- Vanguard is preparing to offer access to crypto ETFs on its brokerage platform, though not launching its own funds yet.
- CEO Salim Ramji, who previously launched BlackRock’s IBIT ETF, is steering the shift.
- SEC-CFTC coordination boosts optimism, but a permanent CFTC chair is still pending.
Vanguard, the $10 trillion asset manager long known for its conservative stance, is quietly preparing to give its brokerage clients access to crypto ETFs, according to sources familiar with the matter. While rivals like BlackRock and Fidelity jumped into the sector earlier, Vanguard has remained cautious—until now. The firm is reportedly exploring ways to list select third-party crypto ETFs on its platform, though it does not plan to launch its own products at this stage.
Why This Move Matters
This shift is driven by mounting client demand and a friendlier regulatory environment under the Trump administration. The SEC recently approved a generic listing standard for crypto ETFs and gave the green light to index funds tracking top digital assets. With Vanguard’s CEO Salim Ramji—formerly a BlackRock executive who oversaw the wildly successful Bitcoin ETF IBIT—at the helm, many see this as a pivotal moment where Vanguard may begin following a path similar to its competitors, albeit in its own cautious way.
Industry Applauds Regulatory Coordination
The timing aligns with growing collaboration between the SEC and CFTC, two agencies historically at odds over digital asset oversight. SEC Chair Paul Atkins and CFTC Acting Chair Caroline Pham are hosting a joint roundtable to explore harmonized rules, a move praised by the industry as a turning point away from heavy-handed enforcement. Still, uncertainty lingers with Pham set to step down and no permanent CFTC chair confirmed. Names like Brian Quintenz, formerly of a16z Crypto, have been floated but remain in vetting.
What Comes Next
If Vanguard proceeds, it could mark one of the biggest endorsements of crypto ETFs to date, bridging access for millions of mainstream investors who already trust the firm’s brokerage platform. Industry voices stress that regulatory clarity and strong leadership at the CFTC will be essential to sustaining momentum. For now, Vanguard’s move signals that the crypto ETF market—once niche—is becoming too big to ignore.
