Crypto ETF market expands with 92 filings awaiting SEC decision

  • Solana has eight ETF applications pending.
  • XRP follows with seven ETF applications.
  • Grayscale seeks to convert five trusts into ETFs.

The US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) now faces one of its heaviest backlogs in the digital asset space, with at least 92 cryptocurrency exchange-traded product applications awaiting review.

According to an expert, Solana (SOL) and XRP (XRP) lead the wave of filings, each with multiple applications under consideration.

The trend highlights growing institutional demand for altcoin exposure through regulated investment vehicles, even as the SEC continues to weigh its stance on crypto products.

The pace of new filings has accelerated in recent months, suggesting the market is preparing for a broader expansion of crypto ETFs.

Solana and XRP lead with 15 ETF applications

Solana and XRP have emerged as the frontrunners among altcoins in ETF interest.

Analyst James Seyffart reported that Solana currently has eight ETF applications pending, while XRP has seven.

Both tokens rank among the most actively pursued crypto assets after Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH).

Analyst Eric Balchunas noted on April 21 that 72 crypto-related ETFs were already awaiting SEC review at that time.

With the figure now at 92, a further 20 applications have been added in just four months, pointing to rising momentum across the industry.

The filings include proposals offering exposure not only to Solana and XRP but also to other altcoins, alongside three ETFs linked to Bitcoin and Ether.

Grayscale and 21Shares push for Ether staking ETFs

Two of the largest players in the digital asset space, Grayscale and 21Shares, are also part of the current SEC queue. Both are seeking approval for Ether staking ETFs.

Earlier this month, the SEC clarified that some liquid staking activities fall outside its regulatory scope, a development that may impact how such filings are assessed.

Grayscale is also pursuing a major conversion of five of its existing trusts into ETFs.

These include three publicly traded funds and two private trusts, covering exposure to Litecoin, Solana, Dogecoin, XRP, and Avalanche.

Such conversions would expand ETF access across a broader set of cryptocurrencies if approved.

Market analysts expect ETF approval to drive altcoin rally

The potential impact of SEC decisions on altcoin markets remains a key focus for traders.

Analysts at Bitfinex observed on Monday that a broader rally among altcoins is unlikely until more crypto ETFs gain approval.

This view underscores the role regulatory clarity could play in shaping institutional and retail participation in the sector.

Meanwhile, market commentators such as NovaDius Wealth Management president Nate Geraci have pointed to the sheer volume of filings as evidence of what they call “crypto ETF floodgates about to open soon”.

BlackRock dominates with $71.40 billion ETF inflows

While new applications continue to pile up, global asset manager BlackRock has already secured a commanding lead in the crypto ETF category.

Its iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (IBIT) has attracted net inflows of $58.28 billion since launch.

Its iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (ETHA) has accumulated $13.12 billion in inflows, according to data from Farside Investors.

BlackRock’s IBIT fund now holds more than 3% of Bitcoin’s total circulating supply. A Wednesday report also indicated that ETHA may soon surpass Coinbase as the largest single holder of Ether.

Notably, IBIT now generates more annual fee revenue for BlackRock than its flagship S&P fund, iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV).

This is due to the fee structure, with IBIT carrying an expense ratio of 0.25%, compared to just 0.03% for IVV.

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SOL price gains momentum as DeFi Dev Corp adds $77M in Solana to treasury

  • The company has acquired 407,247 SOL tokens in its latest purchase.
  • DeFi Dev Corp. now holds Solana worth around $371M, 1.83 million coins.
  • On-chain indicators support SOL’s upside trajectory.

The first Nasdaq-listed firm with a Solana-centric treasury strategy is once again in the spotlight.

According to the latest press release, DeFi Development Corp. disclosed the purchase of 407,247 SOL assets valued at approximately $77 million.

The recent accumulation increased the company’s total SOL holdings to 1,831,011 tokens, worth around $371 million.

Notably, DeFi Dev Corp. utilized the latest fundraising to fund the purchase, and still holds more than $40 million for more Solana buys and supporting treasury operations.

The bold bet signals the firm’s conviction in Solana’s growth trajectory.

Solana price displays optimistic performance amid these developments, with on-chain metrics supporting DeFi Dec Corp’s accumulation strategy.

Long-term holding and staking plans

DeFi Development Corp. made it clear that it is not after short-term gains.

The firm confirmed that it will hold the newly purchased Solana long-term and stake the assets across different validators.

The announcement stated:

The newly acquired SOL will be held long-term and staked to a variety of validators, including DeFi Dev Corp’s own Solana validators to generate native yield.

The staking strategy enables the firm to generate native yield while ensuring the security and health of Solana’s blockchain.

Further, the approach means additional earning opportunities for shareholders as it combines staking incentives and SOL price growth.

What does it mean for Solana?

Solana has dominated crypto trends over the past months, with increased adoption in payments, meme coins, DeFi, and NFTs.

Its scalability and speed have made it a perfect alternative for institutions and developers.

DeFi Dev Corp’s Solana holdings reflect how markets are increasingly viewing Solana as an asset with potential beyond speculation.

Furthermore, endorsement by a Nasdaq-listed company legitimizes the altcoin, making it attractive for institutions seeking crypto exposure.

Solana bullish outlook

These developments come as the native token traded in the green region.

SOL gained more than 15% the previous week to $211.

Bullish sentiments fuel the chain, especially as the community votes for the Alpenglow proposal.

The proposal seeks to reduce block finality to 150 milliseconds from 12.8 seconds.

That will turbocharge the blockchain by supporting thousands of transactions per second while ensuring near-zero transaction charges.

That makes the Ethereum twelve-minute finality glacial.

Simply, the second-largest blockchain takes minutes to finalize transactions. In Solana, it is instant.

These narratives echo analysts, who are predicting massive gains for SOL.

For example, Ali Martinez mapped Solana’s path to $300 in the near-term.

That would mean a rally of over 40% from the current market price.

Moreover, prevailing institutional interest sets the stage for significant long-term rallies.

Proponents believe Solana has what it takes to skyrocket to $1,000 in a full-blown bull market.

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Bitcoin remains under pressure as gold targets a new all-time high

  • Bitcoin’s rally attempt fails as it retreats to below 112,000 dollars.
  • Gold continues its quiet but powerful climb, nearing its all-time high.
  • In August, gold is up nearly 4 percent while Bitcoin has fallen over 5 percent.

A hopeful rally in the cryptocurrency market was decisively crushed on Thursday, as steady selling pressure throughout the US trading session sent prices into a familiar retreat.

The failed bounce underscores a growing sense of fatigue in the digital asset space and throws a stark and revealing light on the silent, powerful ascent of its analog rival: gold.

After a brief flirtation with the 113,000 dollar level, Bitcoin (BTC) was beaten back, sinking to 111,800 late in the session for a loss of 0.7 percent over the past 24 hours.

The selling was even more pronounced in other major tokens, with Ether (ETH) and XRP shedding a more sizable 2.1 percent and 1.4 percent, respectively.

The one notable bright spot in a sea of red was Solana’s SOL, which managed to buck the trend with a respectable 3.1 percent gain.

A silent ascent to the summit

While the crypto market grapples with its own inertia, a different story is unfolding in the world of precious metals.

Quietly, but with unshakable conviction, gold has been on the rise. The yellow metal added another 0.8 percent on Thursday, climbing to 3,477 dollars per ounce.

This puts the safe-haven asset just a few dollars shy of the record high of 3,534 dollars it touched earlier this month.

The performance in August paints an even more dramatic picture of this great divergence: while Bitcoin has slid 5.2 percent, gold has rallied by nearly 4 percent.

The great disconnect

This decoupling is the great mystery currently haunting the market.

The very same macroeconomic tailwinds that are propelling gold higher—namely, the prospect of lower interest rates and a weaker US dollar—are conspicuously failing to ignite any significant bid for “digital gold.”

The fundamental case for Bitcoin as an inflation hedge and a store of value is being put to a severe test, and for now, it is failing.

A September showdown looms

The stage is now set for a potentially volatile final four months of the year.

The resumption of Federal Reserve rate cuts appears to be firmly on the table for September, a move that could be amplified by President Trump’s appointment of one or possibly two new, likely dovish, members to the Fed’s board.

As these powerful forces converge, the market is watching to see if Bitcoin can finally catch the golden tailwind or if its strange and troubling disconnect is a sign of a deeper malaise.

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PYTH skyrockets 60% as US government taps Pyth Network to verify economic data on-chain

  • The US Department of Commerce has published GDB on blockchain for the first time.
  • It has selected Pyth Network as the oracle platform to verify and distribute economic data.
  • PYTH saw a sharp price increase after the news.

The United States continues to establish itself as the international hub for blockchain and cryptocurrency undertakings.

In a groundbreaking move, the US Department of Commerce confirmed today that it will start publishing GDP (gross domestic product) data on blockchain, starting with last month’s figures.

The announcement catalyzed bullish sentiments across the cryptocurrency space, especially for the project that the government picked.

The US Department of Commerce has worked with nine blockchains and leading exchanges.

To ensure data accessibility and reliability, it chose Chainlink and Pyth Network.

Pyth Network at the center of historic move

The Department revealed that it published the official hash of its quarterly GDP data across nine networks: Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, Avalanche, Arbitrum, Tron, Polygon PoS, Optimism, Stellar, and Arbitrum One.

Also, it has worked with leading exchanges, including Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini, to facilitate the latest release.

Furthermore, the US Department of Commerce tapped oracle providers Chainlink and Pyth Network to guarantee reliability and accuracy.

PYTH rallied immediately after the news as the community celebrated the project’s “validation moment.”

Pyth Network focuses on bringing real-time, high-quality data on-chain.

Thus, the announcement represented a watershed moment for the altcoin, as it anticipates lucrative use cases.

The government’s reliance on Pyth’s oracle service validates its infrastructure and status as a trusted player in the integration between decentralized networks and public institutions.

Government ratification fuels confidence

Howard Lutnick, US Secretary of Commerce, commented on the benefits of this move.

He perceives it as a part of the President’s strategy to make America the hub of blockchain. Lutnick said:

It’s only fitting that the Commerce Department and President Donald Trump, the crypto-President, publicly release economic statistical data on the blockchain. We are making America’s economic truth immutable and globally accessible like never before, cementing our role as the blockchain capital of the world.

The high-profile commendation has put the Pyth Network on the map as a trusted oracle protocol authorized by the government.

Officials confirmed that it will leverage oracles like Pyth to release other datasets, beyond GDP.

PYTH price outlook

The native coin exploded within minutes after the collaboration updates.

PYTH trades at $1891 after gaining around 62% from its daily low.

The staggering 2,400% uptick in trading volume signals massive interest in the altcoin.

Also, Pyth Network’s market capitalization has crossed the $1 billion mark for the first time since February 2025.

The US government endorsement positions PYTH for impressive performance in the coming months and years.

The development could bolster institutional demand from firms exploring blockchain to provide accurate and reliable data.

Prevailing sentiments suggest PYTH might have secured the needed catalyst to recover to its 2024 all-time highs above $1.

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