An anonymous Bitcoin donor has paid over $500,000 in BTC to cover WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s expenses for his flight home to Australia. Assange is now a free man after pleading guilty in a US court under a deal ending his 14-year legal battle.

JUST IN: #Bitcoin pioneer and freedom fighter Julian Assange has landed in Australia. He is officially a free man!

A win for free speech and freedom 👏 pic.twitter.com/lDyPabqa8u

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 26, 2024

Assange was released from prison in the UK on June 24th and flew to the US territory of Saipan to enter his plea. He had been fighting extradition to the US on espionage charges related to WikiLeaks publication of classified documents.

On June 26th, Assange arrived back in his native Australia and embraced family members in Canberra. He has been a pioneer for Bitcoin and WikiLeaks since its inception, even receiving donations in BTC in 2010 when few knew about it.

Just a day earlier, to cover the $520,000 cost of his private charter flight arranged by the Australian government, Assange’s wife issued an urgent appeal for donations. She also provided a Bitcoin address for contributions.

Remarkably, a single Bitcoin donor sent over 8 BTC worth nearly $500,000 to the address to cover the entire debt. This allowed Assange to return home without financial burden.

The anonymous donor’s massive contribution highlights the Bitcoin community’s enduring support for Assange and his work revealing government secrets. Bitcoiners have long advocated for his release.

While the whale’s identity remains unknown, the donation underscores Bitcoin’s role in enabling uncensored free speech and financial freedom.

The weeks ahead will focus on helping Assange recuperate after prolonged confinement. However, given his longstanding history with the technology, his engagement with Bitcoin will likely continue. Assange’s saga symbolized the battle between individual liberties and unchecked government power.

VanEck’s spot Bitcoin ETF (VBTC) has officially launched on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), Australia’s largest stock market. The ETF was approved earlier this week and is now available for trading, providing Australian investors with a simplified and secure way to gain exposure to Bitcoin.

NEW: VanEck's spot #Bitcoin ETF officially went live on Australia's largest stock exchange 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/m0gehtEd70

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 20, 2024

“ASX welcomes VBTC to the exchange!” announced ASX. “Congratulations to the VanEck Australia team for launching the first crypto ETF on ASX.” 

The launch of VanEck’s Bitcoin ETF on ASX offers a more accessible option for investors who prefer traditional stock exchanges over crypto exchanges. This ETF, which carries a management fee of 0.59%, allows investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin without directly holding the BTC, thereby reducing the complexities and risks associated with direct ownership.

“While it has been possible to trade Bitcoin via crypto exchanges, trading units with exposure to Bitcoin via an ETF on an exchange like ASX means you’re able to buy and sell those units through a traditional brokerage account, simplifying the process and opening the opportunity to more Australians,” said Andrew Campion, ASX’s general manager of investment products and strategy.

Earlier this month, the Monochrome Asset Management’s Bitcoin ETF began trading on the Cboe Australia exchange, which has so far purchased over 54 bitcoin worth $5.3 million AUD.

Monochrome Bitcoin ETF (Ticker: $IBTC) AUM as of 19/06/24 pic.twitter.com/TjtHmn0jVF

— Monochrome (@MonochromeAsset) June 20, 2024

Australia is set to join the growing list of countries offering a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), with the launch of the country’s first such product expected tomorrow.

JUST IN: 🇦🇺 Australia's first spot #Bitcoin ETF to go live tomorrow.

Are you prepared? 🚀 pic.twitter.com/EfKqdMU48P

— Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) June 3, 2024

Monochrome Asset Management announced that Bitcoin ETF (IBTC) will begin trading on June 4th, pending any last-minute delays. The ETF will trade under the ticker IBTC and carry a management fee of 0.98%.

Monochrome Asset Management, the issuer, offers the fund as a means for investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin in a regulated framework. The ETF tracks the CME CF Bitcoin Reference Rate index, providing exposure tied directly to the spot price of bitcoin.

Cboe will become the first Australian exchange to list a bitcoin ETF, beating the larger Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) to the market. However, according to reports, the ASX is also planning to approve spot Bitcoin ETFs before the year’s end.

The launches tap into surging interest following the breakthrough regulatory approval of Bitcoin ETFs in the US market this January. Those products ignited massive inflows from both institutional and retail investors.

Australia is now poised to follow suit in offering investors easy and secure exposure to bitcoin without direct ownership. As a strictly passive ETF, IBTC removes the technical challenges of buying real Bitcoin while providing the return profile tied to bitcoin’s price.

Regulated Bitcoin ETFs have launched this year across North America, UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific. Australia’s entrance reflects the broader embrace of Bitcoin as an institutional asset class.

Other countries are likely to follow, with major markets now offering spot Bitcoin ETFs. The regulated wrapper provides legitimacy and gives investors a straightforward way to gain exposure.