T. Rowe Price has moved formally into the digital asset space. The $1.8 trillion asset manager filed an amended Form S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, naming 15 cryptocurrencies eligible for its proposed Active Crypto ETF. The list includes Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Litecoin, and Shiba Inu, among others.
A Rules-Based Framework for Asset Eligibility
The filing does not pre-allocate capital. It establishes a structured eligibility framework that determines which assets can enter the portfolio. Inclusion in the framework does not guarantee allocation. It defines the operating boundaries for the fund's managers.
To qualify, an asset must first be classified as a commodity. It must then meet at least one of three additional conditions. It must trade on a market that is a member of the Intermarket Surveillance Group (ISG). Alternatively, it must underlie a CFTC-regulated futures contract with at least six months of trading history. A third path allows inclusion if the asset represents at least 40% of the net asset value of an existing exchange-traded fund.
This structure anchors digital asset exposure within established regulatory infrastructure. The ISG's surveillance network and CFTC oversight provide institutional investors with market integrity mechanisms that passive, single-asset products cannot replicate.
Why XRP, Litecoin, and Shiba Inu Made the Cut
XRP's appearance in the filing reflects its evolving regulatory position. Prolonged legal proceedings between Ripple Labs and the SEC clarified the token's status for secondary-market trading. That outcome placed XRP in a more defined legal category, giving institutional actors clearer grounds for structuring compliant products.
Litecoin's inclusion is less unexpected. As one of the oldest proof-of-work blockchains still in active use, it carries deep exchange history and substantial market depth. Its established infrastructure aligns naturally with criteria focused on surveillance, market access, and trading continuity.
Shiba Inu is the most striking addition. The token originated as a speculative meme asset. Its presence in an institutional eligibility framework signals a shift in how screeners now operate. Trading volume and market access matter more than origin. If an asset satisfies structural and surveillance requirements, its retail-driven background carries diminishing weight at the institutional level.
