Saad Ullah
Cardano (ADA) just hit a major milestone that's got the crypto community talking – and it could mean big things for ADA's journey into mainstream Wall Street investing.
Cardano (ADA) Makes It Into Nasdaq's Exclusive Crypto Club
Here's what happened: Nasdaq just shook things up by completely restructuring their Nasdaq Crypto U.S. Settlement Price Index (NCIUS), and guess what? Cardano made the cut. According to an SEC filing that dropped recently, this change went live on June 2, 2025, and it's kind of a big deal.
The index used to be pretty exclusive – just Bitcoin and Ethereum got the VIP treatment. But now? They've opened the doors to four more crypto heavyweights: Cardano (ADA), Solana (SOL), Stellar (XLM), and XRP. That puts ADA in some pretty elite company, sitting right alongside the crypto kings Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The folks over at Cardanians – they're basically the unofficial Cardano cheerleaders on X – couldn't contain their excitement. They tweeted something that really captures what everyone's thinking: "This is a major step forward in bringing Cardano closer to Wall Street and traditional markets." And honestly? They're not wrong. This is exactly the kind of institutional recognition that ADA holders have been waiting for.
Why ADA Holders Can't Celebrate Just Yet (But Should Stay Hopeful)
Now, before everyone gets too excited, there's a catch – and it's a pretty important one. Even though Cardano is now part of this fancy Nasdaq index, the Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index U.S. ETF can't actually buy any ADA yet. Frustrating, right?
Here's the deal: the ETF is still stuck with the old rules that only let them hold Bitcoin and Ethereum. So while ADA is technically part of the benchmark index now, investors can't actually get exposure to Cardano through this ETF. It's like being invited to the party but having to wait outside until someone changes the guest list rules.
But here's why ADA fans shouldn't lose hope – those rules might be changing sooner than you think. There's actually a pretty massive regulatory decision coming up that could flip the script entirely.
The Big SEC Decision That Could Change Everything for ADA
This is where things get really interesting for Cardano holders. Back on March 7, 2025, Nasdaq didn't just sit around waiting – they went straight to the SEC with a proposal that could be a total game-changer for ADA.
Basically, they're asking the SEC to let them switch from the current restricted index to something called the Nasdaq Crypto Index (NCI). This new index would be like the crypto equivalent of going from a small apartment to a mansion – it would include nine different digital assets instead of just two.
We're talking about Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Solana, Cardano (ADA), Chainlink, Litecoin, Stellar, and Uniswap all under one roof. If the SEC gives this the green light, it would mean that regular investors – think your parents, pension funds, and anyone who prefers buying ETFs over dealing with crypto exchanges – could suddenly get their hands on ADA through a completely regulated, Wall Street-approved investment product.
The clock is ticking though. The SEC has until November 2, 2025, to make their final call. That's the date that could either launch Cardano into the big leagues of institutional investing or keep it waiting on the sidelines for a bit longer.
For ADA holders, this isn't just about bragging rights – though those matter too. If this approval goes through, we could see a massive influx of institutional money flowing into Cardano. And when pension funds and big investment firms start buying something, retail investors usually aren't far behind. It's the kind of development that could seriously move the needle on ADA's price and adoption.
Saad Ullah
