In spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund race, pioneers stick to the sidelines Premium

Demand for a bitcoin exchange-traded fund is expected to draw in as much as $3 billion from investors in the first few days of trading; yet big names in the cryptocurrency space are steering clear on concerns that the field is too crowded and the regulatory and marketing costs are too prohibitive

Despite growing excitement that spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) will soon win regulatory approval, some cryptocurrency ETF pioneers plan to sit out what is expected to be a fierce industry battle for market share.

Demand for a bitcoin ETF, which would allow retail and institutional investors to easily bet on the price of the world’s biggest cryptocurrency, is expected to draw in as much as $3 billion from investors in the first few days of trading and pull in billions more thereafter.

Yet some established names in the blockchain and cryptocurrency space - including ProShares, Amplify Investments and Roundhill - are so far steering clear of launching a bitcoin ETF. They worry that the field is too crowded, the regulatory and marketing costs too high, and that demand will not be strong enough to compensate for that.

Though they remain a small minority in a race where both big and small players are diving in, their skepticism suggests the hype over a spot bitcoin ETF may be misplaced and that the products could prove unprofitable for some issuers rushing into the space.

“This could be the most successful ETF launch in history, but it’s still going to be intensely competitive, requiring a lot of investment up front,” said Dave Mazza, chief strategy officer at Roundhill Investments, which hopes to launch cryptocurrency ETFs but has no plans for a spot bitcoin ETF. “You have to weigh the odds that you’ll end up as one of the winners, or an also-ran,” he reasoned.

The U.S.’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has long rejected spot bitcoin ETF applications on the grounds they do not meet its investor protection requirements.

Industry hoped that position would shift in June when BlackRock, which has an almost unbroken record of SEC ETF approvals, filed for a spot bitcoin ETF. Then in August, a court ruled that the SEC wrongly rejected Grayscale Investments’ application to convert its Bitcoin Trust into a spot bitcoin ETF and must review Grayscale’s filing.