SEC Backs Nasdaq, CBOE, NYSE Push to Simplify Crypto ETF Rules

The US SEC on Wednesday approved new listing rules for major exchanges, paving the way for a surge of crypto spot exchange-traded funds.

On Wednesday, the regulator voted to let Nasdaq, Cboe BZX and NYSE Arca adopt generic listing standards for commodity-based trust shares. The decision clears the final hurdle for asset managers seeking to launch spot ETFs tied to cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin and Ether.

In July, the SEC outlined how exchanges could bring new products to market under the framework. Asset managers and exchanges must now meet specific criteria, but will no longer need to undergo drawn-out case-by-case reviews.

Under the new system, the time from filing to launch can shrink to as little as 75 days, compared with up to 240 days or more under the old rules.

“This is the crypto ETP framework we’ve been waiting for,” Bloomberg research analyst James Seyffart said on X, predicting a wave of new products in the coming months.

WOW. The SEC has approved Generic Listing Standards for "Commodity Based Trust Shares" aka includes crypto ETPs. This is the crypto ETP framework we've been waiting for. Get ready for a wave of spot crypto ETP launches in coming weeks and months. pic.twitter.com/xDKCuj41mc

The first filings likely to benefit are those tracking Solana and XRP, both of which have sat in limbo for more than a year.

SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the approval reflects a commitment to reduce barriers and foster innovation while maintaining investor protections. The move comes under the administration of President Donald Trump, which has signaled strong support for digital assets after years of hesitation during the Biden era.

Until now, the commission reviewed each application separately, requiring one filing from the exchange and another from the asset manager. This dual process often dragged on for months and led to repeated denials. Even Bitcoin spot ETFs, finally approved in Jan. 2024, arrived only after years of resistance and a legal battle with Grayscale.

According to Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, the streamlined rules could apply to any cryptocurrency with at least six months of futures trading on the Coinbase Derivatives Exchange. That means more than a dozen tokens may now qualify for listing, potentially unleashing a new wave of altcoin ETFs.

The SEC also approved the Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund, which tracks the CoinDesk 5 Index, including Bitcoin, Ether, XRP, Solana and Cardano. Alongside this, it cleared the launch of options linked to the Cboe Bitcoin US ETF Index and its mini contract, broadening the set of crypto-linked derivatives on regulated US markets.

Analysts say the shift shows how far US policy has moved. Where once regulators resisted digital assets, the latest changes show a growing willingness to bring them into the mainstream financial system under established safeguards.

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