(Bloomberg) -- An upstart ETF firm is debuting the first-ever funds tracking futures in Solana, the sixth-largest cryptocurrency, after the blockbuster success of Bitcoin products.
Florida-based Volatility Shares LLC is launching a pair of funds tracking Solana futures Thursday, according to an effective registration statement. The products will be the first of its kind to offer exposure to Solana, which has a market value of around $67 billion.
The Volatility Shares Solana ETF (ticker SOLZ) will track Solana futures while the Volatility Shares 2X Solana ETF (SOLT) will offer twice the leveraged exposure. The firm first submitted paperwork to the US Securities and Exchange Commission for the funds in December. SOLZ and SOLT will carry expense ratios of 0.95% and 1.85%, respectively.
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“Our launch comes at a time of renewed optimism for cryptocurrency innovation in the US,” said Justin Young, the chief executive officer of Volatility Shares. “We believe the Trump administration recognizes the strategic importance of maintaining American leadership in financial technology.”
The debut of the products follows the launch of Ether offerings, which have seen outflows amid the recent market volatility. While Solana ETFs holding the coin directly aren’t currently available, industry watchers view the Volatility Shares funds as a sign that a spot fund for the crypto is next up. Both Bitcoin and Ether followed a similar path; issuers launched futures products first then spot ETFs.
“It’s the first altcoin after Ether to be approved. But history has shown that ETF investors crave holding the physical asset as much as possible,” said Bloomberg Intelligence’s Eric Balchunas. “It could have some issues when spot is approved.”
Spot Bitcoin ETFs have amassed $92 billion since their debut in January 2024, data compiled by Bloomberg show. That’s in contrast to Ether’s $6.5 billion, which launched around July last year. BI’s Balchunas and James Seyffart estimate a 75% chance that spot Solana ETFs will be approved by this year.
Solana first garnered widespread attention when it was championed by Sam Bankman-Fried. After his crypto exchange FTX and affiliated Alameda Research fund imploded in 2022, Solana’s survival was in question. But it has since staged a comeback, thanks to the lower fees it charges in contrast to its rivals. So far this year, Solana is down about 30%.
Solana ETFs have long been seen as the most likely to get approved since they have the highest level of institutional investor interest given the token’s clear narrative.
The new funds also show how ETF firms are still pitching offerings to speculative investors who continue to have an appetite for risk despite the recent market meltdown. Issuers are also defying naysayers who argue the $10 trillion ETF market is already saturated. This year has seen more filings for new ETFs that track everything from altcoin Avalanche, to the SUI token that has a $7 billion market value, to spot Bitcoin and carbon credit futures.
The launch comes as the Trump administration embraces digital assets, spurring a slew of new market initiatives including fresh funds and so-called staking. Among the asset managers that have filed for spot Solana ETFs are Franklin Templeton, Grayscale and VanEck.
