Record Rise in Cryptocurrency Mentions in SEC Filings Highlights Regulatory Attention

In April, the number of mentions of «cryptocurrency» in filings to the SEC surged to a record high of 786. This represented a 38% month-over-month increase and an 8% rise year-over-year, as reported by The Block.

From January 2024 to March 2025, the average monthly mentions stood at 457.

According to the publication, this spike indicates a growing interest from federal agencies in digital assets. Reporters also noted the efforts being made to clarify regulatory frameworks for the crypto industry.

In addition to cryptocurrencies, references to stablecoins have also risen. While these tokens were mentioned an average of 48 times per month between January 2024 and January 2025, that number climbed to 103 mentions from February to April 2025, with specific counts of 81 in February, 124 in March, and 104 in April.

This increase reflects heightened regulatory interest in the standards for «stablecoin» reserves and consumer protection. If these measures are formalized, it could enhance trust and broaden cryptocurrency adoption, as stated by The Block.

On May 5, the Commission extended the review period for a filing related to a Litecoin-based ETF proposal from Canary.

The agency has solicited public comments on issues including the prevention of fraudulent and manipulative practices.

Bloomberg analyst James Seyffart believes that an LTC-ETF stands a good chance of approval, but likely after some time has passed.

On May 2, investment firm VanEck submitted a listing proposal for an exchange-traded fund based on BNB, including a staking option.

Currently, the regulator is reviewing more than 70 applications for ETFs based on various altcoins.

In January, CBOE, on behalf of ARK Invest and 21Shares, submitted a proposal to modify the structure of Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs to allow for in-kind redemption of assets.

Recall that in February, the SEC accepted for review the NYSE Arca’s application to include Ethereum staking in a Grayscale ETF. That same month, a similar proposal was submitted to the agency by the Chicago Board Options Exchange for a product from 21Shares.

In January, ConsenSys founder Joe Lubin indicated that issuers of spot ETH-ETFs in the U.S. are anticipating a «prompt» approval for staking by the Commission.