- The SEC has approved the first-ever options trading for BlackRock’s iShares Ethereum Trust (ETHA).
- ETHA stands out as the only approved ETF for options trading due to BlackRock’s strong regulatory track record.
- Following the news, the ETH price surged from $1,470 to $1,670, signaling renewed investor interest.
The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has given the green light for trading options linked to one of the spot Ether (ETH) exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The SEC gave its approval on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, after Nasdaq ISE filed for approval (which included a rule change on the ETHA to options trading) in July 2025.
According to the filing, Nasdaq sought to list this option contract on the BlackRock-owned spot Ethereum ETF (iShares Ethereum Trust, ETHA). Individual and institutional investors are often attracted to options trading.
It is a trading instrument that allows them to hedge risk and still own huge amounts of the asset’s shares. They can use a little investment to gain exposure for ETH. Popular Bloomberg intelligence analyst, James Seyffart tweeted that he expected the approval to happen absolutely.
ETHA Stands Alone – For Now
It is worth noting that the US SEC didn’t approve this options trading for any other spot ETH ETF, except BlackRock’s ETHA. Analysts believe the SEC chose to approve this options trading for only ETHA because of BlackRock’s strong regulatory record.
Also, on-chain data shows that the ETHA has been the best performer among other spot ether ETFs. Industry analysts also believe BlackRock’s ETHA would likely attract more trading volume and liquidity as it’s the only spot ETH ETF with options trading.
Hence, the top US finance regulator could approve options trading for other spot ETFs to ease the demand pressure of this investment option on the ETHA.
US SEC’s Additional Approvals
The approval document also showed that the agency approved the NYSE’s request for trading options on Grayscale Ethereum Mini Trust, Bitwise Ethereum ETF, and the Grayscale Ethereum Trust. Arca and CBOE are the other funds available on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Since the SEC approved eight spot ETH ETFs almost 12 months ago, many asset managers have sought approval for options trading. After greenlighting spot BTC ETFs earlier in 2024, the regulator approved options trading of these products before the end of last year. ETF store president Nate Geraci stated that more launches will happen soon. The price of ETH has dipped to about $1,449 in the last few days. However, Coingecko data showed that the cryptocurrency’s price is currently at $1,668 following the announcement.
Source: CoinGecko