SEC Delays Crypto ETF Decisions for BlackRock, Franklin Templeton - What’s Behind the Regulatory Stall?

Wall Street's crypto dreams hit another regulatory speed bump as the SEC pushes pause on major ETF applications.

The Waiting Game Continues

BlackRock and Franklin Templeton join the growing list of financial giants facing extended review periods for their spot cryptocurrency ETF proposals. The delay signals regulators aren't ready to rubber-stamp crypto products despite mounting institutional pressure.

Regulatory Cold Feet

SEC commissioners continue wrestling with custody concerns, market manipulation risks, and that age-old regulatory favorite—investor protection arguments. Meanwhile, billions in potential assets remain sidelined as traditional finance waits for crypto's legitimacy stamp.

Timeline Tensions

Each delay pushes potential approval timelines deeper into 2025, frustrating institutions that've already built infrastructure for what they see as inevitable products. The holdup highlights the growing gap between Wall Street's adoption timeline and Washington's comfort level.

Because nothing says 'investor protection' like keeping people from investing in the decade's best-performing asset class while letting them gamble on meme stocks and zero-revenue SPACs.