SEC met with Franklin Templeton over spot Bitcoin ETF

Discussions between the SEC and Franklin Templeton emerged as crypto proponents stayed bullish on spot Bitcoin ETFs amid market dips.

The $1.5 trillion asset manager reportedly met with the U.S. Securities and Exchange (SEC) on Dec. 8 for further discourse on the firm’s bid for a spot Bitcoin ETF, a product many potential issuers hope to bring to America’s market.

The details of the meeting were undisclosed, although the SEC has held talks with several issuers in recent weeks, including BlackRock and Grayscale. Furthermore, discussions with Franklin Templeton likely indicate progress made with the company’s application. 

Franklin Templeton entered the spot Bitcoin ETF race in September 2023, joining a list of issuers that would later grow to 13 as Pando filed its bid. The SEC previously delayed a verdict, opting instead to extend the comment period for the company and several other issuers, crypto.news reported.

While proponents believe that the SEC could approve multiple filings by January 2024, another update on Franklin Templeton’s application isn’t due until March 31, with the final deadline on May 30. 

Spot Bitcoin ETF inches toward SEC approval

In other spot Bitcoin ETF news, experts believe the final lap before the SEC greenlights issuers to list their funds is now in play. Talks between the securities watchdog and potential issuers reportedly moved into key stages, with both sides hashing out details over an agreed redemption plan.

Analysts said the SEC would likely prefer cash create systems over the alternative in-kind model. However, a final decision on the matter has yet to be announced by Gary Gensler’s commission.

Spot ETFs that invest in Bitcoin (BTC) would attract billions of dollars in investments and serve as an endorsement for institutional investors, according to Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz and ARK Invest chief Cathie Wood, whose company expects an SEC reply on its bid by early next month.

Sunny Lu, CEO of L1 network VeChain, agreed with both Novogratz and Wood regarding an influx of institutional wealth if the SEC approves applications. Lu told crypto.news that such news could have an even bigger impact on markets than BTC’s halving.

The ETF will open the door for the world’s biggest institutional investors to enter the crypto space. Major progress on the regulatory side, such as with MiCA in Europe, will also pave the way for the mass adoption of blockchain and crypto in the real world.

Sunny Lu, CEO of VeChain