US Government Shutdown Nears End, Paving Way for XRP ETF Approvals

White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett has hinted that the ongoing U.S. government shutdown could end this week, potentially clearing the path for long-awaited XRP ETF filings awaiting SEC approval. Speaking to CNBC, Hassett referred to the budget impasse as the “Schumer shutdown,” suggesting that moderate Democrats may soon strike a deal to reopen the government.

Hassett, a close ally of President Donald Trump and a leading contender to succeed Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chair in 2026, emphasized that once the government reopens, “negotiations can resume in regular order.” He also warned that if talks fail, the Trump administration could resort to “stronger measures” to secure cooperation.

A known advocate for blockchain innovation, Hassett previously disclosed owning over $1 million in Coinbase shares. Despite the shutdown, crypto industry engagement remains strong. Democratic senators are reportedly holding private meetings this week with major players including Coinbase, Ripple, and Circle to discuss the U.S. crypto market structure bill and explore bipartisan opportunities for regulatory progress.

The SEC, which scaled back operations during the shutdown, has paused all reviews of new financial products—including several pending XRP ETF applications. Once government funding is restored, the SEC is expected to resume its evaluation of filings from Grayscale, 21Shares, Bitwise, Canary Capital, CoinShares, and WisdomTree.

Investor enthusiasm for crypto ETFs remains robust. Charles Schwab CEO Rick Wurster revealed that the firm’s clients now hold around 20% of all U.S. crypto ETFs. Traffic to Schwab’s digital asset portal has surged 90% over the past year, while the SEC has received more than five new ETF applications in the past week alone—signaling growing institutional confidence ahead of a potential post-shutdown regulatory surge.