Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Item 9A. Controls and Procedures
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and
Procedures
The Trust maintains disclosure
controls and procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in our reports filed or submitted
under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules
and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information
required to be disclosed in company reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to management,
including our Chief Executive Officer (who serves as our principal executive officer) and Chief Financial Officer (who serves as
our principal financial and accounting officer), to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
As previously described
in Part I, Item 4 of our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2021, Part II, Item 9A of our
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021 and Part I, Item 4 of our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
for the fiscal quarters ended March 31, 2022, June 30, 2022, and September 30, 2022, management made enhancements to remediate
the previously reported material weakness in our internal controls and procedures. The remediation efforts included hiring additional
qualified accounting and financial reporting personnel, providing greater access to accounting literature, research materials and
documents and increased communication among our personnel and third-party professionals with whom we consult regarding financial
statements presentation.
As required by Rules 13a-15
and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness
of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2022. Based upon their evaluation, our
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rules
13a-15(e)and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act) were effective.
Management’s Report on Internal
Control over Financial Reporting
The
Sponsor’s management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting,
as defined under Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f). The Trust’s internal control over financial reporting is a process
designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements
for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Internal control over financial
reporting includes those policies and procedures that: (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately
and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the Trust’s assets, (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions
are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,
and that the Trust’s receipts and expenditures are being made only in accordance with appropriate authorizations; and (3)
provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the Trust’s
assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
67
Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections
of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become ineffective because of changes
in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
The
Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor assessed the effectiveness of the Trust’s
internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022. In making this assessment, they used the criteria set forth
by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (“COSO”) in Internal Control—Integrated
Framework (2013). Their assessment included an evaluation of the design of the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting
and testing of the operational effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting. Based on their assessment and those
criteria, the Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial and Accounting Officer of the Sponsor concluded that the Trust
maintained effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2022.
We
are an “emerging growth company” under the JOBS Act, as such our independent registered public accounting firm will
not be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting for so long as we are an emerging
growth company.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial
Reporting
Other than the successful
implementation and the completion of testing of the remediation efforts discussed above, there was no change in our internal control
over financial reporting that occurred during the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2022, that has materially affected, or is reasonably
likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 9B. Other Information
None.
Item 9C. Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that
Prevent Inspections
Not applicable.
68
PART III
Item 10. Directors, Executive Officers
and Corporate Governance
The Trust does not have
any directors, officers or employees. Under the Trust Agreement, all management functions of the Trust have been delegated to and
are conducted by the Sponsor, its agents and its affiliates, including without limitation, the Custodian and its agents. As officers
of the Sponsor, Gregory D. King, the Chief Executive Officer of the Sponsor, Robert Rokose, the Chief Financial Officer of the
Sponsor and Matthew Mascera, as Director of Operations of the Sponsor, may take certain actions and execute certain agreements
and certifications for the Trust, in their capacity as the principal officers of the Sponsor.
The following individuals
are the officers of the Sponsor responsible for overseeing the business and operations of the Trust:
Gregory D. King, 48, Chief Executive Officer
Gregory D. King is Founder
and CEO of Osprey Funds, LLC and has served as CEO of the Sponsor since its inception in October 2018. Greg is the primary author
of several financial industry innovations including creating the first ever exchange-traded note (“ETN”) for Barclays
in 2006. In 2009, Greg co-founded VelocityShares, LLC, a provider of alternative ETPs, partnering with Credit Suisse as product
issuer. VelocityShares was acquired by Janus Capital in 2014. During his career, Greg has created and launched over 100 exchange-traded
funds and notes for Barclays, Credit Suisse, Global X Funds, VelocityShares, REX Shares, LLC, and Osprey Funds. Greg received a
Master’s in Business Administration from the University of California, Davis, and is a CFA Charter holder. He has been an
investor in Bitcoin since 2013.
Robert Rokose, 52, Chief Financial Officer
and Treasurer
Robert Rokose became Treasurer and CFO of the
Sponsor in March 2020. He is also CFO of REX Shares, LLC, originally the parent company to the Sponsor. Bob has 28 years of accounting
and financial services experience. His previous roles include CFO of U.S. Funds at JP Morgan Asset Management, Managing Director &
CFO for PIMCO/Allianz Funds and Assistant Vice President & Assistant Controller of publicly held Lexington Global Asset
Managers. Mr. Rokose has served as a Financial Services Consultant and has acted in that role since November 2016. From May 2014
to October 2016, Mr. Rokose was Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of AccuShares Investment Management where he led all financial
accounting and reporting for the organization. Bob is a Certified Public Accountant, licensed in the state of New York. He has
an undergraduate degree from Pace University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Connecticut.
Jack Drogin, 60, General Counsel
Jack Drogin became General Counsel and Chief
Compliance Officer of the Sponsor in May 2021. He has over thirty years’ experience as an attorney, including ten on the
Staff of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Division of Trading and Markets. from January 1991 to June 2001. Prior to
joining Osprey Funds, LLC, Jack was a shareholder in the Washington, D.C. office of Murphy & McGonigle, P.C., a firm focusing
on financial services law and regulation. He holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a law degree
from Harvard Law School. Jack is a member of the New York and District of Columbia bars.
Matthew Mascera, 47, Director of Operations
Matthew Mascera became
Director of Operations of the Sponsor in March 2020. Matt has 23 years of experience in the financial services industry. From February
2016 to June 2019, Matt was Director of Operations and Trading at Seacliff Capital, a long/short equity hedge fund. From 2012 to
2015, Matt was a Senior Vice President in equities at FBR & Co. Previous to that, Matt was an Executive Director at UBS
Securities where he had been since 2005. Matt holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Tulane University.
Advisory Board
The Sponsor has an advisory
board, which serves in an informal, advisory capacity. The members listed below have no formal duties in connection with their
service, but have agreed to make themselves available, upon the Sponsor’s request to advise on Sponsor matters, including
without limitation those relating to the Trust. Each member of the advisory board, listed below, receives equity in the Sponsor
in return for their services.
Brian Estes
69
Brian is the Managing Partner &
Chief Investment Officer at Off the Chain Capital, a firm focused on Graham/Dodd value investing in blockchain digital assets.
Josh Brown
Josh is the CEO of Ritholtz
Wealth management, a New York City-based investment advisory firm.
Michael Komaransky
Michael is the founder of
Grapefruit Trading, a crypto market maker firm. Prior, Michael served as the head of Trading at Cumberland, DRW’s digital-currency
unit.
J. Parsons
J. Parsons has been a leader
in the exchange traded product industry for over twenty years. Most recently, J. served as the Global Head of Sales in the iShares
business of Barclays Global Investors (“BGI”).
Family Relationships
There are no family relationships
among any of our directors and executive officers.
Corporate Governance – Code of Ethics
The Sponsor’s Code
of Ethics (“Code”), adopted on May 18, 2022, as amended on June 22, 2022, which prohibits officers and employees of
the Sponsor from trading directly with the Trust (and neither the Sponsor nor any affiliate of the Sponsor trades directly with
the Trust). In addition, the Code requires that any trading of $25,000 or more of Bitcoin within a 24-hour period must be reported
to the Chief Compliance Officer within two business days following such trades, and all Bitcoin transactions are reported to the
Chief Compliance Officer quarterly. Officers and employees of the Sponsor are also prohibited from buying or selling Bitcoin during
Trade Restriction Windows, which are intended to occur on days the Trust is issuing new Units at NAV. Finally, officers and employees
of the Sponsor are required to pre-clear all secondary market trades in OBTC. In light of these internal controls, and the depth
and liquidity of BTC-USD trading on the Principal market, no officer, employee or affiliate of the Sponsor is in a position to
impact materially the BTC-USD price on the Principal Market, and therefore the holdings by any such person should not be material
to investors.
The
Code is available by writing the Sponsor at 1241 Post Road, Second Floor, Fairfield, Connecticut 06824 or calling the Sponsor at
(914) 214-4697. The Sponsor’s Code of Ethics is intended to be a codification of the business and ethical principles that
guide the Sponsor, and to deter wrongdoing, to promote honest and ethical conduct, to avoid conflicts of interest, and to foster
compliance with applicable governmental laws, rules and regulations, the prompt internal reporting of violations and accountability
for adherence to the Code of Ethics.
Item 11. Executive Compensation
Not applicable.
Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners
and Management and Related Stockholder Matters
Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation
Plans and Related Stockholder Matters
Not applicable.
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
The following table sets
forth certain information with respect to the beneficial ownership of the Units for:
●
each person that, to the Sponsor’s knowledge based solely on the records of the Transfer Agent,
owns beneficially a significant portion of the Units;
●
each executive officer of the Sponsor individually; and
●
all officers of the Sponsor as a group.
70
The number of Units beneficially
owned and percentages of beneficial ownership set forth below are based on the number of Units outstanding as of [January 5, 2023]
and do not take into account ownership of the Units held through Cede & Co., a nominee of DTC, for which there is no publicly
available information.
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
Amount and
Nature of
Beneficial
Ownership
Percentage of
Beneficial
Ownership
Executive Officers of the Sponsor: (1)
Robert Rokose
2,056
* %
Gregory King
4,113
* %
Matthew Mascera
0
* %
Jack Drogin
0
* %
Executive officers of the Sponsor as a group
6,169
* %
(1) The Trust does not have any directors, officers or employees.
Under the Trust Agreement, all management functions of the Trust have been delegated to and are conducted by the Sponsor, its agents
and its affiliates.
*
Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1%.
The business address for each executive officer
of the Sponsor is c/o Osprey Funds, LLC, 1241 Post Road, 2nd Floor Fairfield, CT 06824.
Item 13. Certain Relationships and Related Transactions
and Director Independence
General
The Sponsor has not established
formal procedures to resolve all potential conflicts of interest. Consequently, investors may be dependent on the good faith of
the respective parties subject to such conflicts to resolve them equitably. Although the Sponsor attempts to monitor these conflicts,
it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the Sponsor to ensure that these conflicts do not, in fact, result in adverse
consequences to the Trust.
Prospective investors should
be aware that the Sponsor presently intends to assert that Unitholders have, by subscribing for Units of the Trust, consented to
the following conflicts of interest in the event of any proceeding alleging that such conflicts violated any duty owed by the Sponsor
to investors.
The Sponsor
The Sponsor has a conflict
of interest in allocating its own limited resources among, when applicable, different clients and potential future business ventures,
to each of which it owes fiduciary duties. Additionally, the professional staff of the Sponsor also services other affiliates of
the Trust, including, Rex Shares, LLC, a company under common control with the Sponsor. Although the Sponsor and its professional
staff cannot and will not devote all of its or their respective time or resources to the management of the affairs of the Trust,
the Sponsor intends to devote, and to cause its professional staff to devote, sufficient time and resources to manage properly
the affairs of the Trust consistent with its or their respective fiduciary duties to the Trust and others.
Although the Sponsor does
not engage in trading Bitcoin with the Trust, the Sponsor may receive from the Trust Bitcoin to be used to pay certain Trust expenses,
including without limitation, the Custodial fee. In such circumstances, the Sponsor will price the Bitcoin received from the Trust
at the Bitcoin Market Price on the day it is received and convert the Bitcoin received into cash to be used to pay Trust expenses.
The Sponsor typically receives its Management Fee in Bitcoin, valued at the Bitcoin Market Price on the day such Management Fee
is paid.
Item 14. Principal Accounting Fees and Services
The Sponsor in its discretion, waived audit fees
for the year ended December 31, 2022, and 2021. Fees for services performed by Grant Thornton LLP for the years ended December
31, 2022 and 2021 were:
71
Years Ended
December 31,
2022
2021
Audit fees
$ 173,880
$ 179,140
Audit-related fees
–
–
Tax fees
–
–
All Other Fees
–
–
Total
$ 173,880
$ 179,140
In the table above, in accordance
with the SEC’s definitions and rules, Audit Fees are fees paid to Grant Thornton LLP for professional services for the audit
of the Trust’s annual financial statements, as well as the review of financial statements included in the Trust’s Form
10-Q, and for services that are normally provided by the accountants in connection with regulatory filings or engagements.
Pre-Approved Policies and Procedures
The Trust has no board of directors, and as a
result, has no audit committee or pre-approval policy with respect to fees paid to its principal accounting firm. Such determinations,
including for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, are made by the Sponsor.
72
PART IV
Item 15. Exhibits and Financial Statements Schedules
1. Financial Statements
See Index to Financial Statements on Page F-1 for a list of the
financial statements being filed herein.
2. Financial Statement Schedules
Schedules have been omitted since they are either not required,
not applicable, or the information has otherwise been included.
3. Exhibits
Exhibit
Number
Exhibit Description
4.1
Second
Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 of the Registration
Statement on Form 10 filed by the Registrant on September 21, 2022)
4.2
Description
of Units (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.6 on Form 10-K filed by the Company on March 30, 2022.
10.1†
Custodial
Services Agreement, dated May 18, 2020, between Osprey Bitcoin Trust and Fidelity Digital Asset Services, LLC (incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Registration Statement on Form 10 filed by the Registrant on July 8, 2021)
10.2
Index
Provider Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.2 of the Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form 10
filed by the Registrant on September 10, 2021)
10.3†
Transfer
Agency and Registrar Service Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.3 of the Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement
on Form 10 filed by the Registrant on September 10, 2021)
10.4
Form
of Subscription Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 of the Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form
10 filed by the Registrant on September 10, 2021)
10.5†
Administration
Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.5 of the Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form 10 filed by
the Registrant on September 10, 2021)
10.6†
Custodial
Services Agreement, dated as of February 4, 2022, between Osprey Bitcoin Trust and Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC (incorporated
by reference to Exhibit 10.1 of the Form 8-K filed by the Registrant on February 10, 2022)
31.1*
Certification of Principal Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
31.2*
Certification of Principal Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) and 15d-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
32.1*
Certification by Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
32.2*
Certification by Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as Adopted Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
101.INS*
Inline XBRL Instance Document – the instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL
tags are embedded within the Inline XBRL document.
101.SCH*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
101.CAL*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
101.DEF*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
101.LAB*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
101.PRE*
Inline XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
73
104
Cover Page Interactive Data File—The cover page interactive data file does not appear in the interactive data file
because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document
* Filed herewith.
† Certain schedules or similar attachments have been omitted
pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. The Trust agrees to furnish supplemental copies of any of the omitted schedules or
attachments upon request by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
74
Item 16. Form 10-K Summary
Not applicable.
75
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements
of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned in the capacities* indicated, thereunto duly authorized.
Osprey Funds, LLC as Sponsor of Osprey Bitcoin Trust
By:
/s/ Gregory D. King
Name:
Gregory D. King
Title:
Chief Executive Officer*
By:
/s/ Robert J. Rokose
Name:
Robert J. Rokose
Title:
Chief Financial Officer*
Date: March 21, 2023
*
The Registrant is a trust and the persons are signing in their capacities as officers or directors
of Osprey Funds, LLC, the Sponsor of the Registrant.
76
INDEX
TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Page
Osprey Bitcoin Trust - Annual Financial Statements
Report of
Independent Registered Public
Accounting Firm
F-2
Statements of
Assets and Liabilities
at December 31,
2022 and 2021
F-4
Schedules of Investment at December 31,
2022 and 2021
F-5
Statements of
Operations for the years
ended December 31, 2022
and 2021
F-6
Statements of Changes in Net Assets for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
F-7
Notes to
the Financial Statements
F-8
F- 1
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Investors and Sponsor of
Osprey Bitcoin Trust
Opinion on the financial statements
We have audited the accompanying statements
of assets and liabilities, including the schedules of investment, of Osprey Bitcoin Trust (a Delaware Statutory Trust) (the
“Trust”) as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the related statements of
operations and changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 2022, and the related
notes (collectively referred to as the “financial statements”). In our opinion,
the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Trust as
of December 31, 2022 and 2021, and the results of its operations for each of the two years
in the period ended December 31, 2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of
America.
Basis for opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Trust’s
management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Trust’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a
public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”) and
are required to be independent with respect to the Trust in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable
rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the
PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements
are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Trust is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform,
an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of
internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Trust’s
internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks
of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to
those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial
statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as
well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis
for our opinion.
F- 2
/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP
We have served as the Trust’s auditor since 2019.
New York, New York
March 21, 2023
F- 3
Osprey Bitcoin Trust
Statements of Assets and Liabilities
December 31, 2022 and 2021
(Amounts in U.S. dollars, except units issued and outstanding)
December 31, 2022
December 31, 2021
Assets
Investment in Bitcoin, at fair value (cost $ 75,816,514 and $ 75,945,739 , respectively)
$ 46,253,445
$ 129,756,984
Cash
257
257
Other assets
24,600
-
Total assets
46,278,302
129,757,241
Liabilities
Management Fee payable
19,213
53,985
Due to Sponsor
166,804
-
Other payable
77,505
30,088
Total liabilities
263,522
84,073
Net assets
$ 46,014,780
$ 129,673,168
Net assets
Paid-in capital
$ 76,978,282
$ 76,978,282
Accumulated net investment loss
( 2,316,820 )
( 1,197,493 )
Accumulated net realized gain on investment in Bitcoin
911,557
77,554
Accumulated net change in unrealized appreciation
(depreciation) on investment in Bitcoin
( 29,558,239 )
53,814,825
$ 46,014,780
$ 129,673,168
Units issued and outstanding, no par value (unlimited Units authorized)
8,340,536
8,340,536
Net asset value per Unit
$ 5.52
$ 15.55
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these financial statements.
F- 4
Osprey Bitcoin Trust
Schedules of Investment
December 31, 2022 and 2021
(Amounts in U.S. dollars, except units)
December 31, 2022
Units
Fair Value
Percentage of
Net Assets
Investment in Bitcoin, at fair value
(cost $ 75,816,514 )
2,792.88
$ 46,253,445
101 %
Liabilities, less cash and other assets
$ ( 238,665 )
( 1 )%
$ 46,014,780
100 %
December 31, 2021
Units
Fair Value
Percentage of
Net Assets
Investment in Bitcoin, at fair value
(cost $ 75,945,739 )
2,828.93
$ 129,756,984
100 %
Liabilities, less cash
$ ( 83,816 )
( 0 )%
$ 129,673,168
100 %
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these financial statements.
F- 5
Osprey Bitcoin Trust
Statements of Operations
For
the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
(Amounts in U.S. dollars)
Year ended
December 31,
2022
Year ended
December 31,
2021
Expenses
Management Fee
$ 388,890
$ 605,731
Professional fees
407,355
109,000
Custodian fees
152,144
311,897
Other
170,938
13,349
Total expenses
1,119,327
1,039,977
Professional fees waived by the Sponsor
-
( 109,000 )
Net expenses
1,119,327
930,977
Net investment loss
( 1,119,327 )
( 930,977 )
Net realized gain (loss) and net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investment in Bitcoin
Net realized gain on investment in Bitcoin
834,003
12,335
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investment in Bitcoin
( 83,373,064 )
16,857,832
Total net realized gain (loss) and net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investment in Bitcoin
( 82,539,061 )
16,870,167
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations
$ ( 83,658,388 )
$ 15,939,190
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these financial statements.
F- 6
Osprey Bitcoin Trust
Statements of Changes in Net Assets
For
the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
(Amounts in U.S. dollars, except units issued and outstanding)
Year
ended
December 31,
2022
Year ended
December 31,
2021
Increase (decrease) in net assets from operations
Net investment loss
$ ( 1,119,327 )
$ ( 930,977 )
Net realized gain on investment in Bitcoin
834,003
12,335
Net change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investment in Bitcoin
( 83,373,064 )
16,857,832
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations
( 83,658,388 )
15,939,190
Increase in net assets from capital transactions
Subscriptions
-
68,827,296
Net Increase (decrease) in net assets
( 83,658,388 )
84,766,486
Net assets at the beginning of the period
129,673,168
44,906,682
Net assets at the end of the period
$ 46,014,780
$ 129,673,168
Change in units issued and outstanding
Units issued and outstanding at the beginning of the period
8,340,536
4,529,312 *
Subscriptions
-
3,811,224
Units issued and outstanding at the end of the period
8,340,536
8,340,536
* Units have been adjusted retroactively to reflect the 4:1 Unit split effective January 5, 2021.
The accompanying notes are an integral part
of these financial statements.
F- 7
Osprey Bitcoin Trust
Notes to the Financial Statements
As of December 31, 2022
1. Organization
Osprey Bitcoin Trust (the “Trust”)
is a Delaware Statutory Trust, formed on January 3, 2019, which commenced operations on January 22, 2019 and is governed by the
Second Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust and Trust Agreement dated November 1, 2020, as amended by the Amendment to Trust
Agreement dated April 15, 2022 (the “Trust Agreement”). In general, the Trust holds Bitcoin and, from time to time,
issues common units of fractional undivided beneficial interest (“Units”) in exchange for Bitcoin. The investment objective
of the Trust is for the Units to track the price of Bitcoin, less liabilities and expenses of the Trust. The Units are designed
as a convenient and cost-effective method for investors to gain investment exposure to Bitcoin, similar to a direct investment
in Bitcoin.
Osprey Funds, LLC (the “Sponsor”)
acts as the sponsor of the Trust. Other funds under the Osprey name are also managed by the Sponsor. The Sponsor is responsible
for the day-to-day administration of the Trust pursuant to the provisions of the Trust Agreement. The Sponsor is responsible for
preparing and providing annual reports on behalf of the Trust to investors and is also responsible for selecting and monitoring
the Trust’s service providers. As consideration for the Sponsor’s services, the Trust pays the Sponsor a Management
Fee (as defined herein) as discussed in Notes 2 and 5.
Fidelity Digital Asset Services,
LLC was the custodian for the Trust as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021. During March 2022, the Trust changed custodians
to Coinbase Custody Trust Company, LLC (the “Custodian”). The Custodian is responsible for safeguarding the Bitcoin
held by the Trust.
The transfer agent for the Trust
(the “Transfer Agent”) is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company. The Transfer Agent is responsible the issuance
and redemption of Units, the payment, if any, of distributions with respect to the Units, the recording of the issuance of the
Units and the maintaining of certain records therewith.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The financial statements are expressed
in US dollars and have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”).
The Trust qualifies as an investment company for accounting purposes pursuant to the accounting and reporting guidance under Financial
Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 946, Financial Services
– Investment Companies. The Trust is not registered with U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) under
the Investment Company Act of 1940.
Use of Estimates
GAAP requires management to make
estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The most significant
estimate in the financial statements is the fair value of investments in Bitcoin. Actual results could differ from those estimates
and these differences could be material.
F- 8
Cash
Cash is received by the Trust from
investors and converted into Bitcoin for investment. Cash held by the Trust represents deposits maintained with Signature Bank
(New York). At times, bank deposits may be in excess of federally insured limits. In accordance with ASC 230 “Statement of
Cash Flows”, the Trust qualifies for an exemption from the requirement to provide a statement of cash flows and has elected
not to provide a statement of cash flows.
Subscriptions and Redemptions
of Units
Proceeds received by the Trust
from the issuance and sale of Units consist of Bitcoin deposits and forked or airdropped cryptocurrency coins from the Bitcoin
Network, or their respective U.S. dollar cash equivalents. Such Bitcoins (or cash equivalent) will only be (1) owned by the Trust
and held by the Custodian (or, if cash, used by the Sponsor to purchase Bitcoins to be held by the Custodian), (2) disbursed (or
converted to U.S. dollars, if necessary) to pay the Trust’s expenses, (3) distributed to Accredited Investors (subject to
obtaining regulatory approval from the SEC described below) in connection with the redemption of Units, (4) distributed (or converted
to U.S. dollars, prior to distribution, to Unitholders as dividends, and (5) liquidated in the event that the Trust terminates
or as otherwise required by law or regulation.
The Trust conducts its transactions
in Bitcoin, including receiving Bitcoin for the creation of Units and delivering Bitcoin for the redemption of Units (if a redemption
program were to be established) and for the payment of the Management Fee.
During June 2020, the Trust began
a continuous offering of up to $ 5,000,000 of Units with no par value, each Unit representing a fractional undivided beneficial
interest in the Trust. 154,183 Units were sold to both accredited and non-accredited investors in an offering of up to $ 5,000,000
of Units, dated June 1, 2020, registered in Connecticut and qualified in New York, pursuant to Rule 504 of Regulation D under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (“Rule 504 Offering”). The Rule 504 Offering
closed on August 12, 2020.
On November 12, 2020, the Trust
began an offering of an unlimited number of Units pursuant to Rule 506(c) under the Securities Act (“November 2020 Offering”).
4,206,224 Units were sold in the November 2020 Offering.
On December 30, 2020, the Sponsor
of the Trust announced that it has declared a four to one split of the Trust’s issued and outstanding Units of fractional
undivided beneficial interest. With the Unit split, Unitholders of record on December 31, 2020 received four additional Units of
the Trust for each Unit held. The effective date of the split was January 5, 2021. The Units that were issued in the Rule 504 Offering
and the November 2020 Offering were adjusted retroactively to reflect the 4:1 Unit split effective January 5, 2021.
On January 14, 2021, the Financial
Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) determined that the Trust’s Units met the criteria for trading on the
over-the-counter market (“OTC Market”). On February 16, 2021, the Trust’s Units began trading in the OTC Market,
operated by OTC Markets Group, Inc., under the ticker symbol “OBTC”. On March 3, 2021, the Trust’s Units began
trading in the OTCQX tier of the OTC Market, under the ticker symbol “OBTC.”
Effective November 1, 2021, the
Trust suspended the November 2020 Offering under Rule 506(c) under the Securities Act.
As of December 31, 2022, there
were 8,340,536 Units issued and outstanding. 161,444 of the Units
F- 9
are restricted securities that
may not be resold absent registration or an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, and 8,179,092 of the Units are
unrestricted securities.
The Trust is currently unable to
redeem Units. At some date in the future, the Trust may seek approval from the SEC to operate an ongoing redemption program.
Investment Transactions and
Revenue Recognition
The Trust identifies Bitcoin as
an “other investment” in accordance with ASC 946. The Trust records its investment transactions on a trade date basis
and changes in fair value are reflected as the net change in unrealized appreciation or depreciation on investments. Realized gains
and losses are calculated using a first in first out method. Realized gains and losses are recognized in connection with transactions
including settling obligations for the Management Fee and other expenses in Bitcoin.
Management Fee
The Trust is expected to pay the
remuneration due to the Sponsor (the “Management Fee” or “Sponsor Fee”). The Management Fee is charged
by Sponsor to the Trust at an annual rate of 0.49 % of the daily Net Asset Value of the Trust and accrues daily in Bitcoin. The
Management Fee is payable at the Sponsor’s sole discretion, in Bitcoin or in U.S. Dollars for the Bitcoin Market Price (as
defined herein) in effect for such Bitcoin at the time of payment.
Trust Expenses
In accordance with the Trust Agreement,
the Sponsor bears the routine operational, administrative and other ordinary administrative operating expenses of the Trust (the
“Assumed Expenses”) other than audit fees, index license fees, aggregate legal fees in excess of $50,000 per annum
and the fees of the Custodian ( “Excluded Expenses”) and certain extraordinary expenses of the Trust, including but
not limited to taxes and governmental charges, expenses and costs, expenses and indemnities related to any extraordinary services
performed by the Sponsor (or any other service provider, including the Trustee) on behalf of the Trust to protect the Trust or
the interest of Unitholders, indemnification expenses, fees and expenses related to public trading on OTCQX (“Extraordinary
Expenses”). Other expenses reported on the accompanying statements of operations is comprised of Excluded Expenses.
Fair Value Measurements
The Trust’s investment in Bitcoin
is stated at fair value in accordance with ASC 820-10 “Fair Value Measurements”, which outlines the application of
fair value accounting. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability
(i.e., the “exit price”) in an orderly transaction between market participants at 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. Principal market is the market with the greatest volume and level of activity for Bitcoin,
and the most advantageous market is defined as the market that maximizes the amount that would be received to sell the asset or
minimizes the amount that would be paid to transfer the liability, after taking into account transaction costs. The principal market
is generally selected based on the most liquid and reliable exchange (including consideration of the ability for the Trust to access
the specific market, either directly or through an intermediary, at the end of each period). The Sponsor has identified Coinbase
Pro as its principal market for Bitcoin.
F- 10
GAAP utilizes a fair value hierarchy
for inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs
by requiring that the most observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are those that market participants would
use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Trust. Unobservable inputs
reflect the Trust’s assumptions about the inputs market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based
on the best information available in the circumstances.
The fair value hierarchy is categorized
into three levels based on the inputs as follows:
Level 1 – Valuations based
on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Trust has the ability to access. Since
valuations are based on quoted prices that are readily and regularly available in an active market, these valuations do not entail
a significant degree of judgment.
Level 2 – Valuations based
on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly.
Level 3 – Valuations based
on inputs that are unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement.
The availability of valuation techniques
and observable inputs can vary by investment. To the extent that valuations are based on sources that are less observable or unobservable
in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Fair value estimates do not necessarily represent the amounts
that may be ultimately realized by the Trust.
Definition of Net Asset Value
The net asset value (“NAV”)
of the Trust is used by the Trust in its day-to-day operations to measure the net value of the Trust’s assets. The NAV is
calculated on each business day and is equal to the aggregate value of the Trust’s assets less its liabilities (which include
accrued but unpaid fees and expenses, both estimated and finally determined), based on the Bitcoin Market Price. In calculating
the value of the Bitcoin held by the Trust on any business day, the Trust will use the market price as of 4:00 p.m. New York time.
The Trust will also calculate the
NAV per Unit of the Trust daily, which equals the NAV of the Trust divided by the number of outstanding Units (the “NAV per
Unit”). The Trust considers 4:00 p.m. New York time as a cut off for the end of the day reporting.
3. Fair Value of Bitcoin
The investment measured at fair
value on a recurring basis and categorized using the three levels of fair value hierarchy consisted of the following as of December
31, 2022 and December 31, 2021:
Number
Per Bitcoin
Amount at
Fair Value Measurement Category
December 31, 2022
of Bitcoin
Fair Value
Fair Value
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Investment in Bitcoin
2,792.88
$
16,561.21
$
46,253,445
$
-
$
46,253,445
$
-
Number
Per Bitcoin
Amount at
Fair Value Measurement Category
December 31, 2021
of Bitcoin
Fair Value
Fair Value
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Investment in Bitcoin
2,828.93
$
45,867.86
$
129,756,984
$
-
$
129,756,984
$
-
F- 11
The Trust determined the fair value
per Bitcoin using the price provided at 4:00 p.m., New York time, by Coinbase Pro as the Trust’s principal market.
The Management Fee payable accrued
in Bitcoin is converted into United States dollar amount at the period-end Bitcoin Market Price. The fluctuations arising from
the effect of changes in liability denominated in Bitcoin are included with the net realized or unrealized appreciation or depreciation
on investment in Bitcoin in the statements of operations.
The following represents the changes
in quantity and the respective fair value of Bitcoin for the year ended December 31, 2022:
Bitcoin
Fair Value
Balance at January 1, 2022
2,828.93
$ 129,756,984
Bitcoin distributed for Management Fee, related party
( 13.78 )
( 407,612 )
Bitcoin distributed for other fees
( 22.27 )
( 531,601 )
Net realized gain on investment in Bitcoin
-
809,988
Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in Bitcoin
-
( 83,374,314 )
Balance at December 31, 2022
2,792.88
$ 46,253,445
Net realized gain on the transfer
of Bitcoins to pay the Management Fee and other expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $ 834,003 , which includes $ 809,988
net realized gain on investment in Bitcoin, and $ 24,015 net realized gain resulted from the changes in liabilities denominated
in Bitcoin. Net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in Bitcoin for the year ended December 31, 2022, was $ 83,373,064 ,
which includes net change in unrealized depreciation on investment in Bitcoin of $ 83,374,314 , and $ 1,250 net unrealized appreciation
due to changes in value of liabilities denominated in Bitcoin.
The following represents the changes
in quantity and the respective fair value of Bitcoin for the year ended December 31, 2021:
Bitcoin
Fair Value
Balance at January 1, 2021
1,548.46
$ 44,946,574
Bitcoin distributed for Management Fee, related party
( 12.12 )
( 577,302 )
Bitcoin distributed for other fees
( 6.90 )
( 314,213 )
Subscriptions
1,299.49
68,827,516
Net realized gain on investment in Bitcoin
-
29,635
Net change in unrealized appreciation on investment in Bitcoin
-
16,844,774
Balance at December 31, 2021
2,828.93
$ 129,756,984
Net realized gain on the transfer
of Bitcoins to pay the Management Fee and other expenses for the year ended December 31, 2021, was $ 12,335 , which includes $ 29,635
net realized gain on investment in Bitcoin, and $ 17,300 net realized loss resulted from the changes in liabilities denominated
in Bitcoin. Net change in unrealized appreciation on investment in Bitcoin for the year ended December 31, 2021, was $ 16,857,832 ,
which includes net change in unrealized appreciation on investment in Bitcoin of $ 16,844,774 , and $ 13,058 net unrealized appreciation
due to changes in value of liabilities denominated in Bitcoin.
4. Income Taxes
The Trust is a grantor trust for
U.S. federal income tax purposes. Accordingly, the Trust will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. Rather, each beneficial
owner of Units will be treated as directly owning its pro rata share of the Trust’s assets and a pro rata portion of the
Trust’s income, gain,
F- 12
losses and deductions will “flow
through” to each beneficial owner of Units.
In accordance with GAAP, the Trust
has defined the threshold for recognizing the benefits of tax return positions in the financial statements as “more-likely-than-not”
to be sustained by the applicable taxing authority and requires measurement of a tax position meeting the “more-likely-than-not”
threshold, based on the largest benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized. As of December 31, 2022, the Trust did not
have a liability for any unrecognized tax amounts for uncertain tax positions related to federal, state, and local income taxes.
However, the conclusions concerning
the determination of “more-likely-than-not” tax positions may be subject to review and adjustment at a later date based
on factors including, but not limited to, further implementation guidance, and on-going analyses of and changes to tax laws, regulations
and interpretations thereof.
The Sponsor of the Trust has evaluated
whether or not there are uncertain tax positions that require financial statement recognition and has determined that no reserves
for uncertain tax positions related to federal, state and local income taxes existed as of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021.
The Trust’s 2020, 2021, and 2022 tax returns are subject to audit by federal, state and local tax authorities.
5. Related Parties
The Sponsor pays certain expenses
on behalf of, and is reimbursed by, the Trust. For the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021 the Trust reimbursed the Sponsor
the expenses in the amount of $ 531,601 and $ 314,213 , respectively. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, $ 166,804 and $ 0 of expenses
remain payable to the Sponsor, respectively, which are recorded as due to the Sponsor in the accompanying statements of assets
and liabilities. The outstanding payable is comprised mostly of expenses related to insurance.
The Sponsor in its discretion,
may elect to reduce, or waive, the Trust’s expenses. For years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021, the Sponsor irrevocably
waived $ 0 and $ 109,000 , respectively, of the Trust’s audit fees.
For the years ended December 31,
2022 and 2021, the Trust incurred Management Fees of $ 388,890 and $ 605,731 , respectively, which are recorded in the accompanying
statements of operations. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, there were unpaid Management Fees of $ 19,213 and $ 53,985 ,
respectively, which are recorded as management fee payable in the accompanying statements of assets and liabilities.
The Trust’s Management Fee
is accrued daily in Bitcoins and will be payable, at the Sponsor’s sole discretion, in U.S. dollars or in Bitcoins at the
Bitcoin market price in effect at the time of such payment. From inception through December 31, 2022, all Management Fees have
been made in Bitcoin to the Sponsor.
6. Risks and Uncertainties
Investment in Bitcoin
The Trust is subject to various
risks including market risk, liquidity risk, and other risks related to its concentration in a single asset, Bitcoin. Investing
in Bitcoin is currently unregulated, highly speculative, and volatile.
F- 13
The net asset value of the Trust
relates primarily to the value of Bitcoin held by the Trust, and fluctuations in the price of Bitcoin could materially and adversely
affect an investment in the Units of the Trust. The price of Bitcoin has a limited history. During such history, Bitcoin prices
have been volatile and subject to influence by many factors including the levels of liquidity.
If Bitcoin exchanges continue to
experience significant price fluctuations, the Trust may experience losses. Several factors may affect the price of Bitcoin, including,
but not limited to, global Bitcoin supply and demand, theft of Bitcoin from global exchanges or vaults, and competition from other
forms of digital currency or payment services. The Bitcoin held by the Trust are commingled and the Trust’s Unitholders have
no specific rights to any specific Bitcoin. In the event of the insolvency of the Trust, its assets may be inadequate to satisfy
a claim by its Unitholders.
There is currently no clearing
house for Bitcoin, nor is there a central or major depository for the custody of Bitcoin. There is a risk that some or all of the
Trust’s Bitcoin could be lost or stolen. The Trust does not have insurance protection on its Bitcoin which exposes the Trust
and its Unitholders to the risk of loss of the Trust’s Bitcoin. Further, Bitcoin transactions are irrevocable. Stolen or
incorrectly transferred Bitcoin may be irretrievable. As a result, any incorrectly executed Bitcoin transactions could adversely
affect an investment in the Trust.
To the extent private keys for
Bitcoin addresses are lost, destroyed or otherwise compromised and no backup of the private keys are accessible, the Trust may
be unable to access the Bitcoin held in the associated addresses and the private keys will not be capable of being restored. The
processes by which Bitcoin transactions are settled are dependent on the Bitcoin peer-to-peer network, and as such, the Trust is
subject to operational risk. A risk also exists with respect to previously unknown technical vulnerabilities, which may adversely
affect the value of Bitcoin.
The Custodian
The digital assets owned by the
Trust are held by the Custodian and secured in a segregated custody account. All digital asset private keys are stored in offline
storage, or “cold” storage. “Cold” storage is a safeguarding method by which the private keys corresponding
to digital assets are disconnected and/or deleted entirely from the internet. As a result of digital assets being stored in “cold”
storage, any withdrawal and subsequent transaction request to the Custodian by the Trust requires a twenty-four (24) hour prior
notice to process. Such time delay between the withdrawal request and processing of the withdrawal may negatively impact the price
of the digital asset upon sale. The Custodian provides the Trust with monthly account statements. The Custodian is independent
from the Sponsor.
7. Indemnifications
In the normal course of business,
the Trust enters into contracts with service providers that contain a variety of representations and warranties and which provide
general indemnifications. It is not possible to determine the maximum potential exposure or amount under these agreements due to
the Trust having no prior claims. Based on experience, the Trust would expect the risk of loss to be remote.
F- 14
8. Financial Highlights
Year ended
December 31,
2022
Year ended
December 31,
2021
Per Unit Performance
(for a unit outstanding throughout the period)
Net asset value per unit at beginning of period
$ 15.55
$ 9.91
*
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations
Net realized gain (loss) and change in unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on investment
( 9.89 )
5.76
Net investment loss
( 0.14 )
( 0.12 )
Net increase (decrease) in net assets resulting from operations
( 10.03 )
5.64
Net asset value per unit at end of period
$ 5.52
$ 15.55
Total return
( 64.50 )%
56.91 %
Ratios to average net asset value
Expenses
1.37 %
0.77 %
**
Net investment loss
( 1.37 )%
( 0.77 )%
* The
net asset value per unit has been adjusted to retroactively reflect the 4:1 Unit split effective January 5, 2021.
** Such percentages are after expenses waivers. The Sponsor voluntarily waived a portion of Professional fees (equal to 0.09 % of
average net assets).
An
individual Unitholder’s return, ratios, and per Unit performance may vary from those presented above based on the timing
of Unit transactions. Total return and ratios to average net asset value are calculated for the Unitholders taken as a whole.
9. Subsequent Events
On January 13, 2023, the Sponsor
communicated to the Trust’s Unitholders that it is considering a redemption program for investors in the Trust and that such
redemption program would likely involve limited periodic redemptions of Units, although the Trust had not ruled out the possibility
of an open-ended redemption program.
There are no events that have occurred
that require disclosure other than that which has already been disclosed in these notes to the financial statements.
F- 15
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.