March 6, 2017
To Whom it May Concern:
The United States once led the world in financial innovation. From the issuance of Ben Franklin's revolutionary bonds to the invention of the ATM, embracing new financial instruments and technology has been a crucial component of American exceptionalism.
The past several years have seen a meteoric rise in restriction and regulation of our financial industry, with good reason - investors, and our financial system, must be protected from unfair practices and undue risk.
The Bitcoin ETF represents a rare opportunity for our country to embrace a revolutionary financial technology (the blockchain) with relatively low risk. Indeed, if approved, this fund would arguably be the most transparent, efficient and secure instrument ever offered - requisites enumerated in the Commission's founding charters.
Blockchain is the future. If American regulators fail to embrace it, others will, and we will then be forced to follow. Let us lead once again.
I encourage the Commission to approve the listing of Winklevoss Bitcoin Shares.
Ben Elron
Charlottesville, Virginia