21Shares Files for a Spot Dogecoin ETF, Marking the Latest in a Series of Crypto-Themed Products

Asset manager 21Shares has submitted a proposal to list a spot Dogecoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), marking the latest in a series of filings aimed at bringing crypto-related investment products to the mainstream.

Asset manager 21Shares has submitted a proposal to list a spot Dogecoin exchange-traded fund (ETF), the latest in a series of filings that aim to bring crypto-related investment products to the mainstream.

The Nasdaq Stock Market filed the necessary 19b-4 document on Tuesday, a required step in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) ETF approval process.

The 19b-4 filing follows 21Shares’ initial S-1 registration, which was submitted on April 9 and can be viewed here.

In the earlier filing, the firm disclosed an exclusive partnership with the House of Doge to create funds backed by the Dogecoin Foundation.

Once the SEC acknowledges the 19b-4, it will be published in the Federal Register, beginning the formal review period for the proposed ETF.

Other firms, including Grayscale, Bitwise, and REX Shares, have also submitted applications for similar Dogecoin ETFs.

The filings come as the SEC signals a departure from its previous approach to digital assets.

Leadership change at the SECRawlings noted that the regulatory shift follows the appointment of Paul Atkins as SEC Chairman on April 21.

Nominated by President Donald Trump, Atkins has taken a critical view of the agency’s prior policies, which were formed under the Biden administration and former Chairman Gary Gensler.

“Innovation, unfortunately, has been stifled for the last several years due to market and regulatory uncertainty that unfortunately the SEC has fostered,” Atkins said last week.

Atkins’s confirmation, which follows a contentious Senate vote, is expected to accelerate decisions on a growing number of crypto-related proposals.

Acting Chair Mark Uyeda had previously delayed major rulings, and insiders attribute this to the lack of permanent leadership.

Crypto ETF backlog growsThe SEC is currently said to be reviewing over 70 crypto ETF applications, including products tied to major altcoins such as XRP, Solana, and Litecoin, as well as meme-themed and leveraged offerings.

Analyst Eric Balchunas called the ETF queue “wild,” noting the inclusion of everything from “Penguins, Doge, and 2x Melania.”

Bloomberg analysts in February estimated the highest probability of approval for Litecoin ETFs at 90%, followed by Dogecoin at 75%.

This recent push follows the agency’s approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs in January 2024 and spot Ethereum ETFs in July, both of which were seen as watershed moments for the crypto investment landscape.

As of the time of writing on Tuesday, the price of Dogecoin was up 0.4% to $0.1789.