Solana and XRP Spot ETFs: What to Expect as the SEC Takes a Cautious Approach

A few months after the financial watchdog approved ether spot ETFs, the conversation among investors has shifted to what's next. Will the SEC continue to expand the range of crypto ETFs? Two promising candidates for future ETFs are Solana and XRP.

As the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) edges closer to approving bitcoin spot exchange-traded funds (ETFs), a heated discussion has gripped investors: what's next? Among the promising candidates for future ETFs are Solana and XRP. Here's a closer look at what these potential offerings could意味着 for the market.

Solana and Solana ETFs: What are they?

Solana, founded in 2017, is a high-performance blockchain network that caters to decentralized applications (dApps). Renowned for its speed, Solana can process transactions at a much higher rate compared to other blockchains like ethereum. While ethereum handles around 12-15 transactions per second, Solana claims to support up to 50,000 transactions per second, ranking among the fastest blockchain networks in the market. Additionally, Solana offers lower transaction fees, making it even more appealing to developers and users.

Thanks to its speed and cost-efficiency, Solana has gained steam as a major competitor to ethereum — it's often dubbed as the “ethereum killer.” Its native token, known as Solana or SOL, serves as the lifeblood of the network, facilitating transactions, securing the chain, and rewarding participants. As of early October, it trades at $137, up nearly 500% from last year, when it was priced at $23.

A Solana ETF, if approved, would be an exchange-traded fund that tracks the price of SOL, giving investors a way to gain exposure to Solana's ecosystem without needing to directly purchase and hold SOL tokens. This would allow traditional investors to tap into Solana's growth potential through a more familiar investment vehicle.

XRP and XRP ETFs: What are they?

XRP is the native token of the XRP Ledger, an open-source blockchain. It's utilized by the Ripple payment network to power cross-border transactions and is designed to act as a bridge currency. It's crucial to note that Ripple, the company, operates the network but does not own XRP. Unlike bitcoin, which has a capped supply of 21 million coins, XRP has a total supply of 100 billion tokens. It currently trades at $0.52, down 3% from the previous year.

If the XRP ETF receives approval from the SEC, it will track the price of XRP, providing investors with a means to gain exposure to the XRP ecosystem without having to directly purchase and hold XRP tokens.

Together, XRP and Solana are two of the most valuable cryptocurrencies in the market, with a combined market capitalization of over $75 billion. Both tokens have faced legal challenges and regulatory scrutiny over the years. However, they remain popular among investors due to their potential to facilitate transactions and decentralized applications.

Solana and XRP ETFs have the potential to attract a wider range of investors and provide greater liquidity in the cryptocurrency market. But will they get the SEC's nod? Let's delve deeper into the regulatory landscape.

Solana and XRP ETFs: Will they get SEC approval?

The SEC has historically approached cryptocurrency ETFs with caution, prioritizing investor protection and regulatory compliance. However, the recent approval of bitcoin spot ETFs has opened the door for other cryptocurrencies like Solana and XRP to follow suit.

Earlier this week, cryptocurrency asset manager Bitwise filed for the first spot XRP ETF. Similarly, investment manager VanEck applied to list the first Solana spot ETF in the U.S. earlier this year. Additionally, asset manager 21Shares filed for a spot Solana exchange-traded product in 2024, marking the second major application of its kind.

Currently, several investment products linked to Solana are available, including Grayscale's Solana Trust (ticker: GSOL) and VanEck's Solana ETP (ticker: VSOL), which are accessible in select regions.

There is growing optimism in the market that new crypto ETFs may receive the green light within this year or next. This shift could enhance investment opportunities in the cryptocurrency space and attract a broader range of institutional and retail investors.

As the landscape evolves, the SEC's decisions will be closely watched for indications of how it plans to regulate this emerging asset class.