Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said on May 30 that US spot Ethereum ETFs could launch in June amidst updated BlackRock and Grayscale filings.
Balchunas said there is a “legit possibility” that spot Ethereum ETFs will launch by the end of June. He added that an earlier mid-June launch was a “long shot.”
Balchunas said the latest date he expects the products to launch would be July 4.
Balchunas’ expectations are influenced by the timing of issuers’ S-1 statements. He commented on BlackRock’s May 29 S-1 amendment, which he noted did not include a fee and other vital data — making it a “next to final version.”
Grayscale also submitted an S-3 amendment for its fund on May 30, updating the fund to reflect a clear prohibition on staking.
Both statements mark one of the final requisite steps before the funds can launch for trading.
Politics are at play
Balchunas’ expectations regarding a launch date are partly related to the SEC’s supposed political motivations for the funds.
Balchunas argued the SEC’s initial approvals have satisfied political needs, writing:
” … The political goal of not appearing anti-crypto has already been achieved by simply not rejecting [the ETFs]. No real reason to rush.”
Other industry members, such as Ark Invest CEO and CIO Cathie Wood and Coinbase institutional research analyst David Han, have similarly argued that the SEC approved the funds for political reasons.
More S-1 statements incoming
The Block reported that the SEC has asked other applicants to submit draft S-1 filings by May 31, after which the SEC will issue its first round of comments.
Each applicant will then submit further amendments in response if needed.
As of press time, all ETH issuers have submitted S-1 or S-3 registration statements. However, apart from BlackRock and Grayscale, only VanEck has submitted amendments since the SEC granted initial approvals for exchange rule changes ETFs on May 23.
Balchunas’ fellow Bloomberg ETF analyst, James Seyffart, believes the SEC will take weeks or months to approve S-1 statements.
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