Grayscale recently made amendments to its regulatory filing, indicating its intention to convert its Ethereum Trust to a spot exchange-traded fund (ETF). The company’s updated filing on March 15 provides a stronger case for the conversion in several ways.
One of the key points in the updated filing is the emphasis on market surveillance and correlation analysis. Grayscale argues that surveillance sharing within the CME ETH market is sufficient to prevent fraud and manipulation in the spot ETH market. The filing includes a correlation analysis conducted by Coinbase, showing a high and consistent correlation between the CME ETH futures market and the spot Ethereum market over the past three years. This correlation is even higher than what the SEC found between the CME Bitcoin futures market and the spot Bitcoin market.
An important aspect of the filing is the detailed description of the creation and redemption of ETF shares. The filing specifies that only cash creations and redemptions are allowed, with authorized participants unable to engage in direct transactions involving ETH. This structure is aimed at ensuring transparency and liquidity in the ETF market.
Grayscale Ethereum Trust currently holds $11.8 billion in assets under management (AUM), a significant increase from the previous $4.8 billion. The conversion to an ETF is expected to unlock over $1.73 billion in value, surpassing the initial estimate of $1.6 billion. This growth in AUM highlights the growing interest in Ethereum and crypto assets among investors.
Despite the amendments and enhanced case presented in the filing, the expectations for regulatory approval of an Ethereum ETF appear to be declining. Polymarket places the odds of Ethereum ETF approval by the end of May at just 26% as of March 15. This indicates potential challenges in gaining regulatory acceptance for an Ethereum ETF, despite the strong arguments put forth by Grayscale.
Grayscale’s updated regulatory filing for the conversion of its Ethereum Trust to an ETF presents a compelling case for the move. The emphasis on market surveillance, correlation analysis, and transparent creation and redemption methods strengthens the argument for an Ethereum ETF. However, the declining expectations for regulatory approval suggest that challenges and uncertainties remain in the path towards launching an Ethereum ETF. Investors and stakeholders will be closely monitoring developments in this space to assess the potential impact on the broader crypto market.
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