Asset manager Hashdex expanded its Crypto Index US exchange-traded fund (ETF) to include XRP , SOL and Stellar following the generic listing rule change from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The Nasdaq stock exchange-listed ETF now includes five cryptocurrencies held 1:1 by the fund, including Bitcoin and Ether, and is trading under the ticker symbol NCIQ, according to Thursday’sannouncement.
The SEC approved generic listing standards for ETFs in September, paving the way for a faster ETF approval process for eligible cryptocurrencies.
To qualify for generic listing eligibility, a cryptocurrency must be classified as a commodity or feature futures contracts listed on reputable exchanges. Additionally, eligible cryptos must be subject to financial surveillance under the US Intermarket Surveillance Group.
Market analysts and industry executives anticipate a torrent of new crypto ETF filings due to the new standards, which will give stock market participants access to the crypto markets and blur the line between traditional financial instruments and digital assets.
The SEC approved the Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund, the first US multi-asset crypto ETF, on Sept. 17. Grayscale’s fund includes BTC, ETH, XRP, SOL and Cardano .
SEC Chair Paul Atkins is spearheading efforts to streamline the ETF approval process for cryptocurrencies as part of a broader initiative to modernize the financial system for digital finance.
Atkins recently proposed an “innovation exemption” for crypto companies, a regulatory sandbox that would allow crypto projects to experiment with new technologies without fear of regulatory reprisal from government agencies.