SEC Won’t Approve Spot ETFs Other Than BTC, ETH: Cathie Wood

Last Updated:
U.S. Parliament Summons SEC Chair Over Role in FTX Investigation
  • Cathie Wood said that it would be surprising for the SEC to approve spot ETFs other than BTC and ETH.
  • Wood’s ARK Invest is one of at least seven firms that seek to offer spot Ethereum ETF.
  • The SEC recently postponed its decision on BlackRock and Fidelity’s spot ETH applications.

Founder and CEO of the asset management firm Ark Invest, Cathie Wood, stated that she doesn’t see the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approving spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to cryptocurrencies other than Bitcoin and Ethereum. 

In a statement given during her interview with WSJ’s Take On the Week podcast, Wood talked about the probability of a spot ETF backed by a coin other than Bitcoin and Ether being listed in the U.S. 

“We’d be surprised to see anything but bitcoin and ether being approved by the SEC,” Wood stated. ARK Invest is one of the asset management firms that seeks to offer a spot Ethereum ETF. 

Additionally, Franklin Templeton, a firm reportedly with $1.5 trillion in assets under management (AUM), applied for a spot Ethereum application with the SEC on February 12. 

Notably, Franklin Templeton has expressed intentions of staking ETH to generate additional income for the ETF, which, if approved, will be listed as “Franklin Ethereum ETF” on the Cboe BZX Exchange.

The SEC hasn’t made it clear whether it believes ETH is a security or a commodity. Interestingly, Prometheum, a U.S.-registered crypto securities platform, disclosed that Ethereum will be the first virtual asset it will manage for institutional clients. On the other hand, similar applications from BlackRock and Fidelity have been delayed by the SEC, which stated that it needs additional time to evaluate and make a decision on spot Ethereum ETFs. 

Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. The article does not constitute financial advice or advice of any kind. Coin Edition is not responsible for any losses incurred as a result of the utilization of content, products, or services mentioned. Readers are advised to exercise caution before taking any action related to the company.