The cryptocurrency sector is poised for a surge of new crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) this October, as the US Securities and Exchange Commission is expected to finalize decisions on 16 crypto ETFs next month.
These ETFs are tied to a variety of prominent altcoins, including Solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), Litecoin (LTC), and the memecoin Dogecoin (DOGE), with deadlines dispersed throughout October.
First in line for approval is the decentralized exchange Canary’s Litecoin ETF, with a deadline set for Oct. 2. This will be followed by asset manager Grayscale’s Solana and Litecoin trust conversion on Oct. 10, culminating with WisdomTree’s XRP fund on Oct. 24, according to a list of upcoming approvals compiled by Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart.
Decisions may come anytime before the final deadline.
Analysts from the Bitfinex crypto exchange suggested in August that forthcoming crypto ETF approvals could trigger a new altcoin season, offering investors exposure to these coins with reduced risk.
‘Enormous’ next few weeks in ETFs
ETF analyst and president of NovaDius Wealth Management, Nate Geraci, stated in an X post on Monday that the upcoming weeks will be “Enormous for spot crypto ETFs,” due to the numerous filings approaching their deadlines.
“It starts this week with the deadline on the Canary spot Litecoin ETF, followed by decisions on Sol, Doge, XRP, ADA, and HBAR ETFs, though the SEC could approve any or all of them at any time,” he added.
Meanwhile, crypto trader Daan Crypto Trades labeled October as “ETF month” but noted that two major players, Fidelity and BlackRock, are not involved this time.
“None of the ETFs with deadlines in October were submitted by Fidelity or BlackRock, the leading entities in the Crypto ETF market. Nonetheless, this could be worth monitoring in the coming weeks,” Daan Crypto Trades commented.
In June, Seyffart estimated a 90% or higher chance of the SEC approving the various crypto ETFs with final deadlines in October for some time in 2025.
SEC makes approvals easier going forward
The SEC has postponed decisions on several crypto ETFs throughout 2025, establishing new deadlines; however, the agency has also initiated moves to shorten approval timelines as part of a more favorable stance on crypto.
Related: REX-Osprey crypto ETFs to launch Friday barring SEC objection — Bloomberg analyst
The SEC approved a new listing standard for commodity-based trust shares on Sept. 17, aimed at expediting the launch process for future spot crypto ETFs.
Seyffart mentioned that this policy change could lead to “a wave of spot crypto ETP launches.”
ETF analyst Eric Balchunas also speculated there could be several more in the pipeline, pointing out 22 coins with futures on Coinbase that were “eligible for spot ETF-ization.”
Since the revision in listing standards, asset manager Hashdex has already broadened its crypto ETF to include XRP, Solana, and Stellar (XLM).
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