**Summary:**
Standard Chartered Bank anticipates that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will likely approve the first spot Ethereum Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) by May 23, which is the final deadline for the applications before the regulator. The bank also foresees a potential surge in the price of Ethereum to over $4,000 leading up to the approval.

Standard Chartered Bank has released a report stating that it is highly likely that the SEC will give its approval for the first spot Ethereum ETF in May. According to the report, the analysts at the bank foresee the regulator granting approval for the ETH spot ETFs on May 23, which is the ultimate deadline for the applications before the SEC.

Geoffrey Kendrick, Head of Forex and Digital Assets Research at Standard Chartered Bank, commented, “We expect pending applications for ETH U.S. spot ETFs to be approved on May 23, the final deadline for the first of the ETFs under consideration — the equivalent date to Jan. 10 for BTC ETFs.”

Moreover, the bank predicts that if the SEC approves the ETF proposals before the deadline, the price of Ethereum may experience a significant surge, potentially reaching $4,000. The bank draws parallels with the rally in Bitcoin’s price following BlackRock’s spot Bitcoin ETF application, which surged from around $25k to reach a high of $49k.

Ethereum also witnessed a surge after BlackRock filed for a spot ETH ETF in November, reaching highs above $2,700. At present, the leading altcoin’s price is around $2,375, showing a 3% increase in the past hour, as the altcoin market aims for a rebound alongside the benchmark cryptocurrency.

**FAQ**

**Q:** What is the significance of May 23 in relation to Ethereum ETF approval?
**A:** May 23 is considered the final deadline for the first spot Ethereum ETF applications before the SEC, and Standard Chartered Bank anticipates that the regulator will approve these applications by that date.

**Q:** What price surge is predicted for Ethereum leading up to the potential ETF approval?
**A:** Standard Chartered Bank suggests that the price of Ethereum could surge to over $4,000 prior to the approval of spot Ethereum ETFs by the SEC.

**Q:** How has the price of Ethereum been influenced by previous ETF filings?
**A:** In November, Ethereum experienced a surge after BlackRock filed for a spot ETH ETF, reaching highs above $2,700, and currently, the price is around $2,375, showing a 3% increase in the past hour.