(Reuters) – The U.S. securities regulator has granted “expedited approval” to 11 exchange-traded funds to list and trade options linked to bitcoin spot prices on the New York Stock Exchange, documents show.
In January, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved bitcoin ETFs to track bitcoin, a breakthrough for the world’s largest cryptocurrency and the broader cryptocurrency industry.
Fidelity Wise Origin Fund, ARK21Shares Bitcoin ETF, Invesco Galaxy Bitcoin ETF, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust BTC and iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF are among the funds that received approval on Friday.
Index options – exchange-traded derivatives that offer a quick and inexpensive way to boost exposure to bitcoin – on the bitcoin index would provide institutional investors and traders with an alternative way to hedge their exposure to the world’s largest cryptocurrency.
Options are exchange-traded derivatives that give the holder the right to buy or sell an asset, such as a stock or an exchange-traded product, at a predetermined price on a set date.
Last month, the regulator approved listing and options trading for asset manager BlackRock (NYSE:)’s, a Nasdaq-listed fund.
