Valkyrie Chief Funding Officer (CIO) Steven McClurg informed ETF.com on Nov. 2 that regulators may approve a spot Bitcoin ETF by the top of the month.

McClurg stated that he expects the U.S. Securities and Change Fee (SEC) to ship a second request for feedback to varied spot Bitcoin ETF candidates within the coming weeks. The SEC beforehand requested feedback beginning on the finish of September. Valkyrie reportedly submitted an replace to its personal submitting this week.

The CIO stated that after the SEC sends out these new requests, it may approve the mandatory 19b-4 filings on the finish of November. These filings concern the proposed rule adjustments that may enable exchanges to record the spot Bitcoin (BTC) ETFs in query.

McClurg stated that this approval timeline “doubtless means a February launch” in 2024, because the SEC may ask companies so as to add extra particulars to different S-1 filings earlier than any ultimate launch.

Bitwise is “hopeful;” expects $50B over 5 years

ETF.com additionally obtained a press release from Bitwise CIO Matt Hougan, who stated that he’s “hopeful” about his firm’s plans to launch a spot Bitcoin ETF.

Hougan commented on sure points, noting that “market manipulation continues to be a possible stumbling block” and famous that “custody isn’t [necessarily] a wrap.”

Although different candidates have tried to deal with points round market manipulation by introducing surveillance-sharing agreements, particularly with Coinbase, Bitwise is much less optimistic on the matter. Hougan made related statements when Bitwise up to date its submitting in late September, suggesting that such agreements could not meet necessities.

Each executives additionally offered estimates concerning the quantity of worth that the pending funds may appeal to. McClurg projected $10 billion of demand for spot Bitcoin ETFs within the 4 to eight weeks after they launch. In the meantime, Hougan projected greater than $50 billion of inflows over 5 years, weighted towards the later years.

Different ETF candidates are additionally driving expectations

Valkyrie Investments and Bitwise are amongst roughly ten companies within the working to supply the primary spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds within the U.S.

The most recent batch of proposals was largely prompted by the key asset supervisor BlackRock, which submitted its spot Bitcoin ETF utility on June 15. A number of different hopeful asset managers have patterned their very own functions after BlackRock’s.

Elsewhere, Grayscale has attracted optimism via a authorized victory that may compel the SEC to assessment its ETF utility. Nevertheless, Grayscale’s plan includes changing its current GBTC fund to an ETF and is sort of totally different from most different pending functions.