16 Crypto ETFs Set for SEC Approval in October, Major Altcoins in Spotlight

Highlights:

• SEC will decide on 16 crypto ETFs in October, market closely watching.
• Approving altcoin ETFs could bring more investors into the cryptocurrency market quickly.
• New SEC rules may make it easier to launch spot crypto ETFs.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is preparing for a very active October as it faces final decisions on 16 different crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs). These funds include major altcoins such as Solana (SOL), XRP, Litecoin (LTC), Dogecoin (DOGE), Cardano (ADA), and Hedera (HBAR), with deadlines scheduled throughout the month.

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SEC to Decide Key Crypto ETFs in October

The process begins on October 2 with a ruling on Canary’s Litecoin ETF. Then, on October 10, the SEC is set to review Grayscale’s applications to convert both Solana and Litecoin trusts. The month will conclude on October 24 with WisdomTree’s XRP fund awaiting a decision, according to a list shared by Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart.

NEW: Here is a list of all the filings and/or applications I'm tracking for Crypto ETPs here in the US. There are 92 line items in this spreadsheet. You will almost certainly have to squint and zoom to see but best I can do on here pic.twitter.com/lDhRGEQBoW

— James Seyffart (@JSeyff) August 28, 2025

Although the SEC has the flexibility to announce outcomes earlier than the set deadlines, many analysts believe October could become a turning point. Observers suggest that any approvals may help unlock new inflows into altcoins by reducing barriers for traditional investors.

Industry experts believe the upcoming ETF decisions could spark a fresh rally in the crypto market. In August, Bitfinex analysts highlighted that more accessible ETFs might trigger an “altcoin season,” giving investors exposure to digital assets with lower perceived risks.

Shift in SEC Policy Could Open Doors for More Spot Crypto ETFs

The SEC’s stance on crypto ETFs has shifted during 2025. After long delays and multiple deadline extensions, the regulator showed a friendlier approach on September 17 when it approved new listing standards for commodity-based trust shares. This move could simplify the approval path and open doors for a wider range of spot crypto ETFs.

ETF analysts James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas noted that up to 22 altcoins with active futures contracts on Coinbase might soon qualify for ETF products. Asset manager Hashdex has already acted on this change by expanding its fund to include XRP, Solana, and Stellar. With such barriers starting to ease, many believe the crypto market could be entering a new stage led by ETF adoption. Attention has now turned to October, which analysts have labeled “ETF month.”

Fidelity and BlackRock Missing from October Approvals

Despite strong activity around crypto ETFs, two big financial giants, Fidelity and BlackRock, are missing from the upcoming approvals. These firms are not part of the ETFs set for review in October, even though they earlier showed interest in launching crypto ETFs. Their absence has raised questions about their strategy for entering the crypto ETF market.

Still, the new wave of ETF approvals is creating strong optimism. “It will be an enormous few weeks for spot crypto ETFs,” said Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth Management. With many altcoins possibly getting ETF approval, the market could experience big changes in the weeks ahead.

*Enormous* next few weeks for spot crypto ETFs…

SEC final deadlines approaching on numerous filings.

Starts this week w/ deadline on Canary spot ltc ETF.

Will be followed by decisions on sol, doge, xrp, ada, & hbar ETFs (though SEC can approve any or all of these whenever).

— Nate Geraci (@NateGeraci) September 28, 2025

At the same time, trader Daan Crypto Trades referred to October as “ETF month,” pointing to its importance for the market. “None of the ones with the deadline in October were issued by Fidelity or BlackRock, which are the two major players in the Crypto ETF space. Regardless, might be something to watch out for in the weeks ahead,” he said.

October is ETF month. Many final deadlines by mid October.

We're expected to see approvals on ETFs from a variety of major altcoins like $SOL, $XRP, $LTC & $DOGE.

Non of the ones with the deadline in October were issued by Fidelity or Blackrock, which are the two major players… pic.twitter.com/yFWRyuJy3O

— Daan Crypto Trades (@DaanCrypto) September 28, 2025

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