VanEck has submitted an updated spot Bitcoin ETF filing with the SEC, listing the ETF with the ticker HODL. The firm expects an approval by January 2022.
VanEck, an ETF and mutual fund manager, has announced a significant update to its spot Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
VanEck Spot Bitcoin ETF and VanEck Bitcoin Trust will be listed for trading on the exchange under the ticker symbol ‘HODL.’ Now, all eyes are on the SEC as the January deadline looms.
According to an S-1 filing with the SEC on December 8, VanEck has updated its spot Bitcoin ETF, which was first filed in March 2021. The updated filing reveals that the ETF will be listed with the ticker HODL, a popular term in the crypto community that signifies holding Bitcoin for the long term.
VanEck advisor Gabor Gurbacs took to Twitter, saying, “The best ticker in the Bitcoin ETF race just dropped: HODL.” He expressed his excitement about this development, as he believes the SEC will approve the ETF in the coming year following constructive discussions with the regulator.
Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart said VanEck has been trying to launch a Bitcoin ETF for so many years that “it’s amendment number 5 for them”. He noted that VanEck was the first to file a Bitcoin ETF in the U.S. back in 2016 but withdrew its application several times due to regulatory hurdles.
In the last update on October 29, VanEck highlighted its plans to seed the spot BTC ETF with funds domiciled in physical BTC. This means that the ETF will hold actual Bitcoin in custody rather than relying on derivatives or futures contracts. This is expected to provide more security and transparency to the investors.
VanEck executives are confident about the SEC’s approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF in January 2022. The firm predicts $2.4 billion in Bitcoin ETF inflows in the first quarter and BTC price hitting $100,000 in 2024.
This is marginally lower than Galaxy Research’s prediction on spot Bitcoin ETF inflows, which estimates up to $14 billion in inflows during the first year of its launch.
If the SEC approves a spot Bitcoin ETF on January 8, ETF experts Eric Balchunas and Scott Johnsson assert investors will be able to trade spot Bitcoin ETF after a week or two months maximum timeframe.
This will depend on the listing process and the availability of market makers and authorized participants.
The approval of a spot Bitcoin ETF by the SEC would be a historic milestone for the crypto industry, as it would provide a more accessible and regulated way for investors to gain exposure to Bitcoin.
VanEck’s HODL Bitcoin ETF is one of the several spot Bitcoin ETF proposals pending before the SEC, along with those from Fidelity, WisdomTree, and Valkyrie.