Bitwise has opened a new front in the ETF race as it files for 11 altcoin-focused funds with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The filings show a firm that wants to turn the altcoin trade from a niche, offshore pursuit into a regulated, ticker‑based exposure on mainstream brokerage screens.
Details of Bitwise’s 11-Fund Lineup
Bitwise submitted Form N‑1A applications that cover strategy ETFs tied to a wide spread of assets, including Aave (AAVE), Uniswap (UNI), Tron (TRX), Sui (SUI), NEAR, Zcash (ZEC), Bittensor (TAO), and newer narratives such as Ethena (ENA) and HYPE. Each fund allocates about 60% of assets to direct holdings of the underlying token and 40% to existing exchange‑traded products or derivatives to keep liquidity and operational flexibility in line with SEC expectations.
The preliminary documents indicate a targeted effective date around March 16, 2026, if the SEC allows the registration statements to go effective without intervention. Bitwise positions the suite as a continuation of its earlier work around Solana and XRP products, which helped establish a playbook for bringing single‑asset altcoin exposure into a U.S. ETF wrapper
Regulatory Pivot and Strategic Timing
Bitwise’s move arrives after the SEC’s late‑2025 shift toward “universal listing standards” for commodity‑style crypto ETPs, which shortened typical timelines and reduced the need for bespoke approvals for every product. The firm now leans on that framework to push a full roster of altcoin funds at once, rather than drip‑feeding filings over several quarters.
Regulators still reserve the right to challenge any specific structure, especially for tokens that regulators or courts might treat as securities, but the filings show an industry that reads the direction of travel as more permissive for well‑structured products. For Bitwise, speed matters: first‑mover status in each ticker can lock in liquidity, brand recognition, and index inclusion long before rivals catch up.
For institutional allocators, an 11‑fund shelf turns altcoins into something that fits existing compliance and operational rails: CUSIPs, daily NAVs, and qualified custodians instead of offshore venues and bespoke mandates. Portfolio managers can size positions through standard ETF tools, use familiar market makers, and plug these products into multi‑asset strategies without rewriting their risk playbooks.
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