T. Rowe Price Plans to Include Dogecoin and Shiba Inu in New Actively Managed Crypto ETF
March 16, 2026 – In a significant move into the digital asset landscape, T. Rowe Price, the renowned global asset manager with $1.8 trillion in assets under management, has revealed plans to launch an actively managed cryptocurrency exchange-traded fund (ETF) featuring a diverse range of digital currencies, including popular memecoins dogecoin (DOGE) and shiba inu (SHIB).
The firm submitted an amended S-1 registration statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Monday, updating details about its previously filed Price Active Crypto ETF. The revised application provides insight into the fund’s investing strategy, custody arrangements, potential staking participation, and its broad digital asset lineup.
Diverse Crypto Portfolio Targeted
Unlike many ETFs that passively track a fixed benchmark, T. Rowe Price’s crypto ETF will actively manage its holdings, selecting between five and fifteen cryptocurrencies at any given time. The selection will be from a wide universe of assets, including bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), solana (SOL), XRP, cardano (ADA), avalanche (AVAX), litecoin (LTC), polkadot (DOT), dogecoin (DOGE), hedera (HBAR), bitcoin cash (BCH), chainlink (LINK), stellar lumen (XLM), shiba inu (SHIB), and sui (SUI).
The fund’s portfolio decisions will leverage quantitative models weighing factors such as fundamentals, valuation metrics, and market momentum. The objective is to outperform the FTSE US Listed Crypto Index rather than merely mirror it.
Custody and Trading Details
Anchorage Digital Bank N.A., a leading cryptocurrency custodian, will safeguard the digital tokens held by the ETF, ensuring regulated and secure asset storage.
Initially, the ETF will operate on a cash subscription and redemption model. This means investors wishing to buy or sell shares will do so through cash transactions rather than exchanging cryptocurrencies directly. However, the filing leaves open the possibility of adopting in-kind transactions in the future—a method that allows for exchanging ETF shares for underlying crypto assets—depending on evolving regulatory guidance and market conditions.
Exploring Crypto Staking Opportunities
The filing also introduces the potential for the Price Active Crypto ETF to engage in staking activities. Staking involves locking up certain tokens to help secure their respective blockchain networks in exchange for rewards. T. Rowe Price indicated that participation in staking programs may be pursued down the line, subject to considerations around risk, taxation, and regulatory compliance.
Strategic Move into the Digital Asset Market
At 87 years old and ranked among the world’s top 25 asset managers, T. Rowe Price’s push into the crypto space reflects growing institutional interest in digital assets. If approved by the SEC, the Price Active Crypto ETF will provide investors with another regulated channel to access a curated basket of cryptocurrencies within conventional brokerage accounts.
This approach differs from many recently launched U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs which typically track a single token. By actively managing crypto allocations and including a broad asset mix—from leading coins to trending memecoins—T. Rowe Price aims to offer flexibility and potentially better returns as the crypto market evolves.
With the firm’s substantial scale and expertise, its entry into cryptocurrency investment products marks a notable endorsement of the sector’s maturation and wider acceptance among traditional financial services providers.
This article is based on T. Rowe Price’s amended SEC filing and analysis as of March 16, 2026.