitcoin during that period and uses the price for bitcoin from that venue at 4:00 ET as the principal market
price.
Investment Company Considerations
The Trust is an investment company
for GAAP purposes and follows accounting and reporting guidance in accordance with the FASB ASC Topic 946, Financial Services –
Investment Companies. The Trust uses fair value as its method of accounting for Bitcoin in accordance with its classification as an investment
company for accounting purposes. The Trust is not a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940. GAAP requires
management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual
results could differ from those estimates and these differences could be material.
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures
About Market Risk.
Not applicable to Smaller Reporting Companies.
Text extracted from the filing as submitted to EDGAR. Formatting, tables and exhibits are simplified for reading; the original document is authoritative for anything you rely on.