BlackRock files for spot ethereum ETF to further crypto push

FILE PHOTO: A trader works as a screen displays the trading information for BlackRock on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., October 14, 2022. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo

(Reuters) -Asset management giant BlackRock on Thursday officially filed for a spot ethereum exchange-traded fund (ETF), doubling down on its cryptocurrency bets amid investor optimism about the approval of such investment vehicles.

The iShares Ethereum Trust, which was registered last week and will be listed on Nasdaq if approved, will give investors access to ether - the second most popular cryptocurrency - without directly owning it.