In a significant turn of events, Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou and his team at JP Morgan predict that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will approve a wave of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This forecast comes in the wake of Grayscale's recent victory in a major SEC lawsuit, which saw a federal court order the SEC to reevaluate its denial of Grayscale's BTC Trust (GBTC) spot ETF conversion request. The court deemed the SEC's previous decision "arbitrary and capricious," highlighting its failure to justify the disparate treatment of futures-based and spot-based Bitcoin ETFs.
Panigirtzoglou emphasized that for the SEC to uphold its denial of Grayscale's proposal, it would need to retract its prior approval of futures-based Bitcoin ETFs. Such an action would be highly detrimental to the SEC's credibility. Given this, Panigirtzoglou believes it is now more likely that the SEC will greenlight pending spot Bitcoin ETF applications from various asset management firms, including Grayscale.
Despite the prevailing optimism, JP Morgan analysts maintain a cautious stance regarding the clearance of U.S. spot ETFs, citing historical trends. They noted that spot Bitcoin ETFs have long been operational in Canada and Europe without attracting substantial investor interest. Furthermore, the analysts pointed out that the outflows from gold ETFs over the past year have not significantly benefited Bitcoin funds, including futures-based ETFs.
The SEC's decision to postpone spot ETF determinations from industry giants like BlackRock, Fidelity, and Invesco until mid-October has fueled speculation. JP Morgan analysts speculate that this delay is a strategic move by the SEC to facilitate the approval of multiple spot Bitcoin ETF filings, thereby mitigating the first-mover advantage and fostering increased competition, which could lead to lower ETF fees.
In a notable endorsement of this prediction, former SEC Chair Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou expressed confidence in the inevitability of Bitcoin spot ETF approvals. He stated that this development represents a significant milestone for the cryptocurrency market.
A decline in open interest for CME BTC futures contracts, according to Panigirtzoglou, suggests that the recent sell-off in the cryptocurrency market may be nearing its end. He anticipates a bottoming out in the crypto market in the coming weeks, with a subsequent resurgence anticipated in the latter half of the year.
This development could mark a pivotal moment in the evolution of the cryptocurrency market, with implications for both investors and the broader financial landscape. As the crypto market navigates this transformative juncture, all eyes will be on the SEC's forthcoming decisions regarding spot Bitcoin ETF applications.
