The crypto ETF landscape is about to undergo a major shift, according to Will Peck, head of digital assets at WisdomTree. Instead of investors asking which individual token to buy next, Peck believes the market is moving toward a far simpler question: “Why not own the whole industry at once?”
A New Investor Mindset: Beyond the Bitcoin-Only Era
Peck argues that the education phase of crypto investing is largely over. Most newcomers no longer need a basic introduction to Bitcoin, they arrive already understanding its role. The real challenge now, he says, is navigating what comes after Bitcoin.
With thousands of assets competing for attention, the idea of choosing a single winner is becoming less appealing. That’s where sector-wide ETFs step in.
According to Peck, index-style crypto ETFs allow investors to back the long-term growth of blockchain technology without trying to guess which token will rise or fade. The approach mirrors equity markets: rather than stock-picking, many prefer broad exposure through index funds.
Index Funds Are Already Taking Shape
The shift isn’t theoretical, it’s already happening. Recently, 21Shares introduced two new crypto index ETFs built under the 1940 Act framework. Earlier this fall, Hashdex expanded its own index product to add assets like XRP, Solana, and Stellar, following a recent SEC rule change that opened the door to broader crypto baskets.
These moves mark the early phase of what Peck expects to become a competitive rush. Once issuers recognize investor demand for diversified exposure, he predicts a flood of new products, each experimenting with different weighting models and index methodologies.
No More “ETF Means Approval” Thinking
One consequence of this wave, Peck says, is the end of a long-standing misconception: that any asset inside an ETF automatically carries institutional endorsement.
With multiple issuers designing their own indexes, and each choosing its own selection criteria, credibility will come from the issuer’s brand, not from any regulatory seal of approval.
For investors, that means due diligence won’t disappear. Instead, it will shift toward evaluating how each index is built, which assets it includes, and what philosophy the provider uses to represent the sector.
