Looking forward to 2026! The market for financial products linked to cryptocurrencies is set to experience unprecedented acceleration. According to Ryan Rasmussen, a researcher at Bitwise, over 100 new crypto ETPs (Exchange-Traded Products) could be launched as early as next year, radically transforming the available offerings for both institutional and retail investors.
The key points of this article:
A historic decision by the SEC has simplified regulation, promising an extraordinary acceleration of crypto ETPs starting in 2026.
A diverse range of financial products related to altcoins could stimulate a widespread rally and transform the digital asset market.
A historic regulatory simplification on the crypto ETF side
According to Ryan Rasmussen, a researcher at Bitwise, he was present on the Bankless podcast and allowed himself to make some predictions. For him, everything depends on a major decision by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) made last October. The regulator has established "generic listing standards" for crypto ETPs. Specifically, if a digital asset meets predefined criteria, issuers like Bitwise no longer need to obtain individual approval through the burdensome 19(b)-4 process.
This change ends the systematic waiting periods of 240 days that have slowed every launch for 15 years. This new regulatory framework now functions like a "manual": as soon as an asset meets the conditions, its market launch can be almost immediate. Bloomberg analysts estimate that this fluidity will trigger a real wave of spot and derivative products.
What if 2026 was the year of crypto ETPs on Wall Street? â Source: X Account
A diverse catalog to stimulate altcoins
Until now, the offering was limited to a handful of Bitcoin and Ethereum funds, frustrating investors seeking diversification. Ryan Rasmussen compares this evolution to moving from a "cafeteria menu to the exhaustive Ă la carte menu of a large restaurant chain." The 2026 range is expected to include ETPs on baskets of altcoins, "smart beta" strategies, momentum indices, and Web3 stocks.
This multiplication of entry points is perceived by many experts as the essential catalyst for a true altcoin season. By facilitating institutional access to less dominant assets, these new financial instruments would provide the necessary liquidity for a widespread rally. For Bitfinex analysts, this is the missing step to validate the maturity of the entire ecosystem.
The year 2026 is shaping up to be the year of massive democratization of digital assets through traditional financial channels. By removing administrative barriers, the SEC is transforming the ETF landscape and paving the way for unprecedented adoption by traditional portfolios.
