Crypto ETFs May Soon Have In-Kind Feature As Five Issuers File Amendments

Five issuers have submitted amendments filings to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) seeking approvals for in-kind features on their crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs). While the SEC has delayed giving its approvals, James Seyffart argued that a crypto ETF will soon receive regulatory blessings for in-kind creation and redemptions.

Expert Predicts Crypto ETF To Receive Approval For In-Kind Feature

Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart has predicted that the US SEC may allow Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs to offer in-kind creation and redemptions. Seyffart shared his views via an X post, pointing to a flurry of new amendment filings with the securities watchdog.

Five funds on CBOE have filed amendments seeking the SEC’s consent to include the features in their offerings. According to the filing numbers, the issuers include Ark 21, VanEck, Invesco, WisdomTree, and Fidelity.

Seyffart described the new filings as “positive signs” of a changing stance by the SEC toward the in-kind creation and redemptions. Back in April, the SEC delayed VanEck’s application for in-kind features, which suggested back then that the Commission wasn’t ready to approve them.

“5 different funds on CBOE filed amendments with the SEC,” said Seyffart. “This indicates to me that there is positve movement and likely fine tuning happening with the SEC.”

Typically, in-kind creation and redemption will allow a crypto ETF to exchange assets directly rather than relying on cash. An approval by the SEC will allow investors to sidestep capital gains taxes since crypto assets are not sold, with Seyffart highlighting “efficiency” perks for ETFs.

Amendment Will Not Apply To Retail

In his X post, Seyffart notes that introduction of in-kind features to the crypto ETFs will not apply to retail traders. Seyffart said that if approved, only authorized participants, such as big Wall Street firms and market makers, can trade shares of their ETFs for the underlying asset.

He admitted that this in-kind feature will make current and future crypto ETFs more efficient. However, the analyst noted that the vast majority of people won’t see a difference because the products on the market now already trade “extremely efficiently.”

It is worth noting that, in addition to the in-kind feature, crypto ETF issuers are also seeking to include staking in their respective funds. As CoinGape reported, BlackRock recently filed for staking in its Ethereum ETF, joining a host of issuers that had earlier done so.