XRP ETF launches automatically while SEC is silent during shutdown

The Teucrium XRP ETF is now live despite the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s shutdown.

It began operations as it was registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Launching this month are Grayscale, 21Shares, Bitwise, and several other ETFs.

Despite the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) entering into a government shutdown on October 1st, the cryptocurrency market has become active with the launch of the Techrium XRP ETF. During the shutdown, the SEC is only handling emergency cases, and routine approvals, including ETF listings, remain on hold.

How was the XRP ETF launched without formal approval? One expert explained that the Teucrium XRP ETF has not been explicitly approved by the SEC. Instead, he pointed out that “silence is compliance,” which means the ETF will automatically go live after reaching regulatory deadlines.

Explaining how and why

Cryptocurrency journalist Eleanor Tellet revealed that the Techrium 2x Long Daily XRP ETF is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Because the fund holds U.S. Treasuries, cash, and swap receivables, formal SEC approval was not required to begin trading.

“However, spot ETFs are registered under Section 33 as commodity trusts and require explicit SEC approval before they can be launched,” Terret wrote regarding X.

“Therefore, the new spot crypto ETFs ($LTC, $SOL, $XRP) will not begin trading until the SEC can declare S‑1 effective, most likely after the government shutdown ends and government agencies return to full operation,” she added.

This situation illustrates how regulatory deadlines allow the launch of financial products while the SEC is temporarily inactive. Investors can now access the Teucrium XRP ETF, even as the market considers whether this will be considered formal approval.