World’s First Bitcoin ETF Approved with Expected Launch by End of Year
2 min readThe world will finally have its first official Bitcoin exchange-traded fund — though maybe not quite where you would expect. The first-ever Bitcoin ETF will be launched on the Bermuda Stock Exchange (BSX) by Hashdex, a regulated Brazilian fund manager, and Nasdaq after garnering approval for the “Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index” four days ago.
The news continues Bermuda’s legacy of being a crypto-friendly offshore international business and financial center.
Three million Class E shares will be issued for trading and the exchange-traded fund is expected to go live by the end of 2020.
Hashdex currently boasts $46.4 mil. in assets under management across four funds and uses Xapo, Kingdom Trust, and Vo1t for services relating to crypto custody. KPMG is the firm’s auditor.
‘When Bitcoin ETF?’
For years now, many Bitcoin proponents and cryptocurrency enthusiasts have been asking the question “when Bitcoin ETF?” While one is officially on the way for the Bermuda Stock Exchange, the prospect of such a regulated, insured, and institutional-focused vehicle for BTC exposure appearing on exchanges in the United States appears grim.
Bids from various parties — such as the Winklevoss twins, VanEck, SolidX, and Wilshire Pheonix — have all been rejected by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or pulled by the applicants. The securities regulator has frequently claimed that applicants failed to provide enough evidence that the BTC market is resistant to manipulation.
Speaking on the matter was the SEC’s Chair, Jay Clayton, who said that a Bitcoin ETF in the US is possible, but there’s a lot of work to be done.
‘Biggest Front-Running Opportunity of Your Life’
However, former Goldman Sachs executive and well-known fund manager Raoul Pal believes that a Bitcoin ETF is coming to the U.S. very soon. He recently stated:
“I’m going to give you the biggest front-running opportunity of your life: they will get an ETF across the line. There will be billions of dollars that pour into it. Every pension plan will allocate some money to it. Every family office will allocate some money to it. And the more the price goes up, the more they will allocate.”
Whether or not Pal’s prediction comes to fruition remains to be seen. However, it stands to reason that the SEC is objectively aware of the BTC market’s continued maturation and correlation to the equities markets. As such, it may take a more favorable stance as new Bitcoin ETF applications come across its desks.
