T. Rowe Price, the US asset manager with $1.8 trillion in assets, has filed to launch its first crypto exchange-traded fund, according to regulatory filings and market reports. The filing seeks registration with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for an actively managed product that would give investors exposure to a basket of digital tokens rather than a single coin.
Active Fund Aims For Multiple Coins
Based on reports, the proposed vehicle — referred to as the T. Rowe Price Active Crypto ETF — would normally hold five to 15 different cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin (BTC) and Ethereum (ETH) are expected to be on the eligible list, along with other top tokens such as Solana (SOL), XRP, Cardano (ADA) and Litecoin (LTC).
The filing describes an active approach: managers would select and weigh assets using valuation, momentum and fundamental analysis rather than simply tracking a passive benchmark.
A Different Kind Of Crypto ETF
Most recent US filings on Wall Street have focused on single-asset ETFs or passive funds that mirror an index. This product, by contrast, is framed as an actively managed, multi-asset fund. That distinction matters because active management gives the team flexibility to shift allocations over time, but it also introduces manager risk and typically higher fees.
The filing notes the intent to seek returns that beat the FTSE Crypto US Listed Index, though it stops short of promising any particular outcome.
According to the filings, the request is now subject to the SEC’s review process. Approval is not guaranteed. Issues such as custody of digital assets, daily valuation, trading rules and operational safeguards are likely to be scrutinized by regulators before any listing is permitted.
What This Could Mean For Markets
Wall Street watchers say the move is significant because it signals that a large, long-standing manager is willing to offer regulated crypto exposure to mainstream clients. If the SEC approves the product, it could open another door for institutional and retail flows into a broader set of tokens, not just Bitcoin and Ethereum.
That said, the active structure could lead to different performance patterns compared with passive crypto ETFs, and investors would need to weigh the potential benefits against added costs and manager decisions.
Featured image from Reddit – r/orioles, chart from TradingView
