After smashing records with the successful launch of the first spot Bitcoin ETFs in 2025, the crypto market has entered a new era. Many institutional investors, hedge funds and investment advisors have dived into crypto ETFs, and this growing adoption is poised to create steady, long-term demand for digital assets.
Looking ahead, the spotlight is shifting to the potential approval of spot ETFs for tokens like XRP, Solana, Litecoin, and Hedera in the U.S. However, cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase predicts that institutional demand will likely remain concentrated on a few ETFs, such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, in the near term.
This year could bring even more changes to the crypto ETF landscape. With a new appointee selected to run the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), there have been rumblings of introducing staking, which could boost rewards for ETF holders, making these products even more appealing to investors.
Meanwhile, after years of regulatory uncertainty, the U.S. is welcoming its most crypto-friendly Congress ever. With bipartisan, pro-crypto majorities in both the House and Senate, Coinbase anticipates that favorable regulations could fuel crypto’s momentum in 2026.
Despite these tailwinds, cryptocurrency remains a risky asset class, and experts recommend allocating no more than 5 to 10 percent of your portfolio to it.