It’s set to be a historic week in crypto, with the SEC widely expected to finally approve a spot Bitcoin ETF, although it’s not a 100% certainty. Two Bloomberg analysts who have followed all the developments closely since the beginning, James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas, join Unchained to discuss the final filings, the likely schedule, and whether all the applications are likely be approved on the same day. Then they dive into the real action: the cutthroat wars that have already begun, why Grayscale might be keeping its fees on the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust so high, and who the likely winners in what has traditionally been a “winner take most” category will be.

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Show highlights:

What the recent 19b-4 and S-1 filings say about how close the ETFs are to approval
Whether Hashdex's existing futures ETF impacts its treatment in the spot Bitcoin ETF process
The likely timeline for trading to start post-ETF approval
The possibility of simultaneous launches for all approved ETF issuers
The SEC's concerns about ensuring a fair launch, informed by the BITO experience
Eric’s surprise at JP Morgan's involvement as an Authorized Participant
Why the SEC is approving the ETF despite Gensler’s stance against crypto
What extreme cases Eric believes might cause the ETF not to be approved
How BlackRock's low fees set a challenging benchmark for competitors
The potential for an issuer to offer even lower fees than current players
How issuer margins are thin due to marketing fees, and the impact of waivers
James’ theory about why Grayscale might be keeping the fee on GBTC so high
Predictions about which issuer(s) will gain the bulk of assets under management
The rumor about BlackRock introducing substantial liquidity on the ETF's first day
Eric and James's expectations for ETF inflows and market dynamics

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Guest:

James Seyffart, Research analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence
Previous appearances on Unchained:
Why the SEC May Want Cash Creation of Spot Bitcoin ETFs
Why It Looks Like BlackRock Could Win America’s First Spot Bitcoin ETF
Why a Spot Bitcoin ETF Will Probably Launch No Later Than January 10
Eric Balchunas, Senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence
Previous appearances on Unchained:
Will a Spot Bitcoin ETF Finally Get Approved?

Show highlights:

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Links

Episode 52: Susan Straight + Emily Bernard (January 30, 2020)