Ethereum Soars on Spot ETF Rumors: A Regulatory Turning Point?
Ethereum (ETH), the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, continued to surge Tuesday after skyrocketing over 20% on Monday. This surge comes amidst growing speculation that the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may finally approve the first spot Ethereum Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF).
The hype surrounding a potential spot ETF approval has been a major catalyst for the recent price increase. Notably, their introduction would significantly develop the cryptocurrency industry, potentially attracting new investors and boosting mainstream adoption of Ethereum.
The optimism around spot ETFs stems from recent reports indicating that the SEC requests amendments to applications from asset managers seeking to launch these products. While this request could signify a delay, it is generally viewed positively as it suggests the SEC actively engages with the proposals rather than outright rejecting them.
Analysts like Eric Balchunas of Bloomberg have even revised their approval estimates upwards, putting the chances of a spot Ethereum ETF launch much higher than in the previous estimate.
“James Seyffart and I are increasing our odds of spot Ether ETF approval to 75% (up from 25%), hearing chatter this afternoon that SEC could be doing a 180 on this (increasingly political issue), so now everyone scrambling (like us everyone else assumed they’d be denied).” Balchunas tweeted on Monday.
This shift reflects a growing belief that the SEC may be softening its stance on cryptocurrency regulations, potentially due to increasing political pressure, despite the path to a spot ETF launch remaining complex.
Notably, however, the SEC still needs to approve both the rule changes proposed by exchanges (Form 19b-4 filings) and the registration statements of the ETFs themselves (S-1 filings). Even if the 19b-4 filings are approved quickly, the SEC could still delay the S-1s for further scrutiny.
Elsewhere, investors have been dabbling in ETH investments. One interesting development is the recent activity of prominent crypto investor James Fickel. As highlighted by Lookonchain on Tuesday, Fickel has been accumulating Ethereum in anticipation of a potential ETF launch. On Tuesday, the firm reported that he had borrowed over $150 million worth of Wrapped Bitcoin (WBTC) and exchanged it for Ethereum, suggesting a solid belief in the positive impact of an ETF approval.
The coming days and weeks will be crucial for Ethereum and the broader cryptocurrency market. If the SEC approves the 19b-4 filings and the path toward a spot ETF launch becomes clearer, investors can expect continued bullish momentum for Ethereum. However, any delays or rejections from the SEC could lead to a significant price pullback.
ETH was trading at $3,778 at press time, reflecting a 21.88% surge over the past 24 hours. As seen on CoinMarketCap, its purchase volume had increased 336% over the same period.
