Bitcoin [BTC] ETF to rise from the ashes as new Commissioner is appointed to SEC?

As the President of the United States, Donald Trump is continuing his entry into federal and governmental institutions, the prospect for a Bitcoin [BTC] ETF is growing closer. The most recent nominee for the United States Securities and Exchanges Commission, Elad Roisman, may turn around the state of affairs regarding the approval of the fund.

The rejection of the Winklevoss ETF occurred in a 3-1 split ratio, with Commissioner Hester Peirce arguing strongly for the approval of the fund. Roisman is also similarly experienced as Peirce, as he is the Chief Counsel to the Senate Banking Committee and has trained under Commissioner Daniel Gallagher, who is an advocate for innovation in the FinTech field. In the past, Roisman stated: “It is important for the SEC, if they have rules on the books, to enforce them. There is no place in our markets for bad actors.”

Moreover, in his testimony to the SEC, he stated:

“The SEC must examine and re-examine its rules, regulations and guidelines to ensure that they are still working as intended to accomplish the SEC’s mission. This is most recently manifested in areas such as data protection and cybersecurity, as well as the emergence of new investments and technologies such as initial coin offerings and blockchain. It is essential that the SEC approach these new challenges in a fair and transparent manner. [and] provide certainty and clarity to the markets and investors.”

This draws parallels to the statements made by Hester Peirce, where she argued that the Winklevoss ETF should be approved according to the Securities and Exchanges Act of 1994.

Post the withdrawal of Commissioner Kara Stein in December, there will be only one Commissioner left on the Board at the SEC, that being Democratic candidate Robert Jackson Jr., who has not demonstrated any kind of support towards an ETF or cryptocurrencies in general.

SEC Chairman Jay Clayton, however, might side with Peirce and Roisman in the upcoming approval of the SolidX ETF. This is keeping in mind his generally “light touch” approach to regulating cryptocurrencies.

This puts the SEC in a position leading towards more aggressive actions towards the cryptocurrency space. Their movements have already begun, as seen with the action on Munchee coin late last year. The ICO was struck down for selling unlicensed securities, and asked to return money to the investors.

It is left to see how the market will move, as it has entered into a state of delicate balance. Recent market movements will stall the SEC’s decision, as they are speculated to be evidence of manipulation.

The recent drop in the price of Bitcoin at such a sharp rate, and the general state of the market being unregulated with companies such as BitMEX holding 40% of all Bitcoin trades, will further stunt regulatory clarity.