BlackRock, VanEck Update Bitcoin ETF Filing Within Hours of Quick SEC Response

BlackRock (BLK) and VanEck, the two firms among 13 hoping to launch bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the U.S., have filed updated documents on Tuesday.

The filings indicate that the two entities were among the prospective issuers that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) sent comments in the past 24 hours. CoinDesk reported earlier that the SEC sent comments to a set of prospective issuers of the spot-bitcoin ETFs just hours after the companies filed documents detailing fees for their proposed products on Monday.

Among the changes in the latest updated filing on Tuesday is wording that seeks to mitigate damage to shareholders in the event of insolvency and avoid a conflict of interest between the ETF’s authorized participants.

The latest filing shows an almost unprecedented engagement between the SEC and prospective issuers, with filings following SEC responses and then updated filings within a span of 24 hours.

The SEC is widely expected to approve all the applications this week as it faces a Jan. 10, 2024 deadline – i.e. this Wednesday – for one of the applications by Ark and 21 Shares and may want to approve all together in the spirit of fairness.