{"id":83983,"date":"2026-02-22T08:51:50","date_gmt":"2026-02-22T08:51:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/?p=83983"},"modified":"2026-02-22T08:51:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T08:51:50","slug":"cryptos-next-big-winners-5-altcoins-to-watch-if-the-clarity-act-becomes-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/business\/cryptos-next-big-winners-5-altcoins-to-watch-if-the-clarity-act-becomes-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Crypto\u2019s Next Big Winners? 5 Altcoins to Watch if the CLARITY Act Becomes Law"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"><strong>Quick Answer:<\/strong> The CLARITY Act would formally classify tokens with existing US-liste ETFs as digital commodities, bypassing years of regulatory uncertainty. Solana, Chainlink, Hedera, Litecoin, and Dogecoin all qualify under the bill&#8217;s ETF gateway provision. Each would receive the same regulatory treatment as Bitcoin and Ethereum, unlocking institutional capital, new exchange listings, and broader financial product development. Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse puts the odds of passage at 90% by April 2026.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\" \/>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">We have already examinedthis weekend\u00a0 <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/business\/what-happens-to-xrp-if-the-clarity-act-passes-and-why-altcoins-could-surge\/\">what the CLARITY Act means for XRP<\/a> and why Ripple stands to benefit from formal commodity classification. But XRP is not the only token that would be transformed by the bill. The CLARITY Act contains a provision that could reshape the entire altcoin market overnight.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The mechanism is elegantly simple. Under the Senate Banking Committee&#8217;s draft, any token that serves as the principal underlying asset of a US-listed exchange-traded product as of 1 January 2026 is automatically classified as a non-ancillary digital commodity. No additional SEC disclosure required. No lengthy &#8220;mature blockchain&#8221; certification process. If your token had an ETF by the cutoff date, you are in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">That provision puts five major altcoins on the same regulatory footing as Bitcoin and Ethereum from the moment the Act takes effect. Here is why each one matters.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">1. Solana (SOL) \u2014 ~$86<\/h2>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Solana is arguably the biggest winner outside of XRP. The token has operated under a regulatory shadow since the SEC included it in multiple enforcement actions, alleging it was an unregistered security. That classification risk has kept significant institutional capital on the sidelines despite Solana&#8217;s emergence as the fastest-growing layer-1 blockchain by developer activity and transaction volume.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The CLARITY Act removes that overhang entirely. Solana already meets the ETF gateway requirement \u2014 the Bitwise Solana Staking ETF launched in late 2025 and generated $56 million in first-day trading volume, the strongest ETF debut of the year. Morgan Stanley has since filed for its own Solana product.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Commodity classification would unlock a cascade of institutional activity: regulated custody solutions, derivatives products, inclusion in diversified crypto index funds, and broader exchange listings. For a token whose ecosystem already processes more daily transactions than Ethereum, the regulatory green light could be the catalyst that closes the valuation gap. Two independent AI analyses by ChatGPT and Google Gemini both identified Solana as one of the clearest beneficiaries of the bill, alongside Ethereum.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">2. Chainlink (LINK) \u2014 ~$8.90<\/h2>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Chainlink occupies a unique position in the digital asset ecosystem. It is not a layer-1 blockchain competing for users and transactions. It is infrastructure \u2014 the dominant oracle network that connects smart contracts to real-world data. Over 2,000 projects across DeFi, insurance, gaming, and enterprise applications depend on Chainlink&#8217;s price feeds, verifiable randomness, and cross-chain interoperability protocol.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">That infrastructure role makes Chainlink&#8217;s regulatory status unusually consequential. As the tokenisation of real-world assets accelerates \u2014 a trend the <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/business\/what-happens-to-xrp-if-the-clarity-act-passes-and-why-altcoins-could-surge\/\">CLARITY Act is explicitly designed to support<\/a> \u2014 every tokenised bond, equity, and fund unit will need reliable off-chain data. Chainlink provides it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Commodity classification under the CLARITY Act would allow traditional financial institutions to integrate LINK into their operations without the compliance friction that currently surrounds tokens of uncertain legal status. With spot ETFs already listed and institutional adoption of Chainlink&#8217;s Cross-Chain Interoperability Protocol growing, the regulatory clarity could accelerate what is already a structural adoption trend.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">3. Hedera (HBAR) \u2014 ~$0.10<\/h2>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Hedera is the enterprise play. Its governing council reads like a Fortune 500 board meeting: Google, IBM, Boeing, Deutsche Telekom, and \u2014 as of February 2026 \u2014 FedEx, which joined to explore distributed ledger technology for global supply chain optimisation.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The Hedera network uses a hashgraph consensus mechanism rather than traditional blockchain, enabling high throughput and low-cost transactions. Its primary use case is enterprise-grade tokenisation and data verification, positioning it squarely in the <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/global-markets\">real-world asset category<\/a> that institutional investors are most interested in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">HBAR&#8217;s spot ETF launched in late 2025 through Canary Capital, generating $4 million in first-hour trading volume. But the token remains one of the most undervalued relative to its enterprise partnerships and network activity. At $0.10, the market has not yet priced in what commodity classification would mean for an asset backed by some of the world&#8217;s largest corporations. The CLARITY Act would remove the single biggest barrier preventing those same corporations from using HBAR at scale in their treasury and settlement operations.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">4. Litecoin (LTC) \u2014 ~$53<\/h2>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Litecoin is the veteran. Launched in 2011, it has operated as a faster, cheaper alternative to Bitcoin for over a decade. It has never faced an SEC enforcement action, its network is fully decentralised, and its use case \u2014 peer-to-peer digital payments \u2014 is straightforward.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">So why does the CLARITY Act matter for a token that already appears to have regulatory clarity? Because appearance is not the same as statutory certainty. Without formal commodity classification, Litecoin remains in the same jurisdictional grey zone as every other non-Bitcoin token. Fund managers cannot allocate with confidence. Custody providers cannot offer services without compliance risk.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The Canary Litecoin ETF launched alongside Hedera&#8217;s in late 2025. Formal classification under the CLARITY Act would make LTC one of the safest altcoin allocations available \u2014 a regulated digital commodity with a 14-year track record, no issuer concentration risk, and a clear payment utility. For conservative institutional investors looking to diversify beyond Bitcoin, Litecoin becomes the obvious next step.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">5. Dogecoin (DOGE) \u2014 ~$0.10<\/h2>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Dogecoin is the wildcard \u2014 and potentially the most explosive beneficiary of the CLARITY Act.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">Born as a joke in 2013, DOGE has evolved into one of the most widely held and actively traded cryptocurrencies in the world. Its community is enormous, its brand recognition unmatched among altcoins, and its daily transaction volume consistently ranks in the top ten. It also has a spot ETF already listed in the US.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The CLARITY Act would classify Dogecoin as a digital commodity, placing it on equal regulatory footing with Bitcoin. For a token that many institutional investors have dismissed as a meme, this would be a paradigm shift. Commodity status opens the door to regulated derivatives, index inclusion, and institutional custody \u2014 products that would channel capital from investors who have avoided DOGE precisely because of its ambiguous legal status.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The risk, of course, is that Dogecoin&#8217;s price remains heavily sentiment-driven and correlated to social media activity \u2014 a pattern that <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/startup-ecosystems-ranked\">broader market discipline<\/a> and regulatory frameworks may temper but will not eliminate. But for a token trading at $0.10 with a spot ETF and imminent commodity classification, the asymmetric upside is difficult to ignore.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"text-text-100 mt-3 -mb-1 text-[1.125rem] font-bold\">The Bigger Picture<\/h2>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The CLARITY Act does not pick winners. It removes the uncertainty that has prevented institutional capital from entering the altcoin market at scale. Every token on this list already has a US-listed ETF, a functioning network, and real-world utility. What they lack is the statutory certainty that compliance departments, risk committees, and fiduciary-bound fund managers require before allocating.<\/p>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">The bill provides exactly that. With passage <a class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/business\/what-happens-to-xrp-if-the-clarity-act-passes-and-why-altcoins-could-surge\/\">targeted for April 2026<\/a> and bipartisan momentum in Congress, the question is no longer whether these altcoins will receive regulatory clarity. It is how quickly the market reprices them once they do.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Quick Answer: The CLARITY Act would formally classify tokens with existing US-liste ETFs as digital commodities, bypassing years of regulatory uncertainty. Solana, Chainlink, Hedera, Litecoin, and Dogecoin all qualify under the bill&#8217;s ETF gateway provision. Each would receive the same regulatory treatment as Bitcoin and Ethereum, unlocking institutional capital, new exchange listings, and broader financial [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":51372,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,764,953],"tags":[270],"class_list":{"0":"post-83983","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"category-crypto","9":"category-markets","10":"tag-crypto"},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=83983"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83983\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":83984,"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/83983\/revisions\/83984"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=83983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=83983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/europeanbusinessmagazine.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=83983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}