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BlackRock: Only Bitcoin and Ethereum Viable for ETFs in the Near Future
Bitcoin and Ethereum will be the only cryptocurrencies traded via ETFs in the near future, according to Samara Cohen, Chief Investment Officer for ETF and Index Investments at BlackRock, the world's largest asset manager.
In an interview with Bloomberg TV, Cohen explained that while Bitcoin and Ethereum have met BlackRock's stringent criteria for exchange-traded funds (ETFs), no other digital asset currently comes close. "We really look at the investability to see what meets the criteria, what meets the bar to be delivered in an ETF," Cohen said. "Both in terms of investability and also what we hear from our clients, Bitcoin and Ethereum definitely meet that bar, but it will be a while before we see anything else."
Cohen highlighted that beyond technical challenges in launching new ETFs, the demand for other cryptocurrency ETFs, particularly Solana, is not there yet. Despite Solana being floated as the next potential candidate for an ETF, Cohen noted that market appetite remains insufficient.
BlackRock's focus on Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs comes after the successful launch of Ethereum ETFs last week, which saw crypto funds' weekly trading volume surge to $14.8 billion, the highest level since May. This success has spurred speculation about the next possible ETF, with Solana frequently mentioned as a contender.
Solana, known for being a faster and cheaper alternative to Ethereum, has seen two separate ETF filings in the U.S. by VanEck and 21Shares. However, the absence of Solana CME futures, unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, poses a significant hurdle for the SEC's approval of a Solana ETF.
Despite these challenges, some fund managers remain optimistic about Solana's potential. Franklin Templeton recently described Solana as an "exciting and major development that we believe will drive the crypto space forward." Solana currently represents around 3% of the overall value of the crypto market, with a market capitalization of $82 billion, according to CoinGecko data.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin investors continue to show strong support, as evidenced by the substantial inflows into BlackRock's iShares Bitcoin Trust (NASDAQ: IBIT). On July 22, IBIT reported inflows of $526.7 million, the highest single-day tally since March. This impressive haul contrasts sharply with the collective inflow of just $6.9 million seen across the remaining 10 Bitcoin ETFs, according to data from Farside Investors. The surge in IBIT's inflows coincides with Bitcoin trading above the significant $68,000 level, just 8% shy of its all-time high of $73,000.