BlackRock, the world's biggest asset manager, has applied to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the creation of a spot bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF).
The SEC has yet to rule on the proposal, but it is the first time BlackRock has applied for a spot bitcoin ETF.
Several proposals for spot bitcoin ETFs have already been denied by the SEC, citing concerns about market manipulation and fraud.
If authorized, the BlackRock ETF would be a significant step forward in institutional investors' embrace of bitcoin.