A day earlier than many were expecting, another SEC decision on a Bitcoin exchange traded has resulted in a delay. The one that today’s announcement concerned was a proposal that the digital asset space is generally most optimistic for – the VanEck ETF.

Despite the news event being largely expected, the Bitcoin price has responded by gaining more than five percent immediately following the announcement. This has taken Bitcoin back above the $8,000 level.

VanEck ETF Delayed Again, But Nobody Cares

An SEC decision over the approval of a much-anticipated exchange traded fund proposed by VanEck and SolidX has been delayed yet again. Previous delays during the bear market were frequently accompanied by price crashes. However, this has not been the case this time.

Rather than dump the price, the news of the delay has been accompanied with a gain from around $7,800 to over $8,000 in just a couple of hours. Crypto market analyst Mati Greenspan highlighted the price surge via Twitter:

Bitcoin is up nearly 5% since the SEC delayed the VanECK ETF two hours ago.

— Mati Greenspan (@MatiGreenspan) May 20, 2019

Since most of the crypto space was expecting such a delay, many have dismissed the decision as a non-event. With much of the sentiment around the market remaining bullish after early 2019 price rises, some have even stated that the delay could serve as a buying opportunity for investors:

ETF delayed (As expected)
Don’t think it’ll impact the price a whole lot.
That said I’m generally hoping & positioned for lower since yesterday.
This would be a nice excuse to fill bids lower.

Generally a buying opportunity, not a reason to panic. https://t.co/mn8hqtm9g4

— DonAlt (@CryptoDonAlt) May 20, 2019

The latest delay from the SEC also includes a request for public comment on whether the regulatory body should approve a Bitcoin ETF.

If Bitcoin Gains on a Delay, What About an Approval?

For many, the approval of a Bitcoin ETF by the SEC is like the financial regulator giving the asset class its ultimate blessing. They see it as a catalyst for much higher prices – almost as if the SEC green light would legitimise crypto in the eyes of many.

One Twitter user posted a graph showing what happened when a gold ETF was first introduced. The parabolic upwards price action on gold is clear.

Deadline for the SEC to decide about the VanEck/SolidX Bitcoin ETF expires on Tuesday May 21

My thoughts

– Delay: No major effect

– Rejection: Opportunity to buy dip

– Approval: Image below illustrates what happened after GOLD ETF approval. In other words: instant Market Buy pic.twitter.com/lbIvg3w0SV

— Mounia Rabhi, MSc. (@Mounia_NL) May 20, 2019

The poster also states that the overall supply of Bitcoin being so limited compared to gold should lead to an even more violent upswing than observed in the market of the shiny precious metal following its own exchange traded fund being launched.

Interestingly, potentially negative news events, such as the recent Binance hack and the ongoing Tether scandal have not moved the market in quite the same way they have done previously. This lends support to the opinion of the likes of Tom Lee from Fundstrat and others that the bear market has run its course.

Lee holds that Bitcoin hitting $3,200 in December was the ultimate bottom for the current market cycle and that we are now very much in the beginnings of a bull market. He provides 13 reasons why he believes that the so-called crypto winter is over and consistently higher prices are to be expected going forward.

After a disturbing pullback to ~$6,200, #Bitcoin back >$8,000 further cementing positive trend intact.

As we said a few weeks ago, Consensus 2019 @coindesk was to prove whether crypto winter is over…

…confirmed pic.twitter.com/M8ni4g2YvX

— Thomas Lee (@fundstrat) May 19, 2019

Related Reading: JPMorgan Sees Imminent Bitcoin Price Fall; Why It’s Unlikely to Happen

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