In determining fair value, the Trust uses various valuation approaches. A fair value hierarchy for inputs is 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 are to be used when available. 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.
Level 2 – Valuations based on quoted prices in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include (a) quoted prices for similar assets in active markets, (b) quoted prices for identical or similar assets in markets that are not active, (c) inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset, or (d) inputs derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.
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 from investment to investment and are affected by a wide variety of factors, including the type of investment, whether the investment is new and not yet established in the marketplace, the liquidity of markets, and other characteristics particular to the transaction.
In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, the level in the fair value hierarchy which the fair value measurement falls in its entirety is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.
The following summarizes the Trust’s assets accounted for at fair value at March 31, 2021.
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| | Level 1 | | | Level 2 | | | Level 3 | | | Total | |
Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments in digital assets, at fair value | | $ | — | | | $ | 1,004,485,006 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 1,004,485,006 | |
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The following summarizes the Trust’s assets accounted for at fair value at December 31, 2020.
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| | Level 1 | | | Level 2 | | | Level 3 | | | Total | |
Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Investments in digital assets, at fair value | | $ | — | | | $ | 374,017,545 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 374,017,545 | |
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On December 1, 2021, Management of the Sponsor concluded that because the amended text of Note 3 was added subsequent to the issuance of the opinion by WithumSmith+Brown PC (“WSB”) on April 22, 2021 related to the Trust’s financial statements, the text of Note 3 as amended could not be relied upon as part of the existing opinion over the audited financial statements. In making this determination, Management of the Sponsor evaluated a SEC comment letter, dated November 12, 2021, to the Trust’s Form 10-12G, filed August 13, 2021, and discussed its decision with WSB and the Trust’s successor auditor, KPMG LLP (“KPMG”). The Sponsor does not believe that this has a material impact on the presentation of the Trust’s financial statements and the results presented in the audited financial statements.
Management of the Sponsor also believes that the text of the amended Note 3 is accurate. Management expects that: (1) in the near future, WSB intends to re-issue the audit opinion covering the Trust’s financial statements with dual dates — the original date of April 22, 2021, and the new date of the re-issuance of the opinion— and that the re-issued and dual-dated opinion will cover unchanged financial statements from the financial statements covered by the opinion issued on April 22, 2021, except that the updated financial statements will include the amended text of Note 3 that was included in the financial statements filed on August 13, 2021; and (2) as soon as possible thereafter, the Sponsor will re-issue audited financial statements for the Trust’s fiscal years 2019 and 2020; the only substantive change in these re-issued financial statements will be to change the method of valuing the digital assets held by the