Regulation
Grayscale Withdraws Ethereum Spot ETF Proposal Amid Regulatory Hurdles
Izmir, Turkey – January 12, 2018 Close up of Ethereum coin with other crypto coins shot on black background in studio
In a shocking development, American cryptocurrency asset management giant Grayscale Investments has withdrawn its Ethereum Spot Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) proposal with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The move comes against the backdrop of regulatory ambiguity surrounding U.S. exchange-traded funds based on digital assets.
Grayscale takes over its Ethereum Futures Trust (ETH) ETF
Tuesday May 7, Grayscale Investments deposit its delisting of its Ethereum Futures Trust (ETH) ETF, a proposal that was submitted to the SEC under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 19b-4 thereunder. The proposal, filed in September last year and published in October, aimed to further integrate Ethereum into the US regulatory landscape and create broader exposure for ETH.
A month after the application was published, the SEC postponed its final decision on approval or disapproval of the product, requiring additional time to access the ETH spot ETF. In March 2024, the regulatory watchdog again delayed its decision on the exchange fund, citing more time to analyze the proposed rule change. However, almost two months later, the company decided to withdraw its request to convert the Ethereum Trust (ETHE) into a spot ETF.
This intriguing move came just two weeks after Grayscale filed an S-3 registration statement for its Ethereum Trust, marking a bold step in its Ether investment services. By submitting the S-3 Registration Statement, Grayscale intends to improve the regulatory compliance and clarity of the ETH Trust. With the filing of Form S-3, the asset company has completed all requirements for the regulatory watchdog to review and rule on its ETH ETF proposal.
Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, the Company submitted Form S-3 to the Commission. Shades of grey reached this important milestone after NYSE Arca filed Form 19b-4 for the company’s Ethereum Trust.
The Company intended to list its ETH ETF on NYSE Arca under the symbol ETHE and issue shares continuously following approval of NYSE Arca’s application on Form 19b-4 to list the shares and effectiveness of Form S-3 to register the shares. However, the only way to purchase these shares was through a prospectus.
Crypto Community Opinions on the Development
Although the main motive behind Grayscale’s decision has not yet been identified, there is speculation in the community regarding several potential reasons behind it.
Addressing the subject, James Seyffart, analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence complaints the action was essentially a Trojan horse intended to produce similar conditions that allowed Grayscale to prevail in the GBTC dispute with the SEC.
So, he speculates that the SEC drafting a permit or rejection letter for an ETH futures ETF could be a possible reason why Grayscale withdrew its fund.
ETH trades at $2,991 on 1D chart | Source: ETHUSDT on Tradingview.com
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