More than 70 cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are currently under review by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), signaling a potentially transformative year for digital asset investing in traditional markets.

According to Bloomberg senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, the wave of applications spans a broad spectrum of crypto assets — from major altcoins like XRP, Litecoin, and Solana, to memecoins and complex derivatives products.

“Everything from XRP, Litecoin and Solana to Penguins, Doge and 2x Melania and everything in between,” Balchunas posted on April 21 via X. “Gonna be a wild year.”

Bullish Institutional Sentiment, Cautious Optimism

The influx of ETF proposals comes as institutional sentiment toward crypto continues to strengthen. A March report by Coinbase and EY-Parthenon found that over 80% of institutional investors plan to increase their crypto exposure in 2025.

Despite the enthusiasm, analysts caution that regulatory approval does not ensure widespread market adoption, particularly for funds tied to less established digital assets.

“Having your coin get ETF-ized is like being in a band and getting your songs added to all the music streaming services,” Balchunas noted. “Doesn’t guarantee listens but it puts your music where the vast majority of the listeners are.”

Katalin Tischhauser, head of research at Sygnum Bank, told Cointelegraph that altcoin ETFs may see cumulative inflows ranging from several hundred million dollars to as much as $1 billion — a fraction of the $100 billion in net assets gathered by spot Bitcoin ETFs in the past year.

Spot and Derivative-Based ETFs on the Rise

While Bitcoin remains the flagship cryptocurrency for institutional vehicles, new ETF proposals are expanding beyond spot exposure. Some funds aim to utilize options and other derivatives to create structured access to crypto markets — a feature that could appeal to more sophisticated investors.

“Options on spot cryptocurrencies open up a wide range of portfolio strategies,” said Jeff Park, head of alpha strategies at Bitwise Invest. He added that such tools could catalyze “explosive” upside for digital assets like Bitcoin.

Options contracts grant investors the right — but not the obligation — to buy or sell an asset at a specific price, enabling more dynamic risk management and speculative strategies.

In a notable move on April 21, ARK Invest added exposure to staked Solana to two of its existing ETF products, marking the first time U.S. investors can access spot SOL through an ETF wrapper.

As the SEC prepares to weigh decisions on a record number of crypto ETF filings, 2025 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for digital asset integration into traditional investment frameworks.