Grayscale Investments is preparing to debut the United States’ first spot Chainlink (LINK) exchange-traded fund as early as this week, according to ETF Institute co-founder Nate Geraci.
The product, which will convert the existing Grayscale Chainlink Trust into a fully listed ETF, would mark the first time U.S. investors gain spot exposure to Chainlink through a regulated fund structure.
Regulatory Pathway and Conditional Launch
The anticipated launch comes as the firm awaits regulatory developments tied to NYSE Arca’s proposed “Generic Listing Standards,” a new framework that could allow certain commodity-based exchange-traded products to list without requiring separate SEC rule-change applications.
NYSE Arca filed the proposal on July 30, 2025, under Rule 19b-4. If adopted, Grayscale believes the Chainlink Trust, renamed Grayscale Chainlink Trust ETF upon effectiveness, would meet the necessary criteria for automatic listing on the exchange.
However, the SEC has not yet approved the Generic Listing Standards. Grayscale’s registration statement makes clear that no offering of shares will occur until such approval is secured or deemed unnecessary.
The prospectus itself is prepared under the assumption that the new standards will ultimately be adopted, highlighting the conditional nature of the upcoming launch.
Industry Expectations and Broader Trends
Despite these regulatory contingencies, industry analysts expect movement soon. Bloomberg Intelligence senior ETF analyst Eric Balchunas has pointed to December 2 as the likely debut date, citing internal listing data showing the product positioned for near-term approval.
Balchunas also noted that the Chainlink ETF may be only the first in a broader wave, predicting that more than 100 digital-asset ETFs could enter the U.S. market over the next six months.
At least five spot crypto ETFs are reportedly lined up for launch within days, reflecting a shift in Washington’s stance toward crypto-linked investment products and a growing willingness to integrate digital assets into mainstream financial markets.
Impact and Significance
If approved, Grayscale’s Chainlink ETF would further solidify the company’s role as a leading provider of regulated crypto investment vehicles, while expanding investor access to one of the most widely used blockchain oracle networks.