A lineup of spot ETF decisions from the SEC is creating a wave of anticipation across significant assets like Ripple (XRP), Solana (SOL), and Cardano (ADA). The outcomes could reshape institutional flows and trigger a new bull phase that stretches through Q4.

However, while the spotlight shines on blue chips, traders are also watching one under-the-radar token that’s turning early momentum into genuine investor excitement: Little Pepe (LILPEPE).

Little Pepe (LILPEPE): The Wild Card with Meme Power and Real Infrastructure

While ETFs dominate headlines, Little Pepe (LILPEPE) is drawing quiet attention from traders seeking asymmetric upside. Built as a Layer-2 blockchain optimized for meme tokens, Little Pepe blends culture with performance. Its zero-tax model, sniper bot protection, and ultra-fast EVM-compatible structure make it a rare meme coin with utility beyond speculation. The presale has already raised over $26.7 million in Stage 13, pricing each token at $0.0022, with nearly 95% of the allocation sold. The planned listing price of $0.003 gives early buyers a built-in 36% paper gain, even before public trading begins.

With community traction surging and whales quietly accumulating, traders see parallels to early Shiba Inu cycles but with far better tokenomics. If LILPEPE hits even a modest $0.15 by 2026, that’s a 68× return from current presale pricing, a performance that could eclipse most ETF-driven plays in sheer ROI.

Ripple (XRP): Eyes on Six ETF Filings

Ripple’s ETF story is finally coming to a head. There are six pending spot XRP ETF filings, all awaiting decisions within the same October window, which runs from October 18th to 24th. There’s one, the Franklin Templeton XRP ETF, set for review on 14 November. According to prediction markets on Polymarket, approval odds are at 97%, suggesting growing confidence that the SEC will give XRP its long-awaited green light. XRP trades near $0.62, and could move toward $1.20 post-approval if inflows mirror Bitcoin’s early ETF surge.

Solana (SOL): Set to Join Bitcoin and Ethereum in the ETF Club

Solana is next in line. Between October 10 and 16, five ETF applications are on the SEC’s review calendar, including filings from Grayscale, VanEck, 21Shares, Canary, and Bitwise.

A Polymarket forecast from early September showed 82% approval odds, and the sentiment has only grown stronger as institutional filings ramp up. If approved, Solana would become the third major Layer-1 ETF in the U.S., after Bitcoin and Ethereum. Analysts estimate that institutional inflows could easily exceed $3–5 billion within the first 90 days, potentially propelling SOL toward $400.

Cardano (ADA): A Critical Decision on October 26

Cardano’s turn comes on October 26, when the SEC is expected to deliver a final verdict on the Grayscale ADA ETF filing. After several extensions, this decision is final — approve or reject. Polymarket data indicates approval expectations at 90%, reflecting Cardano’s growing reputation among institutional analysts. Beyond the ETF, ADA has been buoyed by Grayscale’s launch of the CoinDesk Crypto 5 ETF, which already includes Cardano alongside Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, and Solana. ADA trades at around $0.79 with a market capitalization of nearly $29 billion. Approval could send ADA testing prices $1.20–$1.50, closing in on its all-time high of $3.09 from 2021.

Chainlink (LINK): The Institutional Bridge

Chainlink has emerged as the bridge between traditional finance and Web3. It’s no surprise that Grayscale and Bitwise both filed for LINK ETFs this quarter, the former aiming to convert its Chainlink Trust into a spot ETF on NYSE Arca under the ticker $GLNK. Chainlink’s value proposition lies in data integrity. With partnerships now spanning the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), Chainlink’s oracles feed macroeconomic and market data directly onto blockchain networks. LINK trades near $21.20, and analysts project a potential move toward $50–$80 if ETF approval triggers large-scale inflows.

Conclusion

ETF approvals for XRP, SOL, ADA, LINK, and XLM will mark a massive milestone in crypto adoption. But while regulated coins invite safer, steady gains, the raw speculative energy that drives true 50×–100× stories is now unfolding elsewhere. Because when the ETF dust settles and the next bull wave begins, history shows the biggest winners often start small, loud, and underestimated like Little Pepe (LILPEPE).