ProShares Bitcoin-linked ETF launches on NYSE as BTC price rises above $63K

Published at: Oct. 19, 2021

The first Bitcoin (BTC) futures-linked exchange-traded fund in the United States began trading on the New York Stock Exchange, opening at a price of $40 per share.

According to the New York Stock Exchange, ProShares’ Bitcoin Strategy ETF, the first exchange-traded fund allowing U.S. investors direct exposure to cryptocurrency futures, opened at a price of $40 per share of BITO before rising 3.8% to reach $41.54 at the time of publication. The addition of the crypto fund to a major stock exchange follows years of deferred decisions from the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, the regulator responsible for greenlighting the asset.

The NYSE welcomes @ProSharesETF in celebration of the first U.S. Bitcoin-Linked ETF $BITO https://t.co/0qh0NDS2d4

— NYSE (@NYSE) October 19, 2021

“BITO will open up exposure to Bitcoin to a large segment of investors who have a brokerage account and are comfortable buying stocks and ETFs, but do not desire to go through the hassle and learning curve of establishing another account with a cryptocurrency provider and creating a Bitcoin wallet or are concerned that these providers may be unregulated and subject to security risks,” ProShares CEO Michael Sapir said on Monday.

The SEC first accepted the registration request for ProShares’ Bitcoin Strategy ETF on the NYSE on Friday shortly before doing the same for shares of digital asset manager Valkyrie’s BTC futures ETF for a listing on the Nasdaq. Institutional asset manager Grayscale also announced on Monday it planned to convert its GBTC Trust into an ETF in the future. The SEC currently has several crypto ETF applications under consideration.

"The ProShares ETF will provide greater market access and ease of use for institutional investors who want to get into the cryptocurrency markets," said Mary Beth Buchanan, global chief legal officer at blockchain investigative platform Merkle Science. "The newest futures based ETF will trade on the NYSE and will feel more familiar to institutional investors than opening individual trading accounts and trading directly on a spot or futures based cryptocurrency exchange or crypto trading platform."

Related: Traders celebrate Bitcoin's impending ETF, but options markets are less certain

According to data from Cointelegraph Markets Pro, the price of Bitcoin rose following shares of ProShares’ ETF opening for trading, moving 1.2% from $62,557 to a five-month high of $63,293. This marks a return to the crypto asset moving above $63,000 for the first time since April when it hit a then all-time high price of $64,863.

Tags
Etf
Bitcoin
United States
Sec
Business
Cryptocurrencies
Investments
Nyse
Related Posts
SEC Chair Gary Gensler responds to concerns about first Bitcoin-linked ETF
United States Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler and ProShares head of investment strategy Simeon Hyman discussed the launch of the first Bitcoin-linked exchange-traded fund (ETF) with CNBC on Tuesday. ProShares Bitcoin Strategy ETF, also known as BITO, is based on CME Bitcoin (BTC) futures contracts. CNBC commentator Bob Pisani shared concerns from some investors that BTC futures could deviate from the BTC spot price. “The futures market is a better place for price discovery,” said Hyman. “The CME futures market trades more volume than the largest U.S. crypto exchange. We launched a similar mutual fund on 7/28, and …
Adoption / Oct. 19, 2021
BREAKING: ProShares follows Valkyrie in approval for listing Bitcoin Strategy ETF
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission has accepted the registration request for ProShares’ Bitcoin Strategy ETF, with the shares to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange’s Arca. According to an Oct. 15 notice from the SEC, the agency has accepted the registration of securities from ProShares Trust’s Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded fund, which offers exposure to the crypto asset with futures contracts. In addition, ProShares filed a post-effective amendment prospectus, which states its ETF could launch as early as Oct. 18. The assets will be listed on NYSE Arca, should the SEC officially approve the application. Bloomberg analyst …
Etf / Oct. 15, 2021
NYSE Arca files with SEC to list Bitwise Bitcoin ETP Trust
NYSE Arca, a subsidiary of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) Group, wants to list and operate a trust based on Bitcoin (BTC) exchange-traded products (ETP). In a rule change proposal with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), NYSE Arca proposed to list shares of the Bitwise Bitcoin ETP Trust. The proposal clarifies that each share of the trust will be represented by fixed “units of undivided beneficial ownership,” allowing the shares on the stock exchange to reciprocate their value in accordance with Bitcoin's market price. Moreover, the trust will be operated by two third-party associates serving as …
Adoption / Nov. 3, 2021
ProShares Bitcoin ETF to debut on NYSE on Oct. 19
The first Bitcoin (BTC) futures-linked exchange-traded fund in the United States, ProShares’ Bitcoin Strategy ETF, will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday under the ticker BITO. ProShares CEO Michael Sapir said the launch marks an important milestone for cryptocurrency ETFs in the U.S. following several years of effort to list one on an exchange: “BITO will continue the legacy of ETFs that provide investors convenient, liquid access to an asset class. 1993 is remembered for the first equity ETF, 2002 for the first bond ETF, and 2004 for the first gold ETF. 2021 will be remembered …
Etf / Oct. 18, 2021
SkyBridge Capital’s Anthony Scaramucci expects a pro-crypto presidential candidacy
Anthony Scaramucci, the founder of the hedge fund SkyBridge Capital, thinks that the next United States presidential candidate will likely be pro-cryptocurrency, given that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) recently announced the approval of a fourth Bitcoin (BTC) futures exchange-traded fund (ETF). During an interview at SALT’s Crypto Bahamas conference, Scaramucci told Cointelegraph that he has been bullish on a pro-crypto presidential candidate since the SEC approved Bitcoin futures under the Securities Act of 1933 (‘33 Act) and the Securities Act of 1934 ('34 Act). He added: “The Congress is indicating that they are more crypto-friendly. You now …
Decentralization / May 5, 2022