BlackRock går mot att lansera en Ether ETF
- BlackRock is awaiting the SEC’s approval for a spot Bitcoin ETF.
- Priset på Ether steg med över 7% på torsdagen.
- Ark Invest planerar att lansera en ny serie ETF:er för digitala tillgångar med 21Shares.
Ethereum, the second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, saw a huge rally on Thursday, caused by BlackRock’s first step towards an Ether ETF. BlackRock, an asset manager reportedly registered an iShares Ethereum Trust in the state of Delaware.
Delaware’s Division of Corporations website showed that an entity identified as BlackRock Advisors submitted the paperwork. Daniel Schwieger is listed in the file as the registered agent. Schweiger’s LinkedIn profile shows that he works as a managing director at BlackRock.
BlackRock’s iShares product is the leading exchange-traded fund with over $2.3 trillion in assets under management. BlackRock registered its Bitcoin trust in June and filed for a Bitcoin ETF with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The price of Ether reacted to BlackRock’s new move, surging by 7% and crossing $2,000 for the first time since April. Ether’s core rival, Bitcoin, saw a similar surge during the summer as asset managers launched bids for Bitcoin ETFs.
The crypto market remains optimistic about seeing a Bitcoin ETF this year. However, the SEC has yet to grant such an approval. The US watchdog has expressed concerns about a Bitcoin ETF and prevented Grayscale from turning its Bitcoin trust product into an ETF. A judge overturned the SEC’s decision in August.
De SEC chose not to appeal the ruling but could come up with other reasons to halt Grayscale’s conversion and any other bitcoin funds being considered. Many believe the SEC could approve ether funds after it allows bitcoin ETFs.
BlackRock’s föreslagen spot bitcoin ETF har enligt uppgift starkt stöd från finansvärlden. Enligt rapporter överväger stora handelsföretag som Jane Street, Virtu Financial och Jump Trading att tillhandahålla likviditet till den nya produkten om den godkänns av tillsynsmyndigheter.
I andra nyheter har Bitcoin-investeringsexperten Cathie Wood från ARK Invest och leverantören av börshandlade produkter (ETP) 21Shares samarbetat för att introducera en ny linje av ETF:er för digitala tillgångar. Det nya partnerskapet kommer påstås ge investerare som vill inkludera digitala tillgångar i sin handelsportfölj ett bredare utbud av alternativ.
21Shares skrev i ett uttalande:
Med hjälp av onchain-signaler och vår kryptobaserade erfarenhet, syftar sviten till att leverera långsiktig kapitaltillväxt genom strategiska investeringar i Bitcoin och Ethereum terminskontrakt och tillämpning av blockchain-teknologier.
Enligt tillkännagivandet kommer Chicago Board Options Exchange, eller Cboe, att lista ETF:erna. Dessutom kommer fem produkter att börja handlas nästa vecka, enligt 21Shares.
Ark, however, noted that the funds do not offer investors a chance to invest directly in digital assets. The investment company noted that “neither the funds nor the underlying ETF invest directly in bitcoin or other digital assets or maintain direct exposure to spot bitcoin… Investors seeking direct exposure to the price of bitcoin should consider an investment other than the funds.”