The SEC has delayed its decision on Bitcoin exchange-traded fund applications from WisdomTree, Invesco and Valkyrie, with the next deadlines set for October.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed its decisions on three applications for spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
According to SEC filings dated Aug. 31, the commission has designated a longer period in which it may review spot Bitcoin
BTC
$26,129
ETF applications from WisdomTree, Invesco and Valkyrie. The SEC will have another 45 days upon
publication in the Federal Register to consider the proposed rule changes allowing listing of the
investment vehicles, giving the regulator until October to approve, deny or delay a decision.
The delays followed speculation that the SEC could approve a spot Bitcoin ETF in the U.S. for the first
time after the commission lost a crucial court case brought by asset manager Grayscale. An appellate
court ruled on Aug. 29 the SEC would need to review Grayscale’s petition to convert its Bitcoin Trust
into an ETF, leading many experts to suggest the odds for approval of at least one spot crypto ETF had significantly increased.
WisdomTree’s Bitcoin ETF proposal didn’t get the SEC’s approval following a 2021 filing.
However, after BlackRock joined the spot Bitcoin ETF race, WisdomTree refiled its application.
In July, following reports that the SEC would be more open to accepting ETF applications with a
surveillance-sharing agreement, some firms refiled, naming crypto exchange Coinbase as a partner.
WisdomTree, Valkyrie and Invesco are three of many firms with crypto ETF applications in the SEC
pipeline, including BlackRock, ARK Invest, Bitwise Asset Management, VanEck and Fidelity.
The deadline for the SEC to reach a decision or delay Bitwise’s BTC investment vehicle is Sept. 1,
suggesting the commission will likely make an announcement soon.
