Anticipation Grows for SEC's Decision on BTC ETF Approvals

Anticipation Grows for SEC's Decision on Bitcoin ETF Approvals

Written by Gile K.,

Market Sentiment Analyst

Last Updated: January 08, 2024

Key Takeaways

A range of asset management firms have submitted their final amendments for spot Bitcoin ETF applications to the SEC.
Notable trends in these applications include strategic fee reductions and competitive pricing strategies.
Details about initial investments and seeding strategies for these ETFs provide insights into the commitment and strategies of the applying firms.

The cryptocurrency community is closely monitoring the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as several prominent firms have recently filed their final Form S-1 amendments in hopes of launching the first spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the US.

Leading the charge, Valkyrie, an asset management company, was one of the earliest to submit its final S-1 amendment, ahead of the expected deadline of January 10th.

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Valkyrie was followed by a host of other major players in the financial and cryptocurrency sectors, including WisdomTree, BlackRock, VanEck, Invesco, Galaxy, Grayscale, ARK Invest and 21Shares, Fidelity, Bitwise, and Franklin Templeton.

A key focus of these filings is the fee structure for the proposed ETFs. Some applicants have taken bold steps in reducing their fees to attract investors.

ARK and 21Shares, for instance, announced a waiver of their 0.25% fee for six months following the ETF's listing, applicable to the first $1 billion in AUM.

BlackRock has set its fee at 0.30%, following an introductory rate of 0.2% for either the first 12 months or the first $5 billion in AUM.

In addition to fees, some firms have provided details on their initial seeding strategies for the ETFs. For example, BlackRock revealed that it used proceeds from seed creation baskets to purchase almost 228 BTC on January 5th, 2024, amounting to $10 million. Similarly, ARK and 21Shares plan to use approximately $437,000 for their initial seed creation baskets to acquire Bitcoin before or at the time of their ETF's listing on the Cboe BZX Exchange.

As the SEC reviews these final amendments, the cryptocurrency community awaits what could be a watershed moment. The approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF in the US could boost Bitcoin's trading dynamics and signify a major step towards integrating cryptocurrencies into mainstream financial systems.