How to Buy a Bitcoin ETF? IBIT vs FBTC Comparison & Fees (2026)
In January 2024, the SEC approved spot Bitcoin ETFs, letting traditional investors buy BTC through a brokerage account. This article explains how ETFs work (creation/redemption, custody), compares fees and size across IBIT, FBTC, GBTC and other leading products, walks through a 5-step purchase flow for US investors, and clarifies the scenarios where an ETF cannot replace self-custody: you own shares, not private keys — you cannot transact on-chain and cannot self-custody.