BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, has officially lodged an Ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF) application with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This notable step marks BlackRock’s deeper foray into the burgeoning digital asset market.
The proposed ‘iShares Ethereum Trust’ is structured to closely track the price performance of Ethereum (ETH), the second leading cryptocurrency, minus the Trust’s operational expenses and liabilities.
This development from BlackRock, a firm commanding over a trillion dollars in assets, has sent positive ripples through the crypto market. The announcement further underscores BlackRock’s commitment to expanding its portfolio offerings in the digital assets domain and reflects the growing institutional interest in cryptocurrencies.
Details Of The Proposed Ethereum ETF
The recent submission of a Form S-1 Registration Statement to the SEC details the operational framework of the iShares Ethereum Trust. For context, a ‘Form S-1 Registration’ is a document filed with the US SEC used by companies planning to go public or register new securities for sale.
BlackRock’s decision to create the Trust comes from their previous action of registering the corporate name “iShares Ethereum Trust” in Delaware.
The iShares Ethereum Trust has just been registered in Delaware.
For context, BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust was registered in a similar manner 7 days before they filed the ETF application with the SEC. Details below.
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So far, BlackRock has named Coinbase Custody Trust Company as the primary custodian for the Ethereum holdings, signifying a crucial partnership between traditional financial giants and crypto-native firms.
The Trust’s structure involves the continuous issuance of shares, referred to as “Baskets,” in transactions primarily executed in exchange for Ethereum. BlackRock has noted that the shares of the iShares Ethereum Trust are set to be listed and traded on NASDAQ, with the specific ticker symbol yet to be announced.
This move indicates a significant stride towards integrating crypto within mainstream investment platforms. The trillion-dollar asset manager further disclosed that no public market existed for these shares before this offering, marking a milestone in digital asset investment offerings.
Regulatory Landscape And Future Prospects
Furthermore, in its filing, BlackRock clearly outlines the regulatory context of the Trust, stating that it will operate outside the scope of the US Investment Company Act and that its sponsoring entity does not hold registration as an investment adviser with the SEC.
Additionally, the Trust is not categorized as a commodity pool by the US Commodity Exchange Act, and its sponsor is not subject to regulation by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as a commodity pool operator.
Meanwhile, following the filing announcement, ETH has continued its bullishness, up by nearly 1% in the past 24 hours with a trading price above $2,000.
Featured image from Unsplash, Chart from TradingView
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