Bitwise Bets Big on NEAR: ETF Filing Hints at Institutional Crypto Demand

Wall Street’s crypto craving just got hotter—Bitwise’s latest ETF filing targets NEAR Protocol, signaling a potential stampede of institutional money into layer-1 altcoins.

The move comes as traditional finance scrambles to catch up with blockchain’s speed-of-light innovation—while still charging 2% management fees for the privilege.

NEAR’s sharded architecture could be the dark horse of this cycle, but remember: when ETFs arrive, the early whales are already halfway to the exit.

In brief

• Bitwise files an S-1 for a NEAR Protocol ETF.
• XRP and Solana are currently the two altcoins leading the crypto ETF race.
• NEAR price remains stable despite the announcement.

Bitwise: Toward a NEAR Protocol ETF?

After spot ETFs for Bitcoin and Ethereum, a new dynamic is emerging in the crypto ecosystem. XRP and Solana (SOL) are leading the way with increasingly serious filings to U.S. regulators. Bitwise’s official filing for NEAR Protocol confirms the rise of this trend and illustrates the growing appetite of institutions for altcoins.

The arrival of these new ETFs could profoundly transform the market by facilitating traditional investors’ exposure to digital assets without having to directly hold cryptocurrencies. The signal is clear: altcoins such as XRP, Solana, and NEAR Protocol are taking more and more space in traditional finance.

Still Limited Impact on NEAR Price

Despite this announcement of the S-1 filing, NEAR’s price fell 1.12% over the last 24 hours. A measured reaction, probably due to awaiting SEC approval. However, this initiative could act as a medium-term catalyst if realized, much like similar projects around XRP and Solana.

Indeed, if the Near Protocol ETF is approved, it would pave the way for increased institutional exposure, similar to what XRP and Solana ETFs could bring. These financial products could increase liquidity, reinforce the legitimacy of these altcoins, and attract new capital inflows, thus boosting their valuation in the medium term.

Near Protocol’s entry into the spot ETF race thus marks a key milestone for altcoins. If the SEC approves this initiative among 70 other pending approval requests, the crypto landscape could radically evolve by fully integrating assets like XRP, Solana, and NEAR into institutional portfolios. A silent revolution may already be underway.

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