Dogecoin ETF in 20 Days? Bitwise Pulls a Regulatory Speed-Run

Move over Bitcoin boomers — Dogecoin just slipped its paw under the velvet ETF rope. Bitwise hit the SEC with a Section 8(a) filing that triggers a 20-day automatic countdown. Translation: unless the SEC wakes up and slaps the buzzer, a spot DOGE ETF could hit U.S. markets before November wraps.

Bloomberg ETF oracle Eric Balchunas confirmed the trick: an 8(a) filing isn’t a cheeky loophole — it’s the “we’re not waiting for your permission because the rules say we don’t have to” playbook. Bitwise will price the fund using the CF Dogecoin-Dollar benchmark.

The Bitwise Dogecoin ETF could launch this month Source: X

This isn’t Bitwise’s first dance with regulators. The SEC iced its earlier DOGE ETF bid back in June — right after dragging its feet on Grayscale’s version. Now Bitwise is speed-running ETF deployment, bypassing bureaucratic nap-time by filing an amend-and-go S-1 that becomes effective automatically after 20 days. Subtle? No. Effective? Absolutely.

Government Shutdown = ETF Fast-Track Mode

If you’re wondering why DOGE is getting ETF green lights faster than Congress can agree on lunch, blame the U.S. government shutdown. With half the SEC’s staff on “see you when this is over” status, the Commission has been quietly clearing crypto filings like someone hitting “yes” on software updates without reading them.

In early October, despite operating in low-power mode, the SEC approved multiple crypto ETF listing standards — and nudged issuers to submit amendments without waiting for feedback. Regulators call it “procedural modernization.” Crypto Twitter calls it “the interns are in charge.”

Bitwise, sensing vibes and opportunity, already launched a Solana staking ETF north of $500M AUM. Now it’s gunning for the memecoin crown.

Wait — Someone Beat Them? Yeah, It Already Happened

Surprise: Bitwise won’t be first to the dog park. REX-Osprey dropped the inaugural spot DOGE ETF (ticker: DOJE) back on September 18 under the 1933 Act. Wall Street laughed. Then DOJE did $24M in volume in its first few hours — 5× the opening performance of any XRP futures ETF. Balchunas’ volume guess: $2.5M. Reality: $24M. Oof.

The hype cooled — AUM drifted from $35M to $27M — classic post-debut reshuffling. But the message landed: memecoin ETFs aren’t a joke. Or they are — just profitable ones.

DOGE Market Check: Rallying on Hype, Limping on Structure

DOGE is currently wagging its tail at around $0.1808, up ~12% in 24 hours. 

Dogecoin is up 12% on the Bitwise ETF news, source: BNC

Whale wallets are still shuffling DOGE around like poker chips — over 1B DOGE (~$440M) moved across whale addresses in the last 72 hours. Distribution pressure remains heavy. Translation: the big dogs are selling into ETF headlines. Retail is once again the exit liquidity — tradition never dies.

Technical traders note DOGE is hovering near key support. If it slips, we’re not talking wag — we’re talking whimper.

The Real Plot Twist

Because 8(a) filings operate on a ticking clock, Bitwise can launch without explicit SEC approval — unless the agency intervenes. But here’s the spicy bit: any amendment restarts the 20-day timer. So don’t expect Bitwise to tweak even a comma unless Gensler kicks the door down.

If this works, it’s a blueprint for future crypto ETFs. A quiet regulatory revolution powered by bureaucracy-fatigue and a dog meme that outlasted every joke about it.

Bottom Line

Doge is either about to become a legitimate Wall Street asset class, or we’re witnessing peak degeneracy disguised as progress. Honestly? Probably both.

The ETF era was always going to get weird — nobody predicted Shiba Inu energy would lead the charge, but here we are. Strap in, folks — the future is absurd, the markets are broken, and memecoins are winning regulatory chess while DeFi geniuses argue about governance tokens on Discord.

Woof.