Spot NEAR ETF Decisions Loom as Grayscale and Bitwise Filings Await SEC Ruling

Regulatory decisions on spot NEAR exchange-traded funds are anticipated this month, with filings from Grayscale and Bitwise under review by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. No exact decision day has been identified, so the timing remains an open question for traders.

If approved, the products would list on NYSE Arca, with Coinbase serving as custodian. A regulated vehicle would give institutions and retail investors a simpler way to gain exposure to NEAR without holding the token directly, and ETF approvals for other altcoins have often been watched as demand catalysts.

The market backdrop is mixed. Crypto regulation remains in flux after the Clarity Act failed a key Senate vote earlier this month, while the SEC has said it intends to push crypto rules forward regardless. Approval outcomes for altcoin ETFs can therefore depend as much on the SEC’s own process as on legislation.

NEAR has other near-term items on its calendar. The community is monitoring a $70 million TVL milestone for Confidential Intents that would trigger token distribution claims under the NEAR@3.33 incentive program. On the technical side, the SPICE upgrade is planned for 2026 and aims to cut finality from 600 milliseconds to 0.4 seconds.

Traders should watch SEC filings and exchange notices for confirmation. Approval would likely be treated as a positive institutional signal, while a delay or rejection could weigh on sentiment.