US Solana ETF Race Heats Up as Cboe BZX Submits 4 Refilings

Cboe BZX Alternate has reignited the race for Solana-based ETFs, refiling a contemporary batch of functions on behalf of 4 main funding corporations on Tuesday.

The trade submitted new 19b-4 filings for the Canary Solana Belief, Bitwise Solana ETF, 21Shares Core Solana ETF, and VanEck Solana Belief.

With these functions, the Securities and Alternate Fee will restart its assessment course of for spot Solana funding merchandise. It comes after the withdrawal of previous applications final yr on the regulator’s request.

If permitted, these ETFs would provide conventional buyers publicity to Solana with out straight holding the crypto, probably broadening entry to the digital asset market.

The newest filings trip on the momentum of crypto ETF approvals, with Bitcoin and Ethereum merchandise gaining SEC clearance in early 2024.

However, not like the world’s two-largest cryptos, Solana faces distinctive regulatory hurdles.

The core problem facilities on whether or not Solana qualifies as a commodity or safety, a distinction that proved critical in earlier industry-related ETF approvals.

Each the Canary Solana Belief and VanEck Solana Belief are searching for approval below commodity-based belief frameworks.

The proposals mirror profitable Bitcoin and Ether ETF methods, arguing that SOL qualifies as a commodity by way of its decentralized construction and proof-of-stake consensus.

Based mostly on the paperwork listed by Cboe BZX and reviewed by Decrypt, each proposals argue manipulation might be prevented with out the surveillance-sharing agreements often required by the SEC, citing buying and selling quantity and round the clock international markets.

Whereas sharing core arguments about SOL’s commodity standing and market maturity, the proposals reveal distinct approaches to addressing regulatory issues.

VanEck emphasizes declining possession focus and validator autonomy, which supplied information exhibiting prime pockets holdings had dropped to 26.5% final yr.

Then again, Canary focuses on operational safeguards equivalent to segregated chilly storage and detailed NAV (internet asset worth) calculations, with each sponsors rigorously positioning their merchandise inside established crypto-commodity ETF frameworks.

In the meantime, Grayscale has individually pursued its personal Solana ETF ambitions. The agency filed in December to transform its current Solana Belief into an ETF on NYSE Arca.

The push comes as Solana maintains its place because the third-largest crypto, with a market capitalization exceeding $111 billion, in line with data from CoinGecko.

Edited by Sebastian Sinclair