Bitwise CIO Anticipates Crypto ‘ETF Palooza’: Over 100 New Funds Expected To Launch In 2026

The recent reopening of the government may signal the beginning of an unprecedented surge in cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the United States, as noted by Bitwise’s Chief Investment Officer, Matt Hougan. 

This anticipated growth aligns with the emergence of pro-crypto regulations from the Trump administration and crypto-friendly regulators, led by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the agency responsible for approving these funds. 

Crypto ETFs In Flux

Bitwise’s Matt Hougan is optimistic about the potential for new investment products in the sector. “We’re going to witness an ETF Palooza in Cryptoland,” he remarked during an appearance on CNBC’s “ETF Edge.”

He predicts that more than 100 new ETFs and exchange-traded products (ETPs) will launch in the coming year, emphasizing a focus on single-asset crypto ETPs. Most exciting for him, however, is the expected growth of index-based crypto ETPs.

Despite the challenges seen over the past month, with the overall crypto market decline led by Bitcoin’s crash below $90,000 on Wednesday, Hougan believes that index ETPs could emerge as one of the biggest stories in the crypto space next year.

“This industry will be 10 times bigger than it is today,” asserted Hougan, whose firm recently launched the Solana Staking ETF on October 28, designed to track Solana’s (SOL) price. 

Although Bitwise’s Solana fund has seen a 27% decline since its launch, it experienced a 9% increase on Tuesday, suggesting some resilience amid the broader market turmoil. 

The broader Solana ETF sector has seen a continuous 16-day inflow streak amounting to nearly $26 million. Meanwhile, Bitcoin ETFs have seen almost $2 billion in outflows since October, according to SoSoValue data. 

Tom Lee Believes Trump’s Support Will Spark New Opportunities

Bitwise’s passive fund stakes nearly all of its SOL tokens on-chain, contributing to transaction validation and network security while earning ongoing rewards that are reinvested back into the portfolio.

According to Hougan, these types of products target a new demographic of crypto investors—individuals looking to acquire smaller portions of digital assets for their portfolios. 

“They don’t necessarily have an opinion on Ethereum versus Solana or Bitcoin versus another asset; they just want to buy a broad swath of the crypto market and hold it for the long term,” he explained.

Echoing this sentiment, Tom Lee from Fundstrat Global Advisors also foresees a favorable shift in the market. A long-time proponent of Bitcoin, Lee cites increased openness from the Trump administration as a catalyst. 

“Experimentation and innovation are being encouraged by this administration,” he noted during the same interview with CNBC.

At the time of writing, Bitcoin is trading at $88,926, down nearly 30% from its all-time high. Solana has also retraced to the $131 mark, representing a 55% gap from current trading levels and record highs. 

Featured image from DALL-E, chart from TradingView.com