Tidal Trust Proposes Bitcoin ETF for Off-Market Trading Hours

According to Cointelegraph, Tidal Trust has submitted a regulatory filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) proposing the listing and trading of an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that will hold Bitcoin during off-market hours. On Tuesday, Tidal Trust II filed a Form N-1A registration statement to incorporate two Nicholas Wealth Management ETFs linked to Bitcoin (BTC) into its existing fund lineup. The proposed ETFs, including the Nicholas Bitcoin and Treasuries AfterDark ETF, are designed to purchase BTC at the start of U.S. market trading hours and sell it at closing, effectively holding the cryptocurrency overnight. The SEC filing detailed that when utilizing Bitcoin Futures, the fund trades these instruments during U.S. overnight hours and closes them shortly after the market opens each day. Similarly, when using Bitcoin Underlying Funds, the fund buys securities at market close and sells them around market open, capturing any market movement during overnight hours. The asset management company outlined that the ETF would allocate its assets to U.S. Treasuries, money market funds, and other cash equivalents during daytime hours. This investment strategy aims to provide traders with indirect exposure to Bitcoin while potentially mitigating price volatility. ETF analyst Eric Balchunas commented on the filing, noting that most gains occur after hours, suggesting that the Bitcoin AfterDark ETF could yield better returns. While the filing represents a significant step, it does not guarantee SEC approval and may undergo changes. The SEC has previously approved various crypto-tied investment vehicles, including Bitcoin and Ether (ETH) futures ETFs, spot digital asset ETFs, and staked crypto ETFs. In November, spot Bitcoin ETFs listed on U.S. exchanges experienced record outflows, with approximately $4 billion withdrawn. Leading the redemptions were BlackRock’s iShares Bitcoin Trust and Fidelity’s Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund, two of the largest ETFs in the market.