SEC greenlights CBOE, NYSE bids for spot bitcoin ETF options

The approvals come less than a month after the SEC granted Nasdaq permission to list similar options

article-image

PXLR Studio/Shutterstock modified by Blockworks

share

The US Securities and Exchange Commission approved NYSE and CBOE’s bids to list options for bitcoin exchange-traded funds.

In two statements, the SEC granted approval to the proposed rule changes, clearing the way for options. The proposed options are tied to bitcoin ETFs provided by Fidelity, Grayscale, VanEck and others.

Both proposed rule changes were granted “on an accelerated basis,” per the notices. The move echoed the language used for Nasdaq’s approval of IBIT options in September.

Read more: SEC approval of BTC ETF options to ‘attract more big fish’

Speculation about the success of options proposals began shortly after the approval of spot ETFs. The matter seemed in doubt when reports surfaced this summer that the NYSE had withdrawn its proposed rule change. As expected, the SEC sought more time to consider the products as the process moved along. 

With the approvals, the SEC continues to widen market access to crypto-tied financial products on major exchanges. Thus far, 2024 has seen the approval of spot ETFs for both bitcoin and ether, as previously reported.

Whether today’s approvals signal a broader regulatory sea change in the US remains to be seen. The SEC is a frequent target of industry criticism, and its chair, Gary Gensler, has drawn continued scorn and promises from one US presidential candidate, Republican Donald Trump, to fire him should he prevail in November

Bitcoin is trading around $68,400 on Coinbase as of press time, up more than 1% on the day, per TradingView data.


Get the news in your inbox. Explore Blockworks newsletters:

  • Blockworks Daily: The newsletter that helps thousands of investors understand crypto and the markets, by Byron Gilliam.
  • Empire: Start your morning with the top news and analysis to inform your day in crypto.
  • Forward Guidance: Reporting and analysis on the growing intersection of crypto and macroeconomics, policy and finance.
  • 0xResearch: Alpha directly in your inbox. Market highlights, data, degen trade ideas, governance updates, token performance and more.
  • Lightspeed: Built for Solana investors, developers and community members. The latest from one of crypto’s hottest networks.
  • The Drop: For crypto collectors and traders, covering apps, games, memes and more.
  • Supply Shock: Tracking Bitcoin’s rise from internet plaything worth less than a penny to global phenomenon disrupting money as we know it.
Tags

Upcoming Events

Industry City | Brooklyn, NY

TUES - THURS, JUNE 24 - 26, 2025

Permissionless IV serves as the definitive gathering for crypto’s technical founders, developers, and builders to come together and create the future.If you’re ready to shape the future of crypto, Permissionless IV is where it happens.

Old Billingsgate

Mon - Wed, October 13 - 15, 2025

Blockworks’ Digital Asset Summit (DAS) will feature conversations between the builders, allocators, and legislators who will shape the trajectory of the digital asset ecosystem in the US and abroad.

recent research

Research

article-image

Should higher-fidelity graphics be the goal for crypto games — which result in much higher costs and risk?

article-image

From Mel B to Neil deGrasse Tyson, BTC has seen its share of strange celebrity sightings

article-image

Circle’s roadshow will be the real test for the stablecoin issuer

article-image

PitchBook’s Robert Le said crypto projects focused on institutional use cases are the focus

article-image

The decentralized AI firm designed ODS to be owned by the community in an effort to promote more decentralized AI

article-image

The non-profit’s launch and big-name hires aim to grow Solana’s footprint in Washington