Bitcoin ETFs Shaped 2024, Memecoin ETFs in 2025?

Crypto Industry Thrives in 2025, Embracing Maturity and Degen Spirit

Despite the early days of January, the crypto industry has already achieved remarkable milestones in 2025. Thanks in part to President Donald Trump's influence and the diminishing relevance of "woke" Democrats, the sector embarks on a new chapter with promising prospects on the horizon.

Building on the momentum of 2024, when crypto shed its notoriety for scams and illicit activities, the industry has evolved into a respected player in the TradFi markets. Bitcoin ETFs, approved in January 2024, attracted a significant influx of Wall Street capital, propelling BTC to surpass the $100,000 mark. Subsequently, Ethereum and Solana ETFs emerged, further solidifying the embrace of crypto by traditional finance.

This year, crypto strengthens its partnership with TradFi, aided by the SEC's increased compliance under Trump's leadership. However, despite these strides towards maturity, the crypto industry's degen spirit remains evident.

Bitwise, the company behind one of the first ten SEC-approved Bitcoin ETFs, has filed for a Dogecoin ETF. The "Bitwise Dogecoin ETF" represents the first attempt by a financial institution to offer a DOGE-centric ETF in the US market. As CEO Matt Hougan confirmed to The Block, "This was from us."

Intriguingly, the market appears unfazed by this move. Nate Gercai, president of ETF Store, recently stated, "I remain shocked that no issuer has filed for Dogecoin ETF... Worst case, it's a marketing expense for the issuer. Best case, you get an extremely lenient SEC who approves."

With a market cap of nearly $52 billion, DOGE commands respect, despite its reputation as a degen asset. Perhaps President Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, which pays homage to Dogecoin, has further endeared the memecoin to investors, particularly with Elon Musk at the helm. The department's website momentarily displayed a Dogecoin logo, causing DOGE's price to surge 11%.

Adding to the degen fervor, Osprey Funds and Rex Shares have filed for seven separate ETFs with the SEC, including DOGE, BONK, and a TRUMP memecoin ETF. Despite its proposed position above the Ethereum and Bitcoin ETFs, the Trump ETF is tied to the President's official memecoin, launched just before his inauguration.

According to Trump's website, the memecoin's supply is capped at 200 million, constituting only 20% of the total 1 billion supply. The remaining 80% will be released over the next three years and are held by Trump Organization affiliate CIC Digital LLC and Fight Fight Fight LLC. The website disclaims that $TRUMP "is not intended to be, or to be the subject of, an investment opportunity, investment contract, or security of any type."

Remarkably, the terms "token" or "coin" are absent from the website. Instead, the assets are referred to as "Trump Memes." "Trump Memes are intended to function as an expression of support for... the ideals and beliefs embodied by the symbol $TRUMP," the site states.

Currently ranked as the 25th largest coin by market cap, $TRUMP trades around $37 at the time of writing, approximately half its all-time high set near Trump's inauguration.

Meanwhile, BONK, which rose to prominence in 2024 after a 300% surge, now sits in 50th place by market cap. Created in 2022, BONK symbolizes Solana's resilience after the FTX collapse. Its growth is fueled by community initiatives, including a planned burn of 1 trillion tokens by December, aimed at increasing scarcity and value.

Despite their perceived absurdity, the value of these memecoins cannot be ignored. The GMCI Meme tracker reveals that a basket of 28 memecoins outperformed Bitcoin and Ethereum significantly in 2024.

Perhaps the crypto industry is not reverting to its immature past but rather finding a way to mature those immature ways. Memecoin ETFs, it seems, are here to stay.