The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is moving toward a more streamlined and accelerated process for approving cryptocurrency ETFs, particularly for major altcoins. Recent developments indicate:
The SEC is considering a unified listing framework that could allow eligible crypto ETFs to bypass the traditional 19b-4 application process and instead submit an S-1 document, potentially reducing approval times to 75 days.
Approval odds are extremely high for several spot ETFs: analysts estimate a 95% chance for Solana (SOL), XRP, and Litecoin (LTC), and around 90% for Dogecoin, Cardano, and Polkadot ETFs.
For Solana specifically, approval odds for a spot ETF in 2025 have surged to 99% according to recent market sentiment and analyst predictions.
The SEC is expected to release a draft of the new framework soon, with possible implementation in September or October 2025.
Major asset managers, including VanEck, Grayscale, 21Shares, Bitwise, and Canary Capital, have already filed applications for these ETFs.
The SEC is also reviewing amendments and new filings for Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs, indicating ongoing activity in the sector.
No final approvals for new altcoin spot ETFs have been announced as of July 10, 2025, but the regulatory environment is rapidly evolving, and several decisions are expected in the second half of 2025.
