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The long-awaited approval of a spot bitcoin ETF looks to be mere weeks away, and Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart joins Unchained to discuss the final issues and considerations, especially the battle over whether the new funds will feature in-kind vs. cash creation and redemptions, which appears to be one of the last main sticking points in negotiations between the SEC and fund companies. He also discusses the specific impact of an ETF approval on Grayscale, which runs the $26.6 billion Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, and why he thinks the SEC has thrown in the towel on trying to classify Ethereum as a security.

Show highlights:

Why James views the multitude of potential issuers meeting with the SEC as a positive sign for the future of ETFs
When James anticipates the ETFs will actually be listed on exchanges, which differs from their approval dates
The crucial differences between in-kind versus cash creation and redemptions in ETFs and their impact on market dynamics
How the choice of in-kind or cash creation and redemptions influences the overall cost structure of these financial products
Whether the current actions of ETF issuers suggest a "bending the knee" approach to the SEC's preference for cash creations and redemptions
How the selected ETF model will specifically impact Grayscale and the future of its GBTC offering
The potential strategies behind BlackRock's private trust, especially in terms of integrating its Bitcoin holdings into its prospective ETF
Why James holds a more cautious outlook for the approval of an Ethereum spot ETF compared to his confidence in Bitcoin ETFs

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Guest

James Seyffart, Research analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence
Previous appearances on Unchained:
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

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