The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the listing of the environmentally friendly Bitcoin ETF 7RCC on the NYSE Arca exchange.
This milestone is in line with recent advances from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), paving the way for spot Bitcoin options trading.
Bitcoin ETF Gains Gains as Regulators Overcome Key Hurdles
On November 15, the SEC approved a rule change allowing 7RCC to list and trade the Bitcoin ETF Spot and Carbon Credit Futures. The decision comes nearly a year after 7RCC filed its initial prospectus in December 2023. The application went through four revisions during the review process, starting in March.
The fund intends to allocate 80% of assets to Bitcoin and 20% to financial instruments related to Carbon Credit Futures. These contracts will be based on indicators related to environmental initiatives, including the European Union Emissions Trading System, California Carbon Allowance, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
“The Fund will gain exposure to Carbon Credit Futures Contracts solely by investing directly in such futures contracts. The Fund does not intend to invest in Carbon Credit Futures Contracts specifically related to bitcoin mining or other related processes,” SEC write.
Carbon credit futures are financial instruments that allow trading based on the expected value of carbon credits. These tools help manage regulatory risk while supporting environmentally responsible investing. 7RCC claims that Gemini will act as a custodian for their Bitcoin.
Meanwhile, the SEC’s approval coincides with an announcement from the CFTC’s Payments and Risk Department. The agency said it no longer monitors settlements for spot Bitcoin ETF options. The Options Clearing and Settlement Corporation (OCC), which handles all stock options settlement and settlement transactions, now plays a major role in this sector.
This development signals significant progress for the launch of Bitcoin ETF spot options. Analysts, including Eric Balchunas, Senior ETF Analyst at Bloomberg, see the CFTC announcement as an important step forward.
“CFTC just released an announcement paving the way for the listing of spot Bitcoin ETF options. This is the second hurdle they need to overcome after the SEC. Now the ball is in OCC’s court and they are in it, so maybe they will list very soon,” Balchunas spoke.
The approval of Bitcoin ETF 7RCC and the CFTC’s move highlight the regulator’s growing support for innovative financial instruments. These developments open up vast investment opportunities in both the cryptocurrency and sustainable markets.