The SEC ruling on Ethereum ETFs could mark a historic shift in crypto investing

VanEck CEO Jan van Eck sees a major sentiment shift underway in the cryptocurrency market linked to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s approval of a rule change allowing for Ethereum exchange-traded funds.

“This is really one of the most amazing things that I’ve seen in my career with respect to securities regulation,” van Eck told CNBC’s “ETF Edge” this week. 

VanEck was the first to apply to the SEC for permission to list its proposed Ethereum ETF. With that first hurdle cleared, VanEck can begin the process of bringing the product to market, though the exact timeline is unclear.

“There was a real risk that the SEC was going to lose any kind of jurisdiction over digital assets. So the first reaction was to get the ETF, Ethereum ETF approval green lighted,” he said. “But I think there’s a bigger narrative going on as well.”

To van Eck, the buzz around Ethereum this May means clearer regulation on the horizon and an increased investor interest in crypto. In a statement on its website, his company said that “the evidence clearly shows that ETH is a decentralized commodity, not a security.”

Van Eck said the Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act, or FIT21, passing in the House on May 8 was another major step toward regulatory clarity for cryptocurrencies, even though he is doubtful it will make it to the Senate before the election.

Ether spiked on the SEC’s approval of applications to list Ethereum ETFs on May 23, but is virtually flat since then.

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