What the XRP and Dogecoin spot ETFs mean for altcoins
More than just new products, these ETFs reveal how Wall Street now decides which coins get to matter.
What started as a tool to give everyday investors access to financial markets, especially crypto, is now becoming a deciding factor in which digital assets survive. An ETF listing can elevate a coin into the mainstream, while being left out risks making it irrelevant, no matter how much hype it once had.
This week, the spotlight is on XRP and Dogecoin. Two very different coins, but both just crossed the same milestone: the debut of their own U.S. spot ETFs.
The launches and why they matter
XRP’s spot ETF, trading under the ticker XRPR, will be the first of its kind in the U.S. for the world's third-largest cryptocurrency. Dogecoin follows right behind with its own ETF, DOJE, making history as the first memecoin to get this level of recognition.
Once an asset gets wrapped in an ETF, it gains something no hype cycle alone can provide—a stamp of confidence from regulators and fund issuers. On the flip side, those left waiting in line risk being seen as second-tier.
The process matters too. These funds cleared the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) 75-day review window under the Investment Company Act of 1940, meaning they launch automatically unless regulators object. It’s a smoother path than the one Bitcoin ETFs had to fight for under the Securities Act of 1933.
David Adubiina
XRP and Dogecoin aren’t the first in line in terms of filings. REX-Osprey has already launched a Solana staking ETF earlier this year, though interest there has been lukewarm, with about $274 million in assets and less than $25 million in recent inflows. The firm also has a BNB staking ETF filing in the works.
With over 90 filings still sitting on the SEC’s desk, not every coin will get this spotlight. But the SEC isn’t handing out approvals easily. It recently delayed decisions on Bitwise’s Dogecoin ETF and Grayscale’s Hedera ETF, setting a new deadline of November 12.
What this means for altcoins
Bitcoin and Ethereum showed us the effect already—ETFs pushed them deeper into the mainstream and cemented their role as the pillars of the market. Now, XRP and Dogecoin are testing if the same path holds for altcoins.
For altcoins, the message is clear: ETFs are no longer just about access. They’re becoming the benchmark for relevance. If a coin makes it into an ETF, it earns validation, liquidity, and visibility in traditional finance circles. If it doesn’t, the risk of being overshadowed grows, no matter how loud the hype on social media.
So the question now isn’t just about these two coins; it’s about what comes next. Will ETFs become the new gatekeepers for crypto relevance? Or will they only highlight the few that make it through while the rest quietly fade away? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
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