SEC urges ETFs to update filings, hinting at possible January 11 launch

According to a Bloomberg report on January 5, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued a prompt directive to exchange-traded fund (ETF) participants, signaling potential activity as early as January 11.

The SEC’s priority is the timely update of 19b-4 filings, which is required for ETF listing and trading on major exchanges such as Nasdaq and NYSE.

While some of the amended filings may not require further SEC review, it is unclear whether this applies to newly submitted versions or those already in the pipeline.

Along with the 19b-4 filings, the S-1 filings describing the ETFs are also awaiting SEC approval. These filings were amended until the December 29 deadline.

Bloomberg’s ETF analyst, Eric Balchunas, suggested that these ETFs could be launched on January 11, with final S-1 submissions due the following Monday.

The SEC commissioners are expected to vote on exchange rules next week, paving the way for a quick ETF launch, possibly just a day after the vote.

Notably, the SEC must make a decision on Ark Invest and 21 Shares’ application by January 10, a decision that will have a significant impact on the fate of other pending ETF applications.