72 ETF filings are stacked on the SEC’s desk, signaling a rise in investor appetite. XRP and Solana dominate the pile, but meme coins like DOGE and TRUMP are elbowing their way in. New SEC Chair Paul Atkins, who has $6 million in crypto-related investments, faces a high-stakes decision. XRP and Solana Steal the Lead in ETF Filings. Data from Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas reveals the numbers: 72 crypto ETF filings await SEC review. XRP ETF filings top the list with 18 applications. Solana follows close behind with 17. Together, they account for nearly half of the total pile. Why the huge number? XRP’s legal win against the SEC cleared its path, boosting confidence among ETF issuers. On the other hand, Solana’s appeal lies in its lightning-fast blockchain, processing thousands of transactions per second. These stats dwarf Bitcoin and Ethereum, which have dominated past ETF waves. Meme Coin ETFs: Risky Business? The filings take a sharp turn into meme coin territory. DOGE, PENGU, TRUMP, MELANIA, and BONK all have pending ETF applications. Some even propose 2X leveraged funds, doubling the potential reward and risk. Leveraged ETFs amplify returns but magnify losses too. Meme coins, already volatile, could turbocharge this instability. DOGE, for instance, spiked 300% in 2021, then crashed 80% the next year, according to CoinGecko. Paul Atkins is the SEC’s new chair as of January 2025. His financial disclosures, filed in late 2024, show $6 million in crypto-related investments. This hefty stake raises eyebrows. Atkins’ holdings signal a personal tie to the market he now regulates. Analysts wonder how this shapes his view on the 72 filings. The SEC’s mandate—protecting investors—remains his north star, but his portfolio adds a layer of intrigue. No specifics on his assets are public, leaving analysts to parse the implications. These ETF filings could reshape crypto’s future. Approval might draw billions in institutional cash. BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF, launched in 2024, pulled in $10 billion in its first six months. XRP and Solana ETFs could follow suit. But meme coin ETFs pose a dilemma. Their approval might legitimize speculative assets, luring retail investors. Critics, like SEC veteran John Reed Stark, warn of “market chaos” in a 2023 tweet. Leverage only heightens the stakes. The SEC’s track record offers clues. Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs got the green light in 2024 after years of rejections. This shift suggests a thaw in regulatory frost, but meme coins may test that limit.
