Will a Spot Ether ETF Open the Door to Other Altcoin ETFs?

With the likelihood of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approving a spot ether ETF suddenly rising, altcoin investors are speculating on a possible flurry of approvals for additional coins.

With the SEC reportedly close to approving a spot ether ETF, could other altcoin ETFs follow suit?

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly nearing approval of a spot ether ETF, a move that has sparked speculation among altcoin proponents about the possibility of further ETF approvals for other crypto assets.

Currently, there are over a dozen trusts that trade on US stock exchanges and hold alternate crypto assets, including Litecoin (LTC), Chainlink (LINK), Basic Attention Token (BAT), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Decentraland (MANA), Ethereum Classic (ETC), Filecoin (FIL), Polkadot (DOT), Horizon (ZEN), Stellar Lumens (XLM), Livepeer (LPT), Zcash (ZEC), and Solana (SOL).

If the SEC approves a spot ether ETF, could it also pave the way for ETFs for other altcoins?

Altcoin proponents argue that non-ether spot altcoin ETFs could be approved by the SEC shortly after a spot ether ETF, using the following logic: If the SEC permitted Grayscale to convert its bitcoin trust into an ETF, why would commissioners deny trust sponsors of other crypto assets to convert into an ETF?

This argument may fail if the SEC claims that the crypto asset is an unregistered security. However, the SEC has not classified all crypto assets held in US public trusts as securities.

Interestingly, many crypto trusts that trade on OTC Markets, a US stock exchange, explicitly hold SEC-designated unregistered securities, including SOL, MANA, and FIL. More crypto assets are rumored to be SEC-designated unregistered securities: ZEN, XLM, and ZEN.

On the other hand, there are trusts that trade on US OTC Markets that do not hold SEC-designated unregistered securities, such as the DOT or ETC trusts. Perhaps if the SEC were to approve a spot ether ETF, commissioners might approve spot ETFs based on such possibly non-security crypto assets.

It’s important to note that just because the SEC hasn't classified a crypto asset as an unregistered security doesn't mean that it isn't. Congress didn’t task the SEC to proactively classify all assets. Instead, the SEC simply chooses to accept or reject applications that it receives, or file enforcement actions against illegal conduct on a case-by-case basis, as it has the time, money, staff, and resources.

Silence from commissioners doesn’t indicate non-designation.

In related news, only bitcoin and ether have futures contracts listed on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME). This CME market of significant size for ether alone might be a carrying reason for approving only a spot ether ETF and not any other altcoin.

According to Bloomberg, Barron’s, and Wall Street Journal sources, the Trading and Markets Division at the SEC has requested amendments to an exchange and sponsor’s joint 19b-4 form — likely VanEck. This is a bullish sign for a possible spot ether ETF approval because, in the view of market observers, the SEC is typically silent or disinterested in 19b-4 filings if it intends to reject them.

Because the SEC is asking for a reapplication, the reasoning goes, its interest is likely a positive development.

Many viewed the SEC’s stance toward a spot ether ETF as decidedly negative. ConsenSys, the blockchain company founded by Joe Lubin, even sued the SEC, claiming that commissioners had secretly categorized ether as an unregistered security.

Therefore, if the SEC is actually considering a possible approval of a spot ETF for Ethereum, it would be a marked change of tone.

Read more: ConsenSys says the SEC designated ETH a security but won’t say where

Amid all of these media reports, the price of ether has rallied by 29% over the past seven days — outperforming bitcoin’s 12% rally by an additional 17%.

Form 19b-4 asks applicants for the information necessary for the public to understand why the SEC should change its Section 19(b)(1) rules pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In this case, the exchange and an ETF sponsor must explain why the SEC should allow ether to be used as the sole asset of a spot ETF.

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