SEC won't appeal Grayscale court ruling, paving way for spot bitcoin ETF

SEC won't appeal Grayscale court ruling, paving way for spot bitcoin ETF
The federal appeals court ruling in August was heralded by crypto advocates as a watershed moment for the industry.
OCT 14, 2023

The Securities and Exchange Commission won't ask a federal appeals court to reconsider a decision that paves the way for Grayscale Investments to launch a spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, according to a person familiar with the matter.

In August, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the SEC’s rejection of Grayscale’s bid to convert its trust into an exchange-traded fund. The ruling was made by just three of the judges on the court and the regulator could have sought a review by a full slate of judges. The agency is not planning any other appeals in the case, said the person, who asked not to be identified discussing the ongoing matter.

Grayscale has said that investors would benefit from conversion to an ETF, as shares could be easily created and redeemed. The current closed-end structure doesn’t let investors redeem shares when prices decline, leading to trading at steep discounts relative to the underlying bitcoin.

The August decision was heralded by crypto advocates as a watershed moment for the industry, and a rebuke of the SEC’s stance under Chair Gary Gensler. In that ruling, Judge Neomi Rao said the denial of Grayscale’s proposal was “arbitrary and capricious” because the regulator hadn’t explained its rationale.

After the court’s ruling back in August, shares of GBTC rallied more than bitcoin did, with the trust’s discount to its underlying holdings narrowing significantly. The gap earlier this year stood above 45% but has constricted to below 20%, data compiled by Bloomberg show.

The case is Grayscale v. SEC, 22-1142, US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Bitcoin ETFs could encourage adviser use of crypto

Latest News

Osaic in talks with Anthropic as AI reshapes advisor workforce
Osaic in talks with Anthropic as AI reshapes advisor workforce

The Independent broker-dealer giant has had “active conversations” with the Claude maker, which is days away from its expected IPO

The retirement milestone advisors aren't tracking
The retirement milestone advisors aren't tracking

For Gen X clients entering life after work, answering the financial question isn't enough to solve the entire retirement equation.

Wealthtech firms target stock pay, pensions and heirs for advisors
Wealthtech firms target stock pay, pensions and heirs for advisors

Tools from Grantd, Income Lab and Healthspan Wealth aim to keep RIAs involved in clients’ biggest money decisions

CFP Board, coalition press Senate on fraud victim tax relief
CFP Board, coalition press Senate on fraud victim tax relief

With elder scam losses near $3 billion, 52 groups urge senators to pass H.R. 9500 before a new Congress resets the clock

Trump nominates Johnson, Levine to fill SEC’s empty commission seats
Trump nominates Johnson, Levine to fill SEC’s empty commission seats

White House also sends two CFTC commissioner picks to the Senate, marking the first Democrats tapped for either Wall Street regulator under Trump's second term

SPONSORED Best Practices for Engaging Women Around Alternatives

Growing wealth, evolving priorities, and untapped opportunities are reshaping how women approach long-term investing.

SPONSORED Built on insurance experience to deliver on long-term promises

Knighthead Life entered the market with a competitive MYGA. A strong launch earned advisor confidence and paved the way for FIAs.