As institutional investors eye the next wave of cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds (ETFs), the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has received numerous applications for these alternative investments. With the U.S. government shutdown continuing, the SEC’s approval of at least five altcoin ETF filings in the first half of October is a positive sign for this emerging market segment. Market analysts predict that these approvals will fuel increased institutional buying and further solidify confidence in the cryptocurrency space. Leon Waidmann, head of research at Web3 analytics firm Onchain, highlights that altcoin ETF inflows follow Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs’ success, which saw significant demand from institutions. This growing regulatory environment suggests a surge in capital flows into cryptocurrencies.