The landscape of crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) is predicted to undergo significant expansion, with more than 100 products expected to debut by 2026. This forecast stems from insights by Ryan Rasmussen, a researcher at Bitwise, who noted that the acceleration in the creation of new ETPs is linked to recent guidelines issued by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which have notably slashed the processing times for new applications.

“We expect a remarkable acceleration in the launch of ETPs,” said Rasmussen during a discussion on the Bankless podcast. He envisions a range of products including spot crypto, index, and smart beta funds will likely emerge.

As regulatory hurdles diminish, market observers are optimistic that the introduction of additional ETPs could indicate the onset of a favorable market trend known as ‘altcoin season.’ Rasmussen emphasized this can excite investors, drawing a humorous comparison to a diverse restaurant menu:

“You can imagine investors going through the restaurant and having like two things on the menu; they are not going to be very excited about it, and it’s not going to be a very great experience. But now they’re going to go and have a menu that’s like the cheesecake factory of ETPs.”

Looking back, it has been almost 15 years since the initial attempts to introduce a Bitcoin ETF began with the Gemini founders, yet the range of available crypto ETPs remains limited. However, as of recent data, the total number of crypto ETPs has climbed above 300, reflecting a growing appetite for diverse investment options in this sector.

The anticipated rule adjustments could indeed open doors for more crypto ETP launches, benefiting not only Bitcoin and Ethereum but extending advantages to other underrepresented digital assets as well.