By October 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to decide whether to approve two bitcoin ETF applications. Filed by Bitwise Asset Management and VanEck, these ETFs would give investors a simpler way to gain exposure to bitcoin cryptocurrency. Approval doesn’t mean immediate launch—that could take time. But if approved and launched, should you invest in it?
How big can the ETF market become?
In 2017 was a record year for the global ETF market. Assets invested in ETFs and other exchange-traded products (ETPs) reached a new all-time high of $4.8 Trillion. “So far, assets in global ETFs have doubled every five years,” says Bryon Lake, head of international ETFs at JP Morgan Asset Management. “So can we reach $10 Trillion in assets in 2022, compared to the current $5trn? It’s a stretch but it’s entirely possible.”
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission again delayed a decision on approving three Bitcoin exchange-traded funds, dealing another blow to those in the cryptocurrencies community holding on to the belief that a favorable decision was imminent. The regulator postponed until October a ruling on whether listing rules can change to allow the two funds to start trading. Decisions for both the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Trust, which wants to track the 10 largest digital tokens, and the VanEck SolidX Bitcoin Trust.