Bitwise Asset Management submitted an 8(a) filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday for its spot Dogecoin exchange-traded fund. The filing initiates a 20-day automatic timeframe that could see the product begin trading before the end of November, unless regulators intervene.
Eric Balchunas, senior ETF analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, confirmed the timeframe. He pointed out that the process used by Bitwise under Section 8(a) evades traditional review delays. The fund will have Dogecoin as its primary asset and will compute its net asset value using the CF Dogecoin-Dollar Settlement Price.
In June, the SEC put Bitwise's initial Dogecoin ETF application on hold. The decision came weeks after the SEC delayed a similar application from Grayscale. The new strategy Bitwise is implementing removes the delay in amending its S-1 registration statement. This enables the listing to take effect automatically after 20 days, without requiring explicit approval from the SEC.
Government Shutdown Accelerates Crypto ETF Approvals
The filing comes amid a prolonged government shutdown that has resulted in the SEC operating under limited capacity. A substantial number of the staff are still on leave. However, the agency approved multiple listing standards in early October that cleared the path for the rapid processing of crypto ETF applications.
The SEC issued guidance one week after the shutdown began on October 1. The instruction made it clear that companies do not have to wait to make amendments to submit S-1 registration documents. This process removes ambiguity in timelines that ETF sponsors would have had. The transition has also allowed various crypto products to be available in the market at a relatively faster rate than the traditional approval process would have allowed.
Bitwise recently launched a staking Solana ETF, which has attracted over $500 million in assets. The firm's track record with crypto products positions its Dogecoin fund as a potential competitor in the memecoin ETF space.
REX-Osprey Claims First Spot Dogecoin ETF
The Bitwise product will be the second spot Dogecoin ETF available to U.S. investors. REX-Osprey introduced the Dogecoin ETF (ticker: DOJE) on September 18 under the Investment Company Act of 1933. The fund began with an excellent trading venture that was beyond the expectations of analysts.
DOJE recorded over $24 million in trading volume within its first hours. According to Balchunas, the launch achieved a five times greater performance than any XRP futures ETF on its first day in the market. The fund had a volume of up to $6 million in the first hour. Balchunas had initially set his benchmark for opening-day volume at $2.5 million.
The daily DOJE inflows have since leveled off at first highs. The assets under management of the fund decreased from more than $35 million to $27 million. This trend is common during post-launch stabilization, when initial momentum trades move out of position.
Dogecoin traded at approximately $0.1808 at press time, suggesting a 11.78% surge in the last 24 hours. However, broader timeframe data shows sustained weakness. DOGE declined 2.96% over the past week and 31.42% across the last 30 days.
DOGE Price, Source: CoinMarketCap
On-chain data indicate that distribution remains concentrated among large holders. Large positions were transacted in whale wallets over the past few sessions. This selling pressure has offset potential positive sentiment from ETF developments.
Over the past 72 hours, more than 1 billion DOGE, worth approximately $440 million at the time of transfer, have been moved through whale wallets.
Source: X
The memecoin faces technical resistance levels that must be cleared before sustained upward momentum can develop. Support zones around current price levels will determine whether DOGE can stabilize ahead of the Bitwise ETF launch.
Any amendments to Bitwise's filing could restart the 20-day clock. Once listing standards are met, the firm can launch without additional SEC sign-off. The automatic approval mechanism represents a significant shift in how crypto ETF products reach the market.
