VanEck Doubles Down: Third Amendment Filed for Spot Avalanche ETF With SEC

Another filing hits the SEC's desk. VanEck isn't backing down on its push for a spot Avalanche ETF, submitting a third amendment to its application. It's a clear signal: institutional interest in layer-1 blockchains beyond Ethereum is heating up.

The Long Game of ETF Approvals

This isn't a one-and-done process. Each amendment refines the proposal, addressing regulatory concerns and market structure details. VanEck's persistence suggests serious groundwork—and a belief that the SEC's stance on crypto ETFs is slowly thawing. They're playing the marathon, not the sprint.

Why Avalanche? The Institutional Calculus

For asset managers, it's about diversification and capturing the 'next wave' of smart contract platforms. Avalanche's subnet architecture and speed offer a distinct value proposition. An ETF would provide traditional finance a clean, regulated on-ramp to that ecosystem—no private keys, no wallets, just a ticker symbol. It's finance's favorite thing: exposure without the hassle.

The Ripple Effect on the Crypto Landscape

Approval would be monumental. It would validate Avalanche's position as a core institutional-grade asset and likely trigger a wave of similar filings for other alt-layer-1 tokens. The game then shifts from 'if' to 'which one next.' Get ready for the great alt-ETF scramble.

Of course, Wall Street loves to repackage innovative technology into familiar, fee-generating products—it's how you make a decentralized future comfortably centralized again. The SEC's decision will tell us just how comfortable they are with that future. Buckle up.

Staking Restrictions 

The trust will not participate in staking, most likely due to the regulatory hurdles that would otherwise come with proof-of-stake reward validation. This follows the structure that the SEC has always advocated for in spot cryptocurrency ETFs. Through this structure, all creation and redemption will be conducted in cash.

VanEck also reiterates that the trust will not be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and will not fall under CFTC commodity pool regulation, placing it structurally closer to other spot crypto ETPs currently under SEC consideration.

VanEck’s past filings

VanEck had already given the push to its application for the listing of the Avalanche ETF by filing the FORM 19b-4 together with Nasdaq before the SEC in April 2025. The recent filing is, in effect, a petition to the exchange for a ruling regarding the listing of the VanEck Avalanche Trust.

This follows VanEck making similar filings in the past, with the company being one of the biggest proponents of diversification in terms of the types of digital assets that are offered. The SEC had earlier approved spot Bitcoin and Ethereum-based exchange-traded funds, but an Avalanche-based one is the next level. 

Despite the expanded operational disclosures, the filing remains explicitly marked as “subject to completion.” The implications of the filing represent an increased Optimism in the regulatory viability of non-Bitcoin and non-Ethereum tokens. The latest amendment from VanEck represents the company moving closer to the launch of an investment vehicle for the Avalanche chain within the traditional financial markets.

Also Read: Bitwise Files S-1 With SEC for sui ETF, Expands Altcoin ETF Push