The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is expected to green-light “a handful” of spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on Wednesday, potentially unleashing a wave of trading this week. On Monday, 10 applicants submitted their final amendments, including Blackrock, which also filed to register its Ishares Bitcoin Trust as a security.
SEC Expected to Green-Light Spot Bitcoin ETFs on Wednesday
Monday was filled with anticipation in the spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) race as 10 applicants filed final amendments with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), meeting the regulator’s 8 a.m. deadline. Market expectations of potential approvals sent BTC soaring past $47,000.
As investors eagerly await the SEC decision on spot bitcoin ETFs, CNBC reported Monday that the securities regulator could unlock the gates for several applicants on Wednesday. Reporter Kate Rooney detailed:
Bitcoin ETF is now widely expected to get the green light this week. Two sources close to the process are now telling me it’s looking like Wednesday … The SEC is expected to approve a handful of applications at once.
She noted that Wednesday is also the deadline for the proposed spot bitcoin ETF from Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest and 21shares. If approval does happen, “I’m told potential trading would happen Thursday or Friday,” she added.
The Wednesday prediction aligns with Blackrock’s own expectations. The world’s largest asset manager expects the SEC to approve its Ishares Bitcoin Trust on Wednesday. Notably, Blackrock also filed Form 8-A on Monday afternoon, officially registering the Trust as a security with the SEC. The asset manager has reportedly lined up more than $2 billion for the launch of its spot bitcoin ETF.
Many people believe that the SEC will approve spot bitcoin ETFs, including former SEC Chairman Jay Clayton. He said on CNBC Monday: “I think approval is inevitable, and I think there is nothing left to decide.”
The amendments filed on Monday revealed a fee war among spot bitcoin ETF issuers. Crypto asset manager Grayscale Investments has set the highest fee of 1.5% while Bitwise offers the lowest fee of 0.24% with a fee waiver for 6 months on the first $1 billion of trust assets. The firms acting as authorized participants named in the filings are Jane Street, Virtu, JPMorgan, ABN AMRO, Macquarie, Cantor Fitzgerald, and Marex Capital.
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