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SEC Approves Options Trading on BlackRock’s Spot Bitcoin ETF IBIT

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The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has just granted approval for the listing and trading of options on BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF, the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT).

The approved options on the iShares Bitcoin Trust will be physically settled, meaning that when the option is exercised, Bitcoin will be delivered to fulfill the contract. These American-style options can be exercised at any time before the expiration date, providing flexibility for traders. According to the SEC, the listing will follow the same rules as options on other exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including position limits and margin requirements.

“I’m assuming others will be approved in short order,” said Bloomberg Senior ETF Analyst Eric Balchunas. “Huge win for the the bitcoin ETFs (as it will attract more liquidity which will in turn attract more big fish). This is nice surprise re timing but not a shocker as James Seyffart and I gave 70% odds of approval by end of May.”

The SEC highlighted that this approval would allow investors to hedge their positions on Bitcoin, using the options market to mitigate the inherent volatility of BTC. The iShares Bitcoin Trust has been the most liquid spot Bitcoin ETF, which helped meet the requirements for trading options. The SEC also emphasized that extensive surveillance mechanisms would be in place to monitor potential market manipulation and ensure orderly trading.

“IBIT is the most liquid spot Bitcoin ETF and the 11th most liquid ETF in the U.S. by average volume (34,825,921 shares) and 18th largest by average notional ($1,246,060,738),” stated the SEC. “As of May 22, 2023, IBIT had approximately 193,956 shareholders.”

This approval by the SEC continues the trend of expanding regulated financial products based on Bitcoin, pushing it closer to full integration within the global financial system. The ability to trade options on a spot Bitcoin ETF provides new opportunities for institutional investors who wish to engage with the Bitcoin market while maintaining a higher level of risk management.

“Important note: This is just one stage of approval, the OCC and CFTC has to approve as well before they officially list,” Balchunas continued. “The other two don’t have a ‘clock’ so not sure when they’ll be approved. A big step tho nonetheless that the SEC came around.”





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Bitcoin

BlackRock Says Bitcoin a ‘Unique Diversifier’ Amid Geopolitical, Fiscal and Political Risks

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Finance giant BlackRock is saying that Bitcoin (BTC) is a unique investment opportunity offering investors something much different than traditional assets.

BlackRock, a firm with over $10 trillion in assets under management, says in a new report that Bitcoin could act as a hedge against the United States’ mounting debt and other macroeconomic concerns.

“While Bitcoin has shown instances of short-term co-movements with equities and other ‘risk assets,’ over the longer term its fundamental drivers are starkly different, and in many cases inverted versus most traditional investment assets. As the global investment community grapples with rising geopolitical tensions, concerns over the state of US debt and deficits and increased political instability around the world, Bitcoin may be seen as an increasingly unique diversifier against some of these fiscal, monetary and geopolitical risk factors investors may face elsewhere in their portfolio.”

The report says the appeal of alternative reserve assets is growing amid concerns over the potential impact of US federal deficits and debt on the dollar.

“This dynamic appears to be also taking hold in other countries where debt accumulation has been significant. In our experience with clients to date, this explains a substantial portion of the recent broadening institutional interest in Bitcoin.”

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT) launched earlier this year, among other Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Bitcoin ETFs grant traders exposure to the top crypto asset without them having to actually purchase it.

Bitcoin is trading for $62,098 at time of writing, up nearly 4% in the last 24 hours.

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed at The Daily Hodl are not investment advice. Investors should do their due diligence before making any high-risk investments in Bitcoin, cryptocurrency or digital assets. Please be advised that your transfers and trades are at your own risk, and any losses you may incur are your responsibility. The Daily Hodl does not recommend the buying or selling of any cryptocurrencies or digital assets, nor is The Daily Hodl an investment advisor. Please note that The Daily Hodl participates in affiliate marketing.

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Bitcoin ETF

BlackRock Releases a New Report, "Bitcoin: A Unique Diversifier"

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Asset management giant BlackRock, with over $10 trillion in assets under management, has published a new report touting Bitcoin as a unique portfolio diversifier. This marks the latest embrace of Bitcoin from the world’s largest asset manager.

Earlier this year, BlackRock launched a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (IBIT), rapidly becoming one of the most successful ETF launches ever. The Bitcoin ETF already has over $21 billion in assets under management.

BlackRock CEO Larry Fink also recently changed his sceptical stance on Bitcoin, admitting he was “wrong” to dismiss it. The firm has steadily released research explaining Bitcoin’s potential role for investors.

The new report explains that while volatile, Bitcoin is fundamentally detached from other asset classes over the long term. It argues Bitcoin’s adoption depends on global concerns over monetary stability, geopolitics, fiscal policy, and political stability – the inverse of traditional “risk assets.”

“Bitcoin, as the first decentralized, non-sovereign monetary alternative to gain widespread global adoption, has no traditional counterparty risk, depends on no centralized system, and is not driven by any one country’s fortunes,” the report states.

As major traditional finance players like BlackRock increasingly embrace Bitcoin, its reputation and adoption will likely accelerate, bringing it further into the mainstream. BlackRock’s continued pro-Bitcoin stance reflects growing acceptance by global financial institutions.





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BlackRock And Bitcoin ETFs Saved BTC Price: Bloomberg Analyst

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Bloomberg analyst Eric Balchunas has asserted that BlackRock and the Bitcoin ETFs saved the BTC from massive decline. The analyst’s statement related to rumors that the world’s largest asset manager receives Bitcoin IOUs from the Coinbase crypto exchange. A popular crypto analyst has outlined a theory suggesting that the asset manager may be shorting BTC with these IOUs, leading to the coin’s decline at different times.

BlackRock And Bitcoin ETFs Saved Bitcoin Price

Balchunas stated in an X post that BlackRock and the Bitcoin ETFs repeatedly saved the BTC price “from the abyss.” The analyst made this statement to rebut arguments that traditional investors were to blame every time the coin declined. He added that he understands why these exist, as people want to “scapegoat the ETFs” because they find it hard to believe that the native HODLers could be the sellers.

However, Eric Balchunas claimed that these Bitcoin natives are indeed the sellers. He remarked that they are sabotaging the Bitcoin price, not traditional investors. Popular Bitcoin analyst Ali Martinez recently revealed how BTC miners had sold over 30,000 $BTC in three days, proving Balchunas’s point that the “call is coming from inside the house.”

It is also worth mentioning that these Bitcoin ETFs contributed significantly to the BTC price reaching a new all-time high (ATH) of $73,000 in March earlier this year. These funds witnessed impressive net inflows upon launch, causing new money to flow into the BTC ecosystem and spark a rise in its price. BlackRock, in particular, has continued to hold on to its coins, recording only three daily net outflows since its January launch.

Coinbase Helping TradFi To Supress Bitcoin

There have been rumors that Coinbase is writing Bitcoin IOUs for BlackRock, leading to price suppression. Crypto analyst Tyler Durden is one of those who have continued to make such allegations. Earlier this year, the analyst explained that the crypto exchange’s IOUs to the asset manager means they can borrow as much Bitcoin to short and not show proof that they hold the coin 1:1.

To further prove his point that the world’s largest asset manager was suppressing BTC price with Coinbase’s help, Durden alluded to data from Cryptoquant. He claimed the US crypto exchange was the biggest buyer and seller on every bottom and top in this range. The analyst also opined that the asset manager will put a top on the market at some point and crash it or create a major pullback.

Meanwhile, Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong responded to Durden’s allegations, clarified how ETF mints and burns are processed, and ultimately settled on-chain. He indicated there was no foul play, noting that they are audited and these reports are available to everyone. Armstrong added that they had no right to share the addresses of their institutional clients, including BlackRock.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at around $60,000. As Coingape reported, the projected rate cuts next week could benefit the BTC price. Historically, this macro event is bullish for the coin.

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Boluwatife Adeyemi

Boluwatife Adeyemi is a well-experienced crypto news writer and editor who has covered topics that cut across DeFi, NFTs, smart contracts, and blockchain interoperability, among others. Boluwatife has a knack for simplifying the most technical concepts and making it easy for crypto newbies to understand. Away from writing, Boluwatife is an avid basketball lover and a part-time degen.

Disclaimer: The presented content may include the personal opinion of the author and is subject to market condition. Do your market research before investing in cryptocurrencies. The author or the publication does not hold any responsibility for your personal financial loss.





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