The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed its verdict on BlackRock's proposed Ether (ETH) exchange-traded fund (ETF) just one day before its original deadline.

Cryptocurrency asset manager Bitwise has become the first among ten Bitcoin ETF issuers to publicly disclose their wallet address. The reveal showcased Bitwise Bitcoin ETF's (BITB) holdings of 11,858 bitcoin as of January 23.

The UK’s permanent secretary of the Treasury, James Bowler, has announced a digital pound consultation is set to be conducted on Thursday as he emphasized the government’s cautious approach.

Top stories in the Crypto Roundup today:

• SEC Delays Decision on BlackRock’s Ether ETF
• Bitwise Reveals Its Bitcoin ETF’s Wallet Address
• UK Treasury to Hold Digital Pound Consultation Amid Privacy Concerns
• Chart of the Week: Bitcoin Price Drops to Lowest Level Since Beginning of December

SEC Delays Decision on BlackRock’s Ether ETF

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed its verdict on BlackRock's proposed Ether (ETH) exchange-traded fund (ETF) just one day before its original deadline.

The SEC’s assistant secretary Sherry Haywood explained in a filing that the regulator “finds it appropriate to designate a longer period within which to take action on the proposed rule change.”

This first delay could be the first of many, stretching up to 240 days, with a final decision on the BlackRock Ether ETF set for August 7. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas has anticipated a decision on all pending spot Ether ETFs could be made in May, drawing parallels with the SEC’s spot Bitcoin ETF decisions on January 10.

Other Ether ETF proposals from VanEck and Ark 21Shares face final decision deadlines on May 23 and May 24, while decisions for Grayscale Investments, Invesco Galaxy, and Fidelity are set for June 18, July 5, and August 3.

Bitwise Reveals Its Bitcoin ETF’s Wallet Address

Cryptocurrency asset manager Bitwise has become the first among ten Bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) issuers to publicly disclose their wallet address. The reveal showcased Bitwise Bitcoin ETF's (BITB) holdings of 11,858 bitcoin as of January 23.

The reveal was made through a screenshot that showed the fund’s wallet address and its holdings. The company emphasized the importance of transparency, pointing to it as “core to Bitcoin’s ethos.”

Bitwise added that publishing its on-chain addresses “is a first step toward increasing public transparency,” and that in the future it plans to “provide real-time cryptographic attestations.”

This move addresses a broader demand within the crypto ecosystem for clear insights into financial dealings, including those of new products like ETFs. Cryptocurrency proponents, given their past experiences with fraud and misrepresentation, have been more cautious.

After Bitwise shared its public wallet address, some Bitcoin users have sent it small amounts of BTC, which to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas could be a first for ETFs, as someone is essentially donating underlying assets to the fund.

UK Treasury to Hold Digital Pound Consultation Amid Privacy Concerns

The UK’s permanent secretary of the Treasury, James Bowler, has announced a digital pound consultation is set to be conducted on Thursday as he emphasized the government’s cautious approach.

Bowler highlighted during a meeting that there are a “number of issues around privacy, financial inclusion, whether there's limits, monetary policy and interest and the consultation is out on that and you'll hear more about it tomorrow."

The consultation for a digital pound was first conducted between February and June last year, with the Bank of England and the Treasury at the time acknowledging the probable need for it.

The consultation has received over 50,000 responses, with privacy being a primary concern among respondents. A bipartisan group responsible for scrutinizing the Treasury’s policy decisions, the Treasury Select Committee, has recently urged the government to reduce its proposed cap on individual holdings, and for the digital pound to be able to accrue interest.

Chart of the Week: Bitcoin Price Drops to Lowest Level Since Beginning of December

Bitcoin’s price fell through its support level, dipping under $39,000 for the first time since December 2, 2023. This anticipated downturn was fueled by short-term holder losses and selling pressure coming from Grayscale's Bitcoin ETF outflows.

The situation worsened with FTX offloading $1 billion worth of GBTC shares, adding to the downward pressure.

State of the Crypto by Top Tier Exchange Volume

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