Wave of Crypto ETF Decisions Set to Hit in October: Details

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is preparing to rule on a record number of cryptocurrency ETF next month, setting the stage for what analysts are calling a pivotal moment for the industry. 

Sixteen separate crypto ETF applications, spanning major altcoins such as Solana, XRP, Litecoin, and even Dogecoin, are approaching final deadlines scattered throughout October.

First in line is decentralized exchange Canary’s proposed Litecoin ETF, which faces an October 2 cutoff. Asset manager Grayscale follows with Solana and Litecoin trust conversions scheduled for October 10, while WisdomTree’s XRP fund rounds out the month with an October 24 deadline. 

Sixteen Crypto Funds Near Final SEC Deadlines

Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart compiled the timeline and noted that the SEC could issue approvals at any time before each final date.

Crypto traders and market strategists are already speculating about the broader impact. Analysts at the Bitfinex exchange predicted as early as August that a cluster of fund approvals could ignite a fresh altcoin rally by offering traditional investors a lower-risk way to gain exposure to digital assets.

Industry watchers expect the coming weeks to be anything but quiet. “Enormous next few weeks for spot crypto ETFs,” Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth Management, wrote on X, highlighting the unusually packed calendar of filings.

Analysts Call October “ETF Month”

Prominent trader Daan Crypto Trades labeled October as “ETF month,” but pointed out that two of the sector’s biggest players—Fidelity and BlackRock—do not have products in this particular wave of filings. “None of the ones with the deadline in October were issued by Fidelity or BlackRock,” Daan noted, while emphasizing that the developments remain worth watching.

Seyffart previously estimated that the odds of eventual SEC approval for these altcoin-focused ETFs could reach 90% or higher sometime in 2025. Recent moves from the regulator may improve those chances sooner. 

On September 17, the SEC approved a new listing standard for commodity-based trust shares, a change Seyffart described as a positive step toward a “wave of spot crypto ETP launches.” Fellow analyst Eric Balchunas agreed, noting that as many as 22 coins with active futures on Coinbase might soon qualify for spot ETF proposals.

With multiple high-profile deadlines in rapid succession, October could become a landmark month for the crypto ETF market—potentially reshaping access to digital assets for mainstream investors.