News regarding the decision of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — the financial watchdog that will ultimately decide on the approval of a spot cryptocurrency exchange-traded fund (ETF) — hinting at a possible pending approval of this investment vehicle has garnered substantial interest among both crypto and traditional investors. Various firms, including the world’s largest asset management firm, BlackRock, have submitted their Bitcoin ETF applications currently being examined by the SEC.
Several of these firms have been augmenting their potential for approval as they navigate the complex crypto regulatory net. For instance, BlackRock established a “surveillance-sharing agreement” with the major cryptocurrency exchange, Coinbase, as part of its strategic approach to increase its chances of gaining approval from the SEC.
However, this road to approval is by no means straightforward or guaranteed. The federal regulatory body has the authority to reschedule ETF applications for periods of up to 240 days from the first submission in the federal registry. This effectively means that some firms may have to wait until as late as March 2024 to get a final verdict on their filings made in July 2023.
What might be even more challenging is that no spot Bitcoin ETF proposal from any firm in the United States has ever been approved by the SEC to date. Investment vehicles tied to Bitcoin futures only started getting acceptance in October 2021. The nature of a spot crypto ETF, which includes holding Bitcoin directly within a fund, is one reason that this process has been so difficult.
While the SEC continues to scrutinize, delaying the deadline for ETF approval until early 2024, it is causing some level of uncertainty and unrest in the market. On one hand, approval of these ETFs could mark a significant milestone in giving institutional investors access to crypto, but on the other hand, the delay could further hold back the progress of the crypto market.
Moreover, concerns are mounting over the regulatory landscape of the crypto market in the United States. Amidst this uncertainty, some contend that the SEC might have to be “a little bit more open-minded,” suggesting some level of flexibility might be needed from the crypto side of things.
In conclusion, the ongoing events surrounding the approval of Bitcoin ETFs may represent a classic tug-of-war between market participants desiring more accessible crypto investment vehicles and regulators tasked with maintaining the integrity, safety, and fairness of financial markets. This dialogue is crucial as it will greatly influence the direction of the crypto industry in the coming years.
Source: Cointelegraph
