The most recent filing involving asset manager BlackRock’s attempt to launch a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) included a “surveillance-sharing agreement” with cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase.
According to a June 29 filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Nasdaq stock exchange refiled for a proposed rule change allowing the listing of BlackRock’s Bitcoin (BTC) ETF. The filing included details of a June 8 agreement between the Nasdaq and Coinbase “intended to supplement the exchange’s market surveillance program” and provide access to data on spot BTC trades.
The release of the SEC filing followed ARK Investment Management amending its spot BTC ETF application to include a surveillance-sharing agreement with the Chicago Board Options Exchange (Cboe) and an unnamed U.S.-based crypto exchange. Some speculated at the time the agreement was with Coinbase, which would seemingly put it in conflict with BlackRock’s ETF application.
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The SEC reportedly said on June 30 that crypto ETF filings with the Nasdaq and the Cboe were not “sufficiently clear and comprehensive,” suggesting that the applicants include additional information on surveillance arrangements. BlackRock first applied for the spot BTC ETF on June 15.
At the time of publication, the U.S. securities regulator had not approved any spot ETF linked to crypto investments despite numerous applications from market participants. Following the denial of its spot Bitcoin ETF in June 2022, Grayscale Investments filed a lawsuit against the SEC, alleging the regulator had failed “to apply consistent treatment to similar investment vehicles.”
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