An estimation by Bloomberg’s ETF analyst Eric Balchunas suggests that the Bitcoin market might witness an unlocking of a whooping $30 trillion worth of capital with the approval of a Bitcoin spot ETF by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This monumental figure is perceived to be the total assets managed by financial advisors in the US ready to explore the Bitcoin market via a regulated exchange-traded fund.
To quote Balchunas from a Cointelegraph interview, “ETF is the format in which the boomers and the financial advisors prefer their investments delivered in.” Following the Bitcoin ETF application from Blackrock, a tide of optimism passed the crypto industry, inducing other major companies like ARK Investment, Valkyrie and Fidelity to also file for a Bitcoin ETF.
Balchunas explains that the mere participation of Blackrock, owning the title of the globe’s largest asset manager, increased the possibility of a Bitcoin ETF approval from a minuscule 1% to an encouraging 50%. “They’re very smart and they don’t just throw filings out willy nilly,” added Balchunas, alluding to the strategic approach of BlackRock vis-a-vis regulators.
However, euphoria needs caution to accompany it. Approval of an ETF brings the Bitcoin market into the limelight but also places it on the radar of stringent regulations. Consequently, the potential for a major market shift cannot be denied, as this flush of capital could push the nascent crypto industry into the mainstream, altering its status quo. Yet, the apprehension of burdensome regulation can’t be disregarded either.
The decision on BlackRock‘s application is eagerly awaited and eyed, not merely for its immediate impact but also for the precedent it will set for similar future applications. The weighing scale of benefits against the challenges could predominantly tip the bitcoin and wider crypto realm into unchartered territories of growth and institutional acceptance, or could wrap it in a cascade of red tape, trimming its wings. Only time will determine the ultimate repercussion. Until then, it’s all speculative anticipation.
Source: Cointelegraph
