SEC Rejects VanEck’s Spot Bitcoin ETF Proposal

The decision did not come as a surprise given SEC chair Gary Gensler’s preference for a bitcoin futures ETF.

AccessTimeIconNov 12, 2021 at 8:33 p.m. UTC
Updated Mar 9, 2024 at 2:02 a.m. UTC
10 Years of Decentralizing the Future
May 29-31, 2024 - Austin, TexasThe biggest and most established global hub for everything crypto, blockchain and Web3.Register Now

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rejected investment firm VanEck’s proposal for a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) in a decision released on Friday. The agency had previously delayed its final decision on the proposal in September.

  • In its letter, the SEC wrote that “the Commission concludes that [the fund] has not met its burden under the Exchange Act and the Commission’s Rules of Practice to demonstrate that its proposal is consistent with … the requirement that the rules of a national securities exchange be ‘designed to prevent fraudulent and manipulative acts and practices’ and to ‘protect investors and the public interest.’”
  • The decision was widely expected as SEC Chair Gary Gensler has indicated his preference for a bitcoin futures ETF over an ETF that holds bitcoin multiple times in the past.
  • Two bitcoin futures ETFs, the ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BITO) and the Valkyrie Bitcoin Strategy ETF (BTF), began trading last month, leading to a significant rally in the price of bitcoin. VanEck has its own bitcoin futures ETF that has received permission from the SEC to launch, but it has not begun trading yet.
  • The price of bitcoin briefly dipped less than 1% following the release of the SEC’s decision, but quickly recovered. Bitcoin was trading down about 3.1% over the past 24 hours to $63,182.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

UPDATE (Nov. 12, 17:10 UTC): Added BTC price information.

UPDATE (Nov. 12, 17:29 UTC): Added SEC statements in first bullet point.



Disclosure

Please note that our privacy policy, terms of use, cookies, and do not sell my personal information has been updated.

CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. In November 2023, CoinDesk was acquired by the Bullish group, owner of Bullish, a regulated, digital assets exchange. The Bullish group is majority-owned by Block.one; both companies have interests in a variety of blockchain and digital asset businesses and significant holdings of digital assets, including bitcoin. CoinDesk operates as an independent subsidiary with an editorial committee to protect journalistic independence. CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive options in the Bullish group as part of their compensation.

Nelson Wang

Nelson Wang was CoinDesk's news editor for the East Coast. He holds BTC and ETH above CoinDesk's disclosure threshold of $1,000.


Learn more about Consensus 2024, CoinDesk's longest-running and most influential event that brings together all sides of crypto, blockchain and Web3. Head to consensus.coindesk.com to register and buy your pass now.