Bitwise Asset Management filed for SEC registration for a spot Avalanche ETF, joining VanEck and Grayscale in the race to offer institutional exposure to AVAX through regulated investment vehicles.
The passively managed fund aims to mirror Avalanche’s value minus operational expenses, with Coinbase Custody serving as the digital asset custodian.
The filing details a Delaware statutory trust structure offering cost-effective exposure to Avalanche through traditional securities markets.
The trust will hold only AVAX tokens and use the CME CF Avalanche-Dollar Reference Rate as its pricing benchmark, calculated daily at 4:00 PM ET from multiple constituent platforms.
Avalanche Foundation is simultaneously raising $1 billion through two crypto treasury vehicles led by Hivemind Capital and Dragonfly Capital.
ETF Arms Race Intensifies as Multiple Firms Target AVAX Approval
The Bitwise registration follows VanEck’s March filing and Grayscale’s Form 19b-4 submission through Nasdaq for Avalanche ETF conversion.
Bloomberg Intelligence assigns high approval odds for altcoin ETFs this year, with institutional demand driving applications beyond Bitcoin and Ethereum products.
Bitwise previously experienced regulatory turbulence when the SEC granted accelerated approval for its 10 Crypto Index ETF in July before reversing the decision hours later through a stay order.
The multi-asset fund would have included Avalanche alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana, with 85% allocation to previously approved components.
VanEck launched the Purpose-built Fund specifically for Avalanche-based businesses, utilizing native real-world asset products and tokenized money market funds.
The fund targets capital appreciation through investments in digital assets with a market capitalization of over $100 million across the finance, payments, gaming, and AI sectors.
Grayscale’s pending conversion of its Digital Large Cap Fund to ETF status includes Avalanche alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and XRP.
The fund maintains a 79.9% Bitcoin allocation and an 11.3% Ethereum allocation, with the remaining assets distributed among approved altcoins.
The competitive landscape intensified as major institutions began to engage with Avalanche’s blockchain for portfolio management and digital asset projects.
BlackRock expanded access to its USD Institutional Digital Liquidity Fund to include Avalanche in November 2024, following initial Ethereum availability.
Regulatory Approval Timeline Faces Uncertainty Amid Treasury Vehicle Launch
The SEC’s cautious approach to altcoin ETFs creates uncertainty despite technical compliance with existing regulations.
Chairman Paul Atkins established a crypto task force to develop clear rules, following years of “regulation by enforcement” under the previous leadership.
March decisions on multiple altcoin ETFs were delayed until October, with the Commission citing the need for “longer periods” to consider proposed rule changes.
The approval process involves 21-day public comment periods, allowing industry stakeholders to provide input before final decisions are made.
Avalanche’s proof-of-stake consensus mechanism and subnet architecture differentiate it from Bitcoin’s energy-intensive mining.
The network’s three-blockchain structure supports token creation, validator management, and smart contracts, while enabling custom permissioned blockchains that rely on the main network’s security and integrity.
The simultaneous treasury vehicle launches aim to garner serious institutional conviction through SPAC structures and private placements.
Hivemind Capital’s $500 million vehicle aims for September completion, while Dragonfly Capital’s equivalent SPAC targets October finalization.
At the time of writing, AVAX is trading at $29.91, representing technical momentum testing $30 resistance.
Technical Analysis Points to Breakout Momentum Following ETF Filing
AVAX exhibits classic descending wedge characteristics on hourly charts, trading at $29.90 near the pattern’s apex with upper trendline resistance and dynamic support convergence.
Source: X/@JeremyybtcThe coiling effect from multiple tests of wedge boundaries creates optimal conditions for explosive directional moves, particularly with ETF-filing catalysts supporting bullish sentiment.
Long-term weekly charts reveal AVAX breaking above significant descending trendlines containing price action since the 2021 peaks near $147.
The macro perspective shows AVAX’s 240% recovery from cycle lows around $8.50, positioning the token in the critical $30-35 resistance zone.
Sustained trading above current breakout levels could open pathways toward $50 with minimal intermediate resistance.
ETF approval precedents from Bitcoin and Ethereum suggest initial announcements generate 50-100% advances within weeks of confirmation.
The technical setup positions AVAX optimally to capture such moves through descending wedge momentum combined with institutional validation.
AVAX’s immediate trajectory targets the $35-40 region following successful wedge breakouts, with long-term potential extending toward $50 levels based on minimal resistance structures.
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