Valkyrie Funds halts ethereum purchases for exchange-traded fund

A representation of cryptocurrency Ethereum is placed on a PC motherboard in this illustration taken June 16, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration

(Reuters) -Financial services firm Valkyrie Funds LLC said on Friday it will halt buying of ethereum for the Valkyrie Bitcoin and Ether Strategy ETF and unwind any positions already acquired, a stumbling block in its bid to be the first to bring an exchange traded fund (ETF) tied to the cryptocurrency ethereum to the market.

"The Fund will not purchase ether futures contracts until the effectiveness of an amendment to the Fund’s registration statement contemplating the addition of ether futures contracts to the principal investment strategy of the Fund," Valkyrie said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. "Until such time, the Fund will unwind any existing positions in ether futures contracts."