The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has postponed its decisions on several cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs) until May 2025. These ETFs, proposed by firms like VanEck and Canary, would track the prices of XRP, Solana (SOL), Litecoin (LTC), and Dogecoin (DOGE).

The SEC cited the need for further review of the proposals, utilizing Section 19(b)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act, which allows for deadline extensions when additional time is required for thorough analysis. The specific deadlines are: Solana (May 19, 2025), Litecoin (May 13, 2025), Dogecoin (May 21, 2025), and XRP (May 22, 2025). Further extensions remain possible.

The SEC's review focuses on how these altcoin ETFs align with existing financial regulations and the potential implications of listing these digital assets on traditional exchanges. This thorough assessment is underway alongside a planned public roundtable on crypto regulations (March 21, 2025), aimed at clarifying the SEC's stance on digital assets and developing clearer regulatory standards. The SEC's Crypto Task Force, led by Commissioner Hester Peirce, is also actively involved in this process, emphasizing the importance of public engagement.

Despite the delays, analysts like James Seyffart of Bloomberg maintain a relatively optimistic outlook. They view these delays as standard procedure and suggest the likelihood of approval remains high. Similar delays have affected other ETFs, including those for Ethereum (ETH), further supporting the view that this is part of a broader regulatory process.

While the extended timeline introduces uncertainty, it reflects the SEC's ongoing effort to balance innovation with regulatory oversight in the evolving cryptocurrency market. The delays underscore the complexities involved in regulating this rapidly growing sector.