I agree, GBTC is and was a tool to purchase bitcoin. However, the premium grew to an extreme for a while and although I didn't agree with paying a 30% premium, I did anyway because the overall appreciation was going great. GBTC is still the only tool in the stock market game so I still hold GBTC in many of my investment accounts including IRA's. Luckily, I started buying well over a year ago and am still well in the black on this holding. I will likely buy more now that the premium is down to 10%. Until several of the cryptocurrency ETF's are approved (my guess is early 2019), GBTC is still the only way to invest in crypto assets in stock accounts (for bitcoin that is).
I also am part owner of a crypto mining operation in Eastern Washington with very low electric rates and is running very profitably even with depressed pricing. I am responsible for running the miners and pointing them to different pools. It is a fascinating industry unfolding.
I also own stock in other crypto related stocks which have been killed with the depressed crypto prices in 2018 but I still hold and am accumulating.
In addition, I have multiple accounts at multiple exchanges holding several different coins for long term. It is exciting times and I am very pro crypto for the future of financial transactions. It will revolutionize an industry. There will always be doubters and they have a right to their opinion just as there are people who still think the world is flat......
Good luck all and have fun while investing in cryptos
