SEC Nears Critical Decision Point on 7 XRP ETFs - Countdown to Approval Begins
Wall Street's waiting game enters its final innings as seven XRP exchange-traded funds approach their regulatory judgment day.
The Timeline Ticking Down
Seven separate applications now sit before the Securities and Exchange Commission, each racing against distinct deadlines that could reshape crypto's regulatory landscape. Market watchers track every calendar date like traders watching price charts—except here the volatility comes from bureaucratic paperwork rather than market sentiment.
Institutional Floodgates Prepare to Open
Approval would unleash a torrent of mainstream capital into XRP markets, creating the kind of institutional infrastructure that turned Bitcoin into a trillion-dollar asset class. The SEC's decision could either validate XRP's status as a legitimate investment vehicle or reinforce the regulatory ambiguity that's been hanging over Ripple's token for years.
Because nothing says financial innovation like waiting for government permission to invest in permissionless technology.
The countdown clock ticks louder with each passing day—Wall Street's latest attempt to package decentralization into neat, regulated boxes.
SEC Faces Wave Of XRP ETF Deadlines In October
According to a recent update from crypto analyst Stedas, seven XRP ETF applications are now pending with the US SEC. These filings represent a mix of major institutional players and crypto-focused firms, all seeking to secure a first-mover advantage in what could be one of the most competitive markets for digital asset ETFs.
The earliest deadline falls on October 18, when the SEC must issue a decision on Grayscale’s XRP ETF application, which seeks to leverage the firm’s $40 billion Assets Under Management (AUM). Just a day later, 21Shares will face its own deadline on October 19, with a proposal for its Core XRP Trust ETF backed by $7 billion AUM. Bitwise, another well-known crypto asset manager, will follow on October 20 with its ETF filing and a $5 billion AUM.
CoinShares is expected to enter the spotlight on October 23, with its $5 billion product pending SEC judgement. On the same day, Canary Capital, a smaller but equally ambitious issuer with $200 million in AUM, will also face a final ruling. WisdomTree, with an eye-watering $113 billion AUM, rounds out the October deadlines on October 24, as the SEC decides the fate of its proposed XRP ETF.
Notably, Franklin Templeton, which oversees approximately $1.5 trillion in assets, will not face its deadline until November 14, giving the firm slightly more runway than its October competitors. Collectively, these ETF applications highlight the broader institutional demand for XRP-based investment vehicles.
Although REX-Shares and Osprey Funds were the first to launch an XRP ETF in the US, they did so in a collective bundle with the Dogecoin ETF. Furthermore, future-based products from companies such as ProShares, Volatility Shares, and Purpose Investments, among other issuers, are already live.
Could A US Government Shutdown Affect The Funds Decision Dates?
While October promises to be a decisive month for the funds, concerns have been raised over whether a potential US government shutdown could disrupt the timeline of these products. Funding for the US government is set to expire at the end of Tuesday, September 30, unless an agreement is reached between Republicans and Democrats on a new spending bill. If no deal is signed, the country will enter its first government shutdown in almost seven years.
The US SEC, as a federal agency, WOULD not be immune to a potential government shutdown. While no official reports have confirmed whether a shutdown would impact the regulator’s ability to decide on XRP ETFs in October, the SEC’s Operations Plan, dated August 7, indicates that such an event would leave it running on a skeletal staff. This would severely restrict its capacity to review corporate filings, investigate misconduct, and oversee markets.
