Solana has officially entered Wall Street’s spotlight. Bitwise’s new Solana Staking ETF (ticker: BSOL) stormed onto Nasdaq this week, recording an astonishing $55.4 million in first-day trading volume — the strongest debut for any crypto-related ETF in 2025.
Bitwise’s move wasn’t just another ETF listing; it was a statement. The firm launched four new crypto funds, but the Solana product quickly took center stage, far surpassing its peers. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas, who had predicted the launch volumes on X the day before, was quick to admit his surprise at how accurately his “sixth sense for ETFs” played out.
Solana Leads as Altcoin ETFs Struggle
Launched with $223 million in assets under management, BSOL drew heavy interest from institutional investors who had previously approached altcoins with caution. The ETF is fully staked, offering exposure to Solana’s yield generation with an estimated 7% annual return.
$BSOL is beginning life with $220m in assets. Impressive, already half the size of $SSK. Surprised they didn't hold off tho and have it come in on Day One to get volume and flows higher. Good news is now we'll have only organic, easier to measure true demand pic.twitter.com/bHXQuCRw1Z
— Eric Balchunas (@EricBalchunas) October 28, 2025
While Solana dominated, other new crypto ETFs barely made a ripple. The Hedera ETF (HBR) saw around $8 million in day-one volume, and the Litecoin ETF (LTCC) managed only $1 million. Solana’s clear lead underscored a shifting sentiment — where speculative hype is giving way to structured, yield-focused participation.
Regulatory Clarity Fuels the Boom
Part of this success stems from recent regulatory progress. After years of hesitation, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission clarified in May and August 2025 that certain staking mechanisms tied to proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchains would not be classified as securities. That opened the door for products like BSOL to enter regulated markets.
Bitwise had already tested similar staking models in Europe and saw an opening. Timing, it seems, was everything. In a post on X, the company declared: “It is now the largest spot Solana ETF, with 100% staking, aiming to maximize average rewards of over 7%. The story of Solana continues.”
A Defining Moment for Solana and Bitwise
The launch marks more than just a financial milestone — it symbolizes Solana’s growing credibility within traditional finance. By merging staking returns with the accessibility of ETFs, Bitwise has positioned Solana as the proof-of-stake ecosystem’s flagship on Wall Street.
With strong early demand, favorable regulation, and a robust staking model, BSOL’s debut may redefine how traditional investors view yield-generating crypto assets. Bitwise has made it clear: in the ETF race, agility and innovation can outperform even the biggest names in finance.
