In the 28 years they’ve been around, ETFs have democratized the asset classes that they wrap. The ETF wrapper will be no different in the world of cryptocurrencies and bring all these benefits to bear on one of the newest asset classes, such as bitcoin.

The doubters of the ETF structure always warn about a situation when ETFs would blow up. With the confluence of many storms lately the markets are experiencing extreme volatility. Anita Rausch discusses how the ETF structure is holding up and becoming a crisis management tool.

I have been talking to ETF investors for more than a decade, and when I mention the numerous benefits of the structure, I often hear “I don’t need intraday liquidity, so that does not benefit me.” Well, I am here to tell you that whether or not you utilize intraday liquidity, it benefits all ETF investors.

The ETF structure is one of transparency and equality. The trade on September 28, 2016, when more than $139 million of an approximate $157 million Fund was sold in one execution is a perfect example of how investors are protected in the structure and how there is more to an ETF than its AUM and ADV. 

Many investors judge ETFs for investment candidacy based just on their on-screen characteristics of assets under management, average daily volume and bid/ask spread. By doing that, they may be ignoring the majority of ETFs out there and potentially missing out on some helpful investment tools.

The markets experienced something new and remarkable on Monday, August 24, 2015. The marketplace didn’t know how to react, but within the hour it learned, recovered and returned to orderly markets. ETFs are not to blame, nor are they immune to volatile events in the broader marketplace.