MANAMA: Mahmood Rafique, Editor: The launch of ETH spot ETF trading in the US marks yet another significant milestone for Ethereum and the broader digital asset market.
Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, while commenting on the Ethereum ETFs, trading which will start in US today, termed the development is a testimony of the positive momentum witnessed in the digital asset market this year, further solidifying the legitimacy and accessibility of cryptocurrencies.
“Much like the US Bitcoin ETFs that launched in January, this first wave of US Ethereum ETFs will provide more avenues to a broader range of investors to access the asset. The introduction of these ETFs addresses key concerns around legitimacy, regulatory compliance, security, and accessibility, making Ethereum a more attractive investment option.
“While we anticipate a steady capital deployment into these ETFs, it is unlikely to be dramatic initially and will fluctuate based on various macroeconomic factors. However, I believe that the potential for ETF liquidity to grow exponentially is significant. With SEC approval and listing, these ETFs are open for institutional investors, which typically have a long-term investment horizon. This institutional involvement could provide a stable and substantial influx of capital over time,” he said.
“It will be interesting to observe how the performance of ETH ETFs in their early days of trading compares to the initial performance of Bitcoin ETFs in the US. The reception of US Bitcoin ETFs has been overwhelmingly positive, recording an inflow of $4.7billion on the first trading day. Interest remains high, with US Bitcoin ETFs having a cumulative total net inflows exceeding $16.59 billion as of July 17. Whether ETH ETFs will receive the same intensity of reception not known yet, but I am confident that this development will be overwhelmingly bullish for the whole digital asset industry.”
A recent survey found that all institutions (94%) believe in the long-term value of digital assets and/or blockchain technology, with 50% of respondents expressing interest to invest in tokenized assets.
ETFs could serve as a gateway for investors who might not otherwise have exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum. Over time, these investors may transition to directly accessing digital assets, thereby contributing to the market’s growth and maturation.