Key takeaways
What does the Bitwise Chainlink ETF represent?
This is a proposed spot ETF that would allow institutional investors to gain exposure to Chainlink (LINK) without directly holding the token.
What do analysts say about LINK’s price outlook?
Analysts believe that a move above $16 could trigger a bullish reversal, while failure to do so could send the price lower towards $11.60.
The Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation (DTCC) has listed Bitwise’s Spot Chainlink exchange-traded fund (ETF) (LINK) in its “active and pre-launch” category.
The ETF, registered under the symbol CLNK, marked a potential step in bringing institutional participation to Chainlink.
Will this push the SEC to approve the LINK ETF?
While the listing does not confirm immediate approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), it is widely seen as a strong indicator that regulatory progress may be on the horizon.
Bitwise’s filing of the S-1 filing in August marked the first-ever proposal for a Chainlink Spot ETF. Obviously, this allowed institutions to gain exposure to the Oracle-based token.
Shortly after, Grayscale followed suit with its own Chainlink ETF proposal in September, signaling growing competition among asset managers looking to capitalize on the growing demand for crypto-related financial products.
Notably, Bitwise’s repository does not include any staking mechanisms for LINK tokens.
In contrast, Grayscale’s proposal suggests the possibility of staking a portion of its LINK holdings, which could potentially generate additional yield for investors.
Other ETFs and their status
Although final approval rests with the US SEC, recent trends indicate that certain crypto ETFs, such as those of Solana (SOL), Hedera (HBAR), and Litecoin (LTC), have become automatically effective for listing and trading on exchanges.
Under specific conditions such as a government shutdown, the SEC review process can be bypassed, allowing an issuer’s S-1 filing to automatically become effective after 20 days without formal intervention.
This regulatory nuance could accelerate the approval timeline for Chainlink ETFs, depending on external circumstances.
However, despite the positive momentum surrounding ETF development, LINK’s market performance has faltered.
LINK’s price fell 7% in the last 24 hours, from $16.50 to around $15.36, before recovering slightly to $15.50 at press time, a daily decline of 3.9%.
According to CoinMarketCap, trading volume fell nearly 24% to $667.51 million, reflecting weakening trader enthusiasm.
What do technical indicators suggest?
Additionally, Santiment data showed that LINK’s relative strength index (RSI) fell below the neutral zone, suggesting that bearish sentiment is dominating the market.
With price volatility on the rise, LINK’s near-term outlook appeared uncertain, even as institutional interest in the altcoin continued to grow thanks to ETF initiatives.

Source: Satiment
In fact, recent analysis from AMBCrypto further showed that LINK’s near-term outlook remains clouded by weak price momentum.
According to the analysis, rising social sentiment and accumulation activity suggest seasoned investors may be positioning themselves for a rebound.
However, unless LINK reclaims the $16 resistance level, the risk of a further decline towards $11.60 remains.
But for now, the market appears to be in a waiting phase, balancing cautious optimism and technical pressure.


