The Dogecoin ETF Dream Is Quickly Turning into Reality as Grayscale Takes a Major Step

Once dismissed as a speculative joke, Dogecoin (DOGE) has now captured serious institutional interest, with multiple firms filing for ETFs.

Dogecoin (DOGE) is finally getting the institutional attention it deserves, with Grayscale Investments, the world’s largest digital asset manager, taking a major step toward launching a DOGE-based exchange-traded fund (ETF).

Once dismissed as a speculative joke, Dogecoin has now captured serious institutional interest, with multiple firms filing for ETFs as the crypto market anticipates regulatory shifts under President Donald Trump.

Grayscale's Dogecoin Trust was unveiled on Friday, an investment product that provides institutional and retail investors exposure to DOGE without requiring direct ownership. This move follows the firm’s typical playbook — previously seen with Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) — where a trust is launched first, paving the way for an eventual ETF conversion.

Later that day, Grayscale submitted a 19b-4 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) via the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), officially requesting approval to convert the trust into a full-fledged Dogecoin ETF.

In a press release, Grayscale highlighted Dogecoin's evolution beyond its meme coin origins, transitioning into a globally recognized asset used for financial inclusion, grassroots participation, and blockchain-based transactions.

A Wave of Dogecoin ETF Filings Signals Institutional Demand

Grayscale's move comes amid a growing wave of Dogecoin ETF applications. Bitwise, a major crypto investment firm, also filed for a DOGE ETF earlier this week, reflecting the surging interest in meme coin-based financial products.

This surge in ETF applications coincides with a significant shift in U.S. regulatory policy. The election of pro-crypto President Donald Trump has led to a friendlier SEC, with Paul Atkins appointed as the new SEC chair alongside a crypto and AI czar. This has opened the floodgates for ETF applications, as asset managers race to launch investment products tied to altcoins and meme coins.

A New Era of Meme Coin ETFs?

Grayscale and Bitwise aren't the only ones in this push. Tuttle Capital recently made waves by filing for a 2x leveraged ETF covering assets like XRP, Cardano (ADA), and Litecoin (LTC). But what stood out in the application was the inclusion of BNP and meme coins like TRUMP, MELANIA, and BONK, which raised eyebrows among analysts like Bloomberg's James Seyffart.

With Grayscale leading the charge, the race for a Dogecoin ETF is heating up, signaling a new era for meme coins in traditional finance. As regulatory conditions shift, institutional interest in DOGE and other alternative digital assets continues to grow, bringing cryptocurrencies one step closer to mainstream adoption.