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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

Options on Bitcoin (BTC) Exchange-Traded Funds Marks Milestone, Despite Position Limits

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Park explained on X that the exercisable risk, representing the total value of option contracts exercised or converted to actual shares, equates to less than 0.5% of IBIT’s outstanding shares. Meanwhile, the industry standard is closer to 7%, which would represent a comparative figure of 7%. To show how small the 0.5% figure is, bitcoin CME futures contracts are allowed to trade 2,000 contracts, which is the equivalent of 175,000 for IBIT.



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Bitcoin

Crypto product record major inflow up to $2.2 billion

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CoinShares, a digital asset manager, reported that last week crypto products saw a major inflow from institutional investors of up to $2.2 billion.

The latest U.S. Election, on Nov. 5, still stimulated the weekly cryptocurrency inflow up to $2.2 billion. The number increased 15% from the previous week by about $1.98 billion.

According to CoinShares’s release, on Nov. 18, digital asset inflows recorded $33.5 billion year-to-date and hit a new peak of under-asset management (AUM) up to $138 billion.

Bitcoin (BTC) saw the largest inflow based on assets last week of around $1.48 billion or equal to 67%. Followed by Ethereum (ETH) and Solana (SOL) with inflows $646 million and $23.9 million respectively.

The Beam Chain network upgrade proposal by Justin Drake has increased Ethereum’s inflow from $157 million. Only multi-asset and Binance Coin (BNB) record a week’s outflow.

BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) recorded the highest surge in crypto product from last week’s inflow up to 63% or up to $2.1 billion. While the rest of the funding recorded an outflow ranging from $8 million to $153 million, including Grayscale and Fidelity.

Crypto product driving factor: U.S. Election

James Butterfill, CoinShares head of research, says a combination of looser monetary policy and a Republican winning a majority of the Congress and Presidency appears to be a driving factor of these inflows.

Donald Trump winning the White House’s second term still brings a positive rally for the cryptocurrency industry, as well as the crypto product. Buterfill has mentioned that Trump’s presidency would bring crypto-friendly regulations and fiscal policy.

Earlier, Trump picked several names for secretary on his cabinet who identified as pro-crypto personalities including Elon Musk, Tom Emmer, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Bitcoin Act, who were proposed by Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis, and the Bitcoin Strategic Reserve also boosts the crypto investor’s confidence. He also mentioned this favorable outlook may bring the best potential of Bitcoin in the future.

“The next four years may witness an unprecedented level of institutional support, increased government interest, and broader public adoption, setting the stage for Bitcoin to further solidify its place in the global financial landscape,” Buterfill mentioned in the other report.



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BlackRock receives Abu Dhabi commercial license after Saudi approval

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BlackRock has received a license to operate in Abu Dhabi, further expanding its business into the Middle Eastern region after gaining approval from Saudi Arabia just last month.

According to a Bloomberg report published on Nov. 18, the investment management company plans to apply to get regulatory approval to set up business in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, at the heart of UAE’s capital.

BlackRock’s Abu Dhabi office will primarily work with sovereign wealth funds, wealth managers and investment vehicles based in the region.

This latest development comes a month after BlackRock secured approval from Saudi Arabia to open up a headquarters in Riyadh. The asset manager has continued to branch out its business reach into the Middle East after announcing it would get up to $5 billion from the Public Investment Fund to invest in the Middle East and build a team rooted in Riyadh.

Additionally, BlackRock has partnered with Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan to bankroll the build-out of data warehouses and energy infrastructure within the region.

In a statement, Head of the Middle East for BlackRock, Charles Hatami, stated several reasons why the firm chose to operate in Abu Dhabi. Considering Abu Dhabi’s status as a hot spot for capital markets, he said that the region’s proactive government policies and commitment to sustainability make it an ideal location.

“Abu Dhabi has rapidly transformed into a global financial center,” said Hatami, adding that the firm plans to focus on private markets, specifically AI infrastructure, in Abu Dhabi.

BlackRock Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink explained that having the investment firm operate in both Abu Dhabi and Riyadh was a logical move, as both regions are competing head-to-head with Dubai to become the Middle Eastern business hub.

Both regions are famous for holding over $1 trillion of sovereign wealth, representing some of the biggest capital in the world.



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