The cryptocurrency market is bracing for a pivotal October, with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) poised to make final decisions on 16 spot crypto exchange-traded funds (ETFs) tied to major altcoins. Cardano (ADA) is at the forefront, with two ETF applications awaiting verdicts: Grayscale's proposal to convert its Cardano trust faces a deadline on October 7, 2025, and Tuttle Capital's application is due by October 26, 2025.
Other key altcoins include Solana (SOL), XRP (XRP), Litecoin (LTC), and Dogecoin (DOGE), with deadlines scattered throughout the month. The Canary Spot Litecoin ETF has a decision deadline on October 2, followed by Grayscale's Solana and Litecoin trust conversions on October 10, and WisdomTree's XRP fund on October 24. Analysts like Nate Geraci, president of NovaDius Wealth Management, describe the upcoming weeks as "enormous" for spot crypto ETFs, while Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balcunas dubbed October "Cointober" due to the flurry of activity.
Market sentiment remains highly optimistic, with approval odds reaching 92% on major betting platforms, bolstered by the SEC's recent adoption of a new listing standard for commodity-based trust shares in September 2025, which could streamline future ETF launches. Historically, ETF approvals have driven price surges by increasing institutional access, and analysts from Bitfinex predict this could ignite a new altcoin season. However, notable absences from the October deadlines include filings from major players like Fidelity and BlackRock.
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