Washington D.C. – the U.S. government shutdown,entering its second day on October 1,poses a significant threat to the potential approval of spot ETFs for altcoins,including a possible Solana ETF,and could delay a key investigation into Digital Asset Treasury (DAT) companies. Expectations for ETF approvals, buoyed by recent shifts in SEC policy and the allowance of “generic listing standards” for cryptocurrency ETFs, are now uncertain.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced Wednesday that it will halt the review and approval of new registration statements for financial products during the shutdown. Cryptocurrency ETF approvals are not considered essential services, meaning progress is stalled. Industry analysts had anticipated potential launches this week or next from firms like Grayscale and Canary.
“It seems that a prolonged government shutdown would definitely impact the launch of new cryptocurrency spot ETFs. The ETF Cryptober could be waiting for a while,” stated Nate Geraci, president of Novadiuswealth, via his X account.
Beyond ETFs, the shutdown is expected to delay Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (Finra) research into over 200 DAT companies. The investigation was launched following unusual increases in share price and trading volume prior to announcements of crypto asset acquisitions.