SEC Throws Open the Crypto ETF Gates-Finally, No More Waiting Forever!

Key Takeaways

What’s the SEC done now with crypto ETFs?

Well, the big bosses at the SEC have just waved their magic wand and said, “Yep, NYSE Arca, Cboe BZX, and Nasdaq can now use generic listing standards for spot crypto ETFs.” Translation? Less red tape, more rocket 🚀 speed approvals.

Why should you care?

Because it’s like the SEC has finally decided to quit playing hard to get after a decade of awkwardly reviewing every single Bitcoin ETF like it’s the last biscuit in the tin. 2013 called-it wants its endless waiting game back. Now, things could unfold much faster.

Oh, and despite the SEC’s love for dragging their feet, the institutional crypto fans aren’t backing down anytime soon. They’re here for a party 🎉.

SEC fast-tracks crypto ETFs (Finally Adulting?)

On September 17th, the SEC tried on their big kid pants and gave a thumbs-up to rule changes from three big-deal exchanges. Yes, it’s official: smoother, faster crypto ETF approvals are the new black.

This rule change under Rule 6c-11 is kind of a big deal-it tosses out that painfully slow “review every case like it’s a suspense thriller” routine, and instead, lets these exchanges follow one standard listing playbook.

Meaning no more dragging those ETF applications through the mud for months-max review time now? A sassy 75 days instead of the ancient 240. It’s like upgrading from dial-up to fiber optics. 📶

Why the SEC U-turn? What’s cooking?

Apparently, some industry heavyweights like VanEck, 21Shares, and Canary Capital were very persuasive little charmers, nudging the SEC towards a “first-to-file” system. Classic corporate Jedi mind tricks.

And credit where it’s due: the Trump-era SEC seemed way more chill about crypto ETFs than the Biden-era vibe of “maybe next year, maybe not.”

Teddy Fusaro from Bitwise banged the gavel like it’s a royal proclamation:

“This is a watershed moment in America’s regulatory approach to digital assets, overturning more than a decade of precedent since the first bitcoin ETF filing in 2013.”

What Paul Atkins thinks (and says so eloquently)

Mr. Paul Atkins, the SEC Chairman, popped in to remind us that this new generic listing saga is about making America’s capital markets feel fancy, innovative, and forward-looking on the global stage.

His exact words, because we like authority figures quoting themselves:

“This approval helps to maximize investor choice and foster innovation by streamlining the listing process and reducing barriers to access digital asset products within America’s trusted capital markets.”

Oh, and if you’re wondering about the nitty-gritty: these ETFs need their assets traded on markets cozy with the Intermarket Surveillance Group. Plus, they must have some kind of Futures contract history (think minimum six months) and a surveillance buddy system in place.

Rumor mill says Solana and XRP ETFs are first in line to debut under these new rules-finally getting off the bench after playing the waiting game forever.

CNBC caught up with Steve McClurg of Canary Capital, who summed it up nicely:

“The gates are open but there’s still a lot of work to be done.”

Did altcoins feel the SEC buzz?

CoinMarketCap’s latest tea spill says yes. XRP popped to $3.07 (up 1.29%), SOL strutted a 3.15% rise, and DOGE wagged its tail with a 3.5% climb to $0.2788. Meanwhile, poor LTC just couldn’t catch a break, slipping slightly to $115.28 like the wallflower at the dance.

All this SEC drama coincides with a stampede of new crypto product filings-including Bitwise’s flashy “Stablecoin & Tokenization ETF.” Because who doesn’t want a bit more “stable” in their crypto circus?

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2025-09-18 12:58