- According to a research report published by German investment bank Berenberg on Wednesday, there is a high probability of preparing alternative arguments to justify the ongoing rejections of ETFs by the SEC.
- The approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF could be a significant milestone for the crypto industry as it would allow institutional investors to have broader access to the market.
- The bank stated, “The approval of a spot ETF would be good for Bitcoin, and anything that is good for Bitcoin would also be good for MSTR.”
German bank Berenberg expressed its views on the future approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in the US in its recent report.
Berenberg Comments on Bitcoin ETFs in the US
According to a research report published by German investment bank Berenberg on Wednesday, there is a high probability of preparing alternative arguments to justify the ongoing rejections of spot Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund (ETF) applications by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) based on concerns.
However, analysts led by Mark Palmer wrote that Grayscale’s victory may have increased the possibility of “the SEC finally approving one or more spot Bitcoin ETF applications.”
A federal court ruled on Tuesday that the SEC must reconsider its rejection of Grayscale’s attempt to convert Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) into an ETF.
The approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF could be a significant milestone for the crypto industry as it would allow institutional investors to have broader access to the market. ETFs are popular because they allow participants to invest in cryptocurrencies without buying the underlying digital assets.
The panel did not force the SEC to approve a spot Bitcoin ETF, but it stated that the regulator should reconsider the arguments used to reject Grayscale’s application – as stated in the analysts’ report. The report also noted that the SEC has the option to appeal the panel’s decision.
Could Coinbase Cause Issues?
Berenberg states that following Grayscale’s legal victory, stocks exposed to crypto have increased, with Coinbase (COIN) gaining 14.9% and MicroStrategy (MSTR) gaining 10.8%.
The bank stated, “The approval of a spot ETF would be good for Bitcoin, and anything that is good for Bitcoin would also be good for MSTR.” However, Coinbase’s potential participation in these ETFs could be part of the “restructured arguments” used by the SEC to reject them.
As Berenberg also pointed out, Coinbase’s involvement as a custodian in spot Bitcoin ETFs could create issues, as the SEC has previously filed a lawsuit against Coinbase exchange and could reject the ETFs again citing these concerns.
