Bitwise predicts that the ETP cryptocurrency will enter the "Cheesecake Factory" era in 2026

According to a researcher at Bitwise, over 100 products traded on the (ETP crypto) cryptocurrency trading platform could be launched consecutively at a rapid pace in 2026, after the US securities regulator issued new guidelines that significantly shorten the processing time for new investment funds.

“From this point on, we will witness a remarkable acceleration,” Ryan Rasmussen, a researcher at Bitwise, shared in an interview with the Bankless podcast on Tuesday.

Matt Hougan (bottom left) and Ryan Rasmussen (bottom right) of Bitwise were interviewed on the Bankless podcast | Source: Bankless “We anticipate that over 100 cryptocurrency-linked ETPs will be deployed in the next year, including products such as spot cryptocurrency ETPs, indices, stocks, smart beta, momentum, and many other types,” Rasmussen stated.

This forecast is based on the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) publishing a common listing standard in October, which removes the need for individual approval under the 19b-4 process for eligible cryptocurrency ETPs.

The launch of more cryptocurrency ETP funds could mark the beginning of an altcoin season

“Essentially, this is a set of guidelines that helps ETP issuers like Bitwise know that if an asset meets certain criteria, they can list an ETP without having to go through the waiting period of up to 240 days as before,” Rasmussen explained.

Many market experts believe that the launch of additional cryptocurrency ETPs, especially those tracking altcoins, will be a positive signal to boost the market.

Bitfinex analysts have previously stated that altcoins are unlikely to see strong growth until ETFs expand their reach beyond the largest approved cryptocurrencies.

Rasmussen also emphasized that it has been nearly 15 years since Gemini founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss applied for the first Bitcoin ETF, but currently, only a few cryptocurrency ETPs are available on the market.

“This is very important for investors because they will have more options to diversify their portfolios,” he analogized, “similar to how the appeal of a restaurant often depends on the variety of its menu. If the menu only has two dishes, customers won’t be interested, but if the menu is as diverse as at the Cheesecake Factory chain, the experience will be completely different.”

According to Fineqia International, the number of cryptocurrency ETPs on the market recently surpassed 300 products.

Positive impact from the new SEC regulation

The common listing standard guidelines are expected to pave the way for many new cryptocurrency ETP products to be launched soon.

On September 17, Bloomberg ETF analyst James Seyffart stated that this policy change would set the stage for a “wave” of spot cryptocurrency ETP launches.

Ms. Seoyoung Kim, Associate Professor of Finance at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, recently shared that although the new regulation may not significantly impact recognized assets like Bitcoin (BTC) and Ether (ETH), it will bring substantial benefits to other cryptocurrency products.

“For futures ETFs or spot ETFs for unregulated digital assets, these changes could help shorten approval times from many years to just a few months. Of course, these ETFs still need to comply with current standards for establishment, listing, and trading,” Kim said.