Re: Experts say BTC ETFs could launch bitcoin to 20k, 40k 60k USD
.... Or maybe the rejection of all the ETFs, killing all the hype, could launch Bitcoin to $2K, $4K, $6K! 
They can. The mindset of these "ETF dreamers" is irrational. Institutional investors who are serious about investing in Bitcoin need spot BTC + custody, not an ETF. ETFs are for speculative trading, like futures.
It's just empty hype. The futures market makes clear that Wall Street isn't interested in speculating on BTC right now. Launching an ETF doesn't magically make Wall Street "long term BTC investors who want to buy ETF shares", which doesn't even make sense anyway......
One thing I keep on reading about is, how institutional investors will be able to buy Bitcoin straight off the market, but really, even if these ETFs were backed by true Bitcoin (or actual Bitcoin or however they're being marketed), why couldn't these same guys simply just get it from an exchange?
They can. The mindset of these "ETF dreamers" is irrational. Institutional investors who are serious about investing in Bitcoin need spot BTC + custody, not an ETF. ETFs are for speculative trading, like futures.
I get that SEC would regulate these ETFs, is that the real reason? Or what am I missing out on all the hype?
It's just empty hype. The futures market makes clear that Wall Street isn't interested in speculating on BTC right now. Launching an ETF doesn't magically make Wall Street "long term BTC investors who want to buy ETF shares", which doesn't even make sense anyway......
OK, so I'm not the only one who simply can't get around the reasoning and hype around these ETFs. Like you said, the "serious investors" who want Bitcoin would just get it anyway, and then seek protection (custodian as you say, like a Xapo vault or similar or simply private insurance/assurance). Nothing's stopping them from doing it today, if they really wanted to.
And yeah, if they already want to gamble/speculate, then there's futures also and the contracts already up there shows there's interest, but not to the level we're made to think.