The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has made another significant decision in the world of cryptocurrency by approving spot Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the country. This landmark decision, which was announced on May 23, allows for the listing and trading of spot Ether ETFs on various exchanges, including those of VanEck, BlackRock, Fidelity, Grayscale, Franklin Templeton, ARK 21Shares, Invesco Galaxy, and Bitwise.
Despite previous speculation about the SEC potentially labeling Ether (ETH) as a security, the regulatory body has given the green light for spot Ether ETFs to move forward. While the 19b-4 filings have been approved, ETF issuers still need the SEC to approve their S-1 registration statements before the spot Ether ETFs can officially begin trading. This process could take days, weeks, or even months, as the SEC instructed applicants to accelerate their filings on May 20.
One notable amendment seen in the approved filings is the removal of staking, indicating a shift in the regulatory landscape for cryptocurrency ETFs. However, the SEC did not announce approval for Hashdex’s spot Ether ETF application, which had a final deadline set for May 30.
The approval of spot Ether ETFs comes shortly after the United States House of Representatives passed legislation aimed at providing more regulatory clarity to the cryptocurrency industry. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, if passed by the Senate and signed into law, will clarify the roles of the SEC and Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
This decision follows the SEC’s approval of several spot Bitcoin ETF applications earlier in the year, marking an industry first. Following the announcement, the price of ETH surged to over $3,900 before dropping to $3,759 at the time of publication.
As this story continues to develop, further information will be added as it becomes available. The approval of spot Ether ETFs represents a significant step forward for the cryptocurrency industry in the United States, signaling a growing acceptance and adoption of digital assets in the traditional financial sector. #Investments #SEC #Adoption #United States #Regulation #Ethereum ETF.