Latin America's first bitcoin ETF receives approval in Brazil

Bitcoin • March 19, 2021, 11:01AM EDT
The Block

The first bitcoin exchange-traded fund (ETF) of Latin America has been approved in Brazil, the region's largest economy.

The bitcoin ETF was launched by QR Asset Management and is expected to be listed on Brazil's main stock exchange B3, according to a Friday announcement from QR Capital, the asset manager's holding company. The listing date has yet to be disclosed, but Reuters reported Friday that the listing will take place "by June."

The ETF, sporting the ticker symbol QBTC11, has been approved by CVM, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Brazil, said QR Capital.

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QBTC11 is the fourth bitcoin ETF to receive approval in the Western Hemisphere after three Canadian bitcoin ETFs were launched in recent weeks — Purpose Bitcoin ETF, Evolve Bitcoin ETF, and CI Galaxy Bitcoin ETF.

QR Capital said the approval of QBTC11 could speed up the approval of a bitcoin ETF in the U.S. because CVM and the SEC are affiliated members of the International Organization of Securities Commissions.

Indeed, recent developments suggest that a bitcoin ETF may finally get the nod from regulators in the U.S. this year, as The Block reported last week.

There are currently four bitcoin ETF applications pending review by the SEC — each one from WisdomTree Investments, VanEck Associates Corp., NYDIG Asset Management, and Valkyrie Digital Assets.

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Yogita Khatri is a senior reporter at The Block, covering all things crypto. As one of the earliest team members, Yogita has played a pivotal role in breaking numerous stories, exclusives and scoops. With nearly 3,000 articles under her belt, Yogita holds the records as The Block's most-published and most-read author of all time. Prior to joining The Block, Yogita worked at crypto publication CoinDesk and The Economic Times, where she wrote on personal finance. To contact her, email: [email protected]. For her latest work, follow her on X @Yogita_Khatri5.

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