The time of ETFs is not here yet. I have been following all the news regarding them since VanEck et al. but as you say the SEC is playing barricades every time. Whatever, bitcoin investing tool are on the rise and loads of money have been poured and will be poured into them. I believe a true bitcoin etf with the seal of approval by the SEC will institutionalize btc for good. It is about the time, I can wait.
It is too early to say what the SEC will decide this time, but so far we have two applications that are active and there is always a chance of a positive outcome. Even though the prevailing opinion is that such an ETF will not be approved this year either, it will be interesting to see what the reasons for such a decision will be. In order for something like this to be approved in the future, it is important to apply and try to adapt to what the SEC will write in its decision.
You should also know that there are two different types of ETFs, the physical one that will actually buy BTC and sell shares in the fund, and the one that will operate on the principle of futures. According to some experts, the ETF will inflate the price of BTC in the short term, but may have negative consequences in the long run.
Whatever the consequences in the long run, negative or positive, we do not need this instrument right now. Investors can come anytime, we wait for them and do not need to wait for an ETF. I remember how stupid I was in 2016 when there was all that fuss about an ETF approval. I remember the comments here where people would argue that we would need it to reach higher prices. We were so naive. There is no need for ETFs for bitcoin to fulfill its disruptive role, am I right?