21Shares has launched the first Dogecoin-backed spot exchange-traded fund in the U.S., marking the initial regulatory approval for a meme coin-based ETF product, according to the company’s announcement.
Summary
- 21Shares launched the first U.S. spot Dogecoin ETF, developed with House of Doge, marking the SEC’s first approval of a meme coin–based ETF.
- The product gives institutional and retail investors direct Dogecoin exposure through traditional brokerage accounts, without holding the token directly.
- The launch follows growing regulatory acceptance of crypto ETFs in the U.S., after earlier spot approvals for Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The ETF was developed in collaboration with House of Doge, described as the token’s unofficial corporate entity. The launch represents the first instance of a Dogecoin investment vehicle receiving approval from the Securities and Exchange Commission for U.S. trading.
The development provides institutional investors with direct access to Dogecoin exposure through traditional brokerage accounts. ETF structures allow investors to gain cryptocurrency exposure without directly purchasing and storing digital assets.
Dogecoin has been trading within a defined price range in recent sessions, according to market data. The cryptocurrency has established support levels from which prices have rebounded on multiple occasions, while facing resistance at higher price points.
Market analysts have issued various price projections for Dogecoin following the ETF launch, with targets ranging from modest near-term gains to more substantial long-term appreciation. Some observers have cited the possibility of the token reaching price parity with the U.S. dollar in future years, though such projections remain speculative.
The cryptocurrency maintains support from an active online community and has gained recognition beyond digital asset markets. Dogecoin was originally created as a satirical cryptocurrency in 2013 but has since developed into one of the largest digital assets by market capitalization.
ETF launches for cryptocurrency assets have historically attracted institutional capital inflows, according to industry data. Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs launched in previous periods generated significant trading volumes in their initial weeks of operation.
The approval of a Dogecoin ETF follows a broader trend of regulatory acceptance for cryptocurrency investment products in the United States. The SEC has gradually expanded its approval of spot cryptocurrency ETFs beyond Bitcoin, which received the first such approval in early 2024.
