First Mover Americas: Spot ETF Speculation Grips Bitcoin Market

The latest moves in crypto markets in context for April 7, 2022.

AccessTimeIconApr 7, 2022 at 4:13 p.m. UTC
Updated May 11, 2023 at 6:01 p.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

Good morning, and welcome to First Mover, our daily newsletter putting the latest moves in crypto markets in context. Sign up here to get it in your inbox each weekday morning.

Here’s what’s happening this morning:

  • Why Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Is So Pro-Crypto
    1:00:39
    Why Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Is So Pro-Crypto
  • Bitcoin Ecosystem Developments in 2023 as BTC Hits Fresh 2023 High
    08:42
    Bitcoin Ecosystem Developments in 2023 as BTC Hits Fresh 2023 High
  • SEC's Crypto Enforcement Actions in 2023
    02:07
    SEC's Crypto Enforcement Actions in 2023
  • Why Financial Advisors Are So Excited About a Spot Bitcoin ETF
    1:02:43
    Why Financial Advisors Are So Excited About a Spot Bitcoin ETF
    • Market Moves: The U.S. SEC's decision to approve the Teucrium futures-based exchange-traded fund (ETF) filed under the Securities Act of 1933 renews hopes for a spot-based ETF. Some experts remain skeptical.
    • Chartist's Corner: Bitcoin sees a bull cross.

    And check out the CoinDesk TV show “First Mover,” hosted by Christine Lee, Emily Parker and Lawrence Lewitinn at 9:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time.

    • Fred Thiel, CEO, Marathon Digital Holdings
    • Francis Suarez, mayor of Miami
    • John Bartleman, president and CEO, TradeStation
    • Martin Leinweber, digital asset product strategist, MV Index Solutions

    Market Moves

    By Omkar Godbole

    A day after the release of hawkish Federal Reserve minutes, the battered crypto market is reassessing prospects of U.S. regulators approving a spot-based bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF).

    A spot-based ETF would allow investors to have exposure to bitcoin (BTC) through a regulated product without having to own the actual cryptocurrency, and is expected to boost institutional participation and bring trillions of dollars into the crypto market. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has time and again rejected spot-based bitcoin ETFs, citing a lack of market surveillance and risk of manipulation.

    Some experts, however, are again hopeful, thanks to the SEC's decision to greenlight Teucrium's futures-based ETF filed under the Securities Act of 1933.

    The 1933 act governing spot-based ETFs requires filing form 19B-4, detailing how the underlying asset is resistant to manipulation. Applications for the several futures-based ETFs approved since October 2021 were filed under the Investment company Act of 1940, which governs futures ETFs and doesn't require submission of Form 19B-4. Last year, SEC Chairman Gary Gensler had said he favored futures-based funds over a spot bitcoin ETF, mentioning the 1940 act as appropriate for approving bitcoin futures-based instruments.

    "The SEC approves Teucrium Bitcoin Futures ETF filed in 33Act structure. All previous BTC futures ETFs were in 40Act structure," Bloomberg's ETF analyst Henry Jim tweeted. "Bottom line: This increases chances of a 'spot' bitcoin ETFs being approved as it would only be able to use the 33Act structure."

    In a tweet thread, Grayscale CEO Michael Sonnenshein said that "if the SEC is comfortable with a bitcoin futures ETF, they must also be comfortable with a spot Bitcoin ETF. And they can no longer justifiably cite the '40 Act as being the differentiating factor."

    Sonnenshein argued that the SEC, while approving Teucrium's application under the 1933 Act, defined the underlying market as being restricted to the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME)-listed bitcoin futures. However, the CME futures are influenced by the unregulated spot market. So, the regulator can no longer deny spot-based ETFs, stating they are exposed to abuse. Grayscale's parent company Digital Currency Group is also the owner of CoinDesk, which is run as an independent subsidiary with an editorial firewall. Grayscale has applied to convert its Bitcoin Trust into a spot-based ETF.

    However, some observers are skeptical because overseeing the spot market, still dominated by whales, or large investors, on offshore exchanges remains a challenge.

    "The SEC will continue to reject a spot ETF as their main reason is manipulation on unregulated spot crypto exchange that they cannot oversee," Laurent Kssis, managing director and head of Europe at crypto exchange-traded fund firm Hashdex, told CoinDesk in a Telegram chat. Kssis has long held a belief that regulators would stay away from spot-based products while the cash market is unregulated.

    Grayscale's CEO Michael Sonnennshein's Twitter thread.
    Grayscale's CEO Michael Sonnennshein's Twitter thread.

    "The CME is regulated and so they fulfill their obligations to the market and objectives to oversee regulated financial markets irrespective of underlying constituent contract," Kssis added.

    Jad Comair, founder and CIO of French ETF provider Melanion Capital, said, "The exchanges where bitcoin trades are less regulated than traditional financial exchanges, and this remains will remain an issue for regulators."

    However, regulation may be coming soon and that could keep hopes of a spot-based ETF alive, perhaps helping the market absorb shocks from Fed's aggressive monetary policy tightening.

    "With [U.S. President Joe] Biden’s executive order, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Europe’s MiCA announcements and proposals, everything indicates that regulation will improve to a certain point where regulators will be confident approving crypto’s eligibility in retail products, like ETFs," Comair noted. "At Melanion, we share Kevin O’Leary’s vision [Wednesday] at the Bitcoin Conference [in Miami], that bitcoin is now a sector. Therefore, we have solved the bitcoin ETF quest by qualifying and weighting Equities that represent most of the bitcoin sector."


    Latest Headlines

    Bitcoin's Bull Cross

    By Omkar Godbole

    Bitcoin's 50-day simple moving average (SMA) has moved above the 100-day MA, confirming what is known as a bull cross in technical analysis.

    The cryptocurrency saw extended gains following similar bull crosses in mid-August 2021 and early October 2020.

    Moving averages are lagging indicators and are known to trap trend-following traders on the wrong side of the market.

    Bitcoin's daily chart showing a bull cross. (TradingView, CoinDesk)
    Bitcoin's daily chart showing a bull cross. (TradingView, CoinDesk)

    Today’s newsletter was edited by Omkar Godbole and produced by Parikshit Mishra and Stephen Alpher.

    Disclosure

    Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

    CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

    Omkar Godbole

    Omkar Godbole is a Co-Managing Editor on CoinDesk's Markets team.

    Parikshit Mishra

    Parikshit Mishra is CoinDesk's Deputy Managing Editor responsible for breaking news coverage. He does not have any crypto holdings.


    Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.