In September 2025, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved a new set of generic listing standards for commodity-based and crypto exchange-traded products.
Under the new rules, exchanges such as NYSE and Nasdaq can now list eligible crypto ETF products without needing to file a full, lengthy, and drawn-out bespoke approval for each one.
This change dramatically reduces the time, regulatory friction, and uncertainty required to bring crypto ETFs to the market. Will an institutional surge occur in late 2025 for top altcoins?
Previously, crypto-backed ETF proposals required detailed, case-by-case reviews, often taking up to 240+ days or more to be acknowledged. New listing standard rules streamline that process, cutting launch timelines to as little as two months or even less.
With the path for crypto ETFs now widened, asset managers have prepared new filings for ETFs tied to altcoins beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.
According to ETF analysts, the first wave of new ETFs under these standards is expected to include tokens such as XRP, which already has a strong institutional narrative, followed by Stellar XLM and Hedera Hashgraph (HBAR).
As of September 25, Hashdex’s Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF gained the approval of the SEC to include additional tokens such as XLM, XRP, and Solana.
Initially, the fund launched with only Bitcoin and Ethereum, but has since added three new tokens thanks to Paul Atkin’s new generic listing standards.
Because these new rules allow exchanges to list qualifying crypto ETFs without separate SEC approval for each product, the barriers have been dramatically reduced. These new rules make it much more viable for smaller or emerging tokens to be packaged into ETFs or for top altcoins to be given ETFs quickly, bringing them into mainstream markets.
For investors, the changes mean greater access to diversified crypto exposure through regulated, secure, and tax-efficient products. For issuers, it opens an entirely new channel for revenue and exposure of new assets while increasing competition among asset firms to offer unique crypto products.
Given the streamlined process, late 2025 could realistically see pure spot ETFs tied to XRP, HBAR, and possibly XLM.
Many analysts have confirmed that Litecoin LTC ETFs, Hedera HBAR ETFs, and XRP spot ETFs would be next in line before 2026. XRP, with its long-standing focus on institutional finance and payments, is widely seen as a top candidate for early approvals.
XLM, with its close partnerships with PayPal, MoneyGram, and Franklin Templeton, could follow shortly after.
In Europe, 21Shares issued its own HBAR exchange-traded product titled HDRA, backed by Hedera tokens. A spot HBAR ETF or product has yet to arrive in the US, but an ETP in the EU shows there is strong investor demand for spot products.
These new SEC standards mark a major milestone in the integration of crypto assets with traditional finance. By lowering the barriers to entry, the rules encourage diversification of the ETF market beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum.
If XLM, XRP, and HBAR secure ETFs, it would not only boost liquidity for crypto altcoins in the market but institutional adoption for the networks that these tokens are native to will be reinforced, earning a badge of finanical credibility.
By the end of 2025, or early 2026 at the latest, the ETF landscape could look dramatically different, with multiple crypto assets competing for mainstream attention.
The post SEC New Generic Listing Standards Can Fast-Track XLM, XRP, and HBAR ETFs first appeared on AllinCrypto.
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