Cardano: First ETF in Sight for the 10th-Largest Cryptocurrency

In Brief: The Road to a Cardano ETF

• ETF Name: Grayscale Cardano Trust
• Ticker: GADA (proposed)
• Exchange: NYSE Arca
• Custodian: Coinbase Custody — trusted by major ETFs
• Index Tracked: CoinDesk Cardano Price Index (ADX) — updated daily at 4 PM ET
• Structure: Passive, non-leveraged, no derivatives
• Trading Unit: Baskets of 10,000 shares via authorized liquidity providers

This filing follows Grayscale’s successful strategy with Bitcoin (GBTC) and Ethereum (ETHE), and comes hot on the heels of its multi-asset crypto ETF approval.

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The crypto community, especially Cardanians, is rallying behind the news.

• The @Cardanians_io Twitter account hailed the S-1 as the “official registration” that reveals how the ETF works
• The dual filing (19b-4 + S-1) signals readiness and confidence in SEC approval
• ADA’s fundamentals are strong:
  • Hydra scaling rollout accelerating
  • AI and DeFi integrations gaining traction
  • On-chain activity up 40% in Q3 2025

With GADA, Cardano could finally gain the institutional legitimacy it has long sought.

Crypto: Grayscale Wants to Cover Everything — Cardano Is Just a Pawn

Grayscale isn’t betting on ADA alone.
It’s building a crypto ETF empire.

• Also Filing For: Polkadot (DOT) ETF — same structure, Nasdaq listing expected
• Strategy: Launch passive, indexed ETFs across top altcoins
• Key Partners:
  • Coinbase: Custody, brokerage, infrastructure
  • BNY Mellon: Fund administration
• Innovation: Up to 85% staking for DOT and ADA holdings — if regulators allow

With 96 crypto ETF applications now under SEC review—92 filed since April—Grayscale is positioning itself as the dominant player in altcoin ETFs.

Cardano isn’t just a standalone bet.
It’s part of a much bigger play.

What the Numbers Say

Analyst Nate Geraci noted the coordinated timing of filings:

“Several managers amended their XRP ETFs at the same time as Grayscale’s ADA move. This isn’t random—it’s strategy.”

Final Takeaway: The Altcoin ETF Era Is Here

• ✅ Grayscale files S-1 for GADA — final step before launch
• ✅ Coinbase-backed, NYSE-listed, index-tracked — institutional-grade structure
• ✅ 87% approval odds — highest since 2021
• ✅ Paves the way for DOT, AVAX, XRP, DOGE ETFs

Cardano has always been a technology-first project.
Now, it may become the first major proof-of-stake altcoin with a spot ETF.

And if GADA launches?

The message will be clear:
Altcoins are no longer speculative side bets.
They’re Wall Street assets.