U.S.-listed bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) saw $4.6 billion worth of shares trade hands, according to LSEG data, as investors jumped into the landmark products approved by the U.S. securities regulator on Wednesday.

The products mark a watershed moment for the cryptocurrency industry that will test whether digital assets - still viewed by many professionals as risky - can gain broader acceptance as an investment.

Eleven spot bitcoin ETFs - including BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust , Grayscale Bitcoin Trust , and ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF , among others - began trading Thursday morning, kicking off a fierce competition for market share.

Bitcoin stood at $45,965, having surged to a two-year high overnight after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission gave the green light to offer ETFs linked to bitcoin.