The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is reportedly nearing a decision on approving several spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) after holding pivotal meetings with major stock exchanges, including the New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, and Chicago Board Options Exchange. The discussions revolve around revising and finalizing the 19b-4 filings, which require SEC clearance before the ETFs can be sold to the public.

While a final decision has yet to be made, insiders suggest that the agency could start notifying issuers of their approval as early as this Friday. This development could lead to the trading of spot Bitcoin ETFs starting next week. ETF analysts and issuers remain optimistic, expecting a favorable decision from the SEC on or before January 10.

If the SEC approves the spot Bitcoin ETFs, this would mark a milestone for the cryptocurrency industry, offering retail investors greater access to the world's largest digital asset at a lower cost than the currently approved futures ETFs. Furthermore, introducing ETFs through trusted and highly regulated money management firms like BlackRock or Fidelity could widen the investor pool, enticing more to include cryptocurrency in their investment portfolios.