Why Won’t the SEC Approve a Bitcoin ETF? With Perianne Boring
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SHOW DESCRIPTION
Perianne Boring is the Founder and CEO of the Chamber of Digital Commerce. In this interview, we discuss the history of Bitcoin spot ETF proposals, the numerous rejections and changing conditions for approval, and why the SEC won’t approve a Bitcoin spot ETF.
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The first application for a Bitcoin spot ETF in the US was made by the Winklevoss brothers back in 2013. The SEC rejected this proposal in 2017. Since then the SEC has rejected applications from at least 16 different companies, some of whom have made multiple applications. The last rejection was in early October.
It’s not that the SEC dislikes ETFs. There are over 2,500 ETFs in the US market with over $7.2 trillion AUM. Further, there is also strong demand in the market: over 99% of the 11,400 letters sent to the SEC in relation to Grayscale’s ETC application were in support. In the meantime, Bitcoin spot ETFs are being approved across the world, most notably across the border in Canada.
The Chamber of Digital Commerce, the blockchain trade association, has assessed the history of Bitcoin spot ETF applications accounted for in a report. This outlines major inconsistencies in the way the SEC treats applications: denials have conditions applied for subsequent applications; these conditions are met, the new applications are denied; rinse and repeat.
In addition, in 2021 the SEC approved the first US Bitcoin futures ETF. Whilst the performance of the Bitcoin futures ETF has tracked the Bitcoin price reasonably closely, futures markets are by their very nature volatile as futures contracts can be unpredictable. So, it is potentially a less safe vehicle for investment.
The obvious question is, therefore: why won’t the SEC approve a Bitcoin spot ETF? Perianne Boring, the CEO of the Chamber of Digital Commerce, is of the opinion the decision is political in nature. There is a wave of money waiting to invest in such an ETF, which would accelerate the adoption of Bitcoin. This is something many decision-makers are resistant to. What’s clear is that with Grayscale suing the SEC the issue is coming to a head.
TIMESTAMPS
00:02:01: Introductions
00:03:29: Peter Schiff and gold vs Bitcoin
00:08:11: Bitcoin in Congress, and the threat of Bitcoin
00:12:39: Teaching Austrian Economics vs Keynesian Economics
00:22:22: Interning in the White House
00:28:15: US vs UK healthcare
00:36:08: The role of the government, and crony capitalism vs libertarianism
00:46:26: Manipulation of inflation
00:55:05: Chamber of Digital Commerce
01:00:34: The Crypto Conundrum: SEC vs Bitcoin ETF
01:10:06: Gary Gensler, regulation, and registration for exchanges
01:15:57: Grayscale's rejected ETF
01:26:47: Spot ETF potential risks and downsides
01:40:14: Final comments
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SHOW NOTES
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Mentioned in the interview:
The Crypto Conundrum - Chamber of Digital Commerce, Sep 22nd 2022
How an Economy Grows and Why It Crashes - Peter Schiff, Apr 2010
Nathaniel Popper's 'Digital Gold' Looks at Bitcoin - NY Times, Jul 2015
Ron Paul On How Austrian Economics Inspired His Political Career - Mises Institute, Aug 2018
PayPal Says It Never Intended to Fine Users for ‘Misinformation’ - Bloomberg, Oct 10th 2022
Why high UK energy bills were decades in the making - BBC, Nov 7th 2022
SEC’s Gensler Uses Crypto Oversight Needs as Case for Higher Budget - CoinDesk, May 18th 2022
CFTC Chair Reiterates: Bitcoin and Ether Are Commodities - CryptoPotato, Oct 25th 2022
Grayscale Brief Says SEC Unfairly Rejected Bitcoin ETF Bid - Bloomberg, Oct 12th 2022
Comprehensive surveillance sharing agreements - Lexology, Apr 2014
Draft of 'DeFi Killing' CFTC Bill Has Leaked—Here’s What’s In It - DeCrypt, Oct 19th 2022
SEC Chairman Jay Clayton: Cryptocurrencies Like Bitcoin Are Not Securities - CNBC, YouTube, Jun 2018
Bitcoin Mining Map - Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index
21Shares Launches The Middle East’s First Spot Bitcoin ETP - Bitcoin Magazine, Oct 12th 2022
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