tl;dr
VanEck filed Form-8A for its spot Ethereum ETF and indicated it would waive the ETF fees until 2025 or until assets hit $1.5 billion. Analysts expect the ETFs to launch on July 2, and VanEck aims to lead in crypto ETF fees, potentially investing in Ethereum-based DeFi projects. VanEck and Franklin T...
VanEck filed Form-8A for its spot Ethereum ETF and indicated it would waive the ETF fees until 2025 or until assets hit $1.5 billion. Analysts expect the ETFs to launch on July 2, and VanEck aims to lead in crypto ETF fees, potentially investing in Ethereum-based DeFi projects. VanEck and Franklin Templeton are the only issuers who have declared fees, with Franklin stating a 0.19% fee. Other firms are waiting for BlackRock's fee announcement. The removal of Ethereum staking from the ETFs and SEC Chair Gary Gensler's positive remarks are notable factors in the ETF landscape.
Soon after VanEck filed Form-8A for its spot Ethereum ETF on Tuesday, June 25, another filing suggested that it would completely waive the ETF fees for an unspecified time till 2025, or until the assets hit $1.5 billion, whichever comes earlier. With analysts expecting July 2 as the launch date for the Ethereum ETFs, issuers like VanEck are already raising the competition bar.
In a recent email to ETF publication, Matthew Sigel, head of digital assets at VanEck, outlined the firm’s strategic approach to crypto ETFs. He said that VanEck “aims to be a leader on crypto ETF fees even if it means we lose money at the outset.” He further added that the plan is “to make it up on volume; in this case, decentralized finance volume”. Sigel said that if the Ether ETFs manage to spark a renewed interest in Ethereum, it would boost the network activity, ultimately driving the Ethereum price higher. Additionally, Sigel stated that VanEck is also exploring investments in Ethereum-based DeFi projects such as Aave and Curve, highlighting the firm’s greater interest in the decentralized finance (DeFi) sector.
Currently, VanEck and Franklin Templeton are the only prospective issuers who have declared the fees for the Ether ETFs. Previously, Franklin stated that it would charge a 0.19% fee for its spot Ethereum ETF. Bloomberg Intelligence ETF analyst Eric Balchunas said that issuers usually don’t disclose their fee structure until the very last of the launch period. Moreover, he said that firms are awaiting BlackRock’s call before making a move. In a major update, SEC Chair Gary Gensler said that the progress on spot Ethereum ETFs is very smooth for the moment.