Solana News Today: Solana ETF Launch Ignites Institutional Crypto Inflows

The first U.S. spot Solana ETF, the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF (BSOL), began trading on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone for the cryptocurrency market, according to a NerdWallet guide. The ETF, which offers direct exposure to Solana's native token (SOL) and includes staking rewards, is the first of several proposed Solana ETFs awaiting regulatory approval. Bitwise's offering, with a 0.20% fee waived for the first three months or until $1 billion in assets, has drawn attention as investors seek regulated access to the sixth-largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization, the NerdWallet guide noted.

VanEck's proposed Solana ETF (VSOL), with a 0.30% fee, is among the seven ETFs filed with the SEC, the NerdWallet guide adds. While the firm's product does not currently include a fee waiver, the broader landscape of Solana ETFs is characterized by competitive pricing strategies. Analysts note that the approval of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs in 2024 triggered a last-minute fee-cutting race among issuers, a trend that could repeat with Solana ETFs as the SEC resumes operations post-government shutdown.

The launch of BSOL comes amid strong technical optimism for SOL's price. Solana's token traded at $203 on Tuesday, up 14% from a recent low, as traders anticipated the ETF's debut, according to a TradingView article. Technical analysts highlight a bull flag pattern, suggesting a potential rally to $412—a 104% increase from current levels—should the price break above $205. This projection aligns with JPMorgan's forecast of $3 billion to $6 billion in inflows for a Solana ETF in its first year, extrapolated from Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF adoption rates reported in that article.

The SEC's approval process for crypto ETFs has been delayed by the ongoing government shutdown, which entered its third week as of Oct. 27. While 21Shares' Solana ETF received provisional approval, final authorization remains pending, NerdWallet reported. The shutdown has also delayed the conversion of Grayscale's Solana Trust (GSOL) to a spot ETF, which is expected to begin trading on Wednesday, TradingView noted.

Indirect Solana exposure options, such as futures-based ETFs like VolatilityShares' SOLZ (1.15% fee) and ProShares' SLON (2.14% fee), remain available for investors unwilling to wait, the NerdWallet guide said. However, these products often diverge from Solana's price due to their leveraged or futures-based structures. Direct ownership of SOL, while more volatile, offers full staking control and no expense ratios, though it lacks the regulatory safeguards of ETFs, according to the same guide.

The broader implications of Solana ETFs hinge on institutional adoption. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas emphasized that regulated products could attract unprecedented inflows, citing the REX-Osprey Solana Staking ETF's $12 million first-day volume as a potential benchmark, as detailed in the TradingView article. However, the mixed performance of Ethereum ETFs—up 20% since July 2024 but down 50% at certain points in 2025—underscores the risks of crypto-linked investments, the NerdWallet guide observed.