Imagine Aaliyah, a single mother in Johannesburg. She literally works herself to death hawking her crafts at the local market—just eking out enough to feed her two young daughters. Each month, she survives on remittances from her brother in London. The exorbitant fees charged by traditional money transfer services take a big bite out of that precious lifeline. Could crypto offer her a better way? Would a Solana or Litecoin ETF improve her life by any means, directly or indirectly?

We ought to be asking that question. It’s beyond increased trading opportunities and more engagement with the SEC, it really gets down to how people’s lives are affected. K33 Research may have more to say about directional tactics, and eight issuers hail from Solana and seem likely to launch Solana ETFs. What does this actually look like for Aaliyah and the other millions like her?

Solana provides mind-boggling transaction throughput and nano-level costs. This features creates an interesting replacement to typical finance for the unbanked. We’re investigating a longer-term solution that would allow Aaliyah to get remittances nearly immediately. This approach is more effective and it’s a cheaper alternative. A Solana ETF, through raising awareness and adoption, could help drive this financial inclusion all the same. Let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Then there's Litecoin. At this point, to be frank, does Litecoin belong on this table? While Grayscale's Litecoin Trust holds a significant chunk of the LTC supply (2.65%), increasing the risk of a redemption-driven sell-off upon ETF conversion, I'm seeing fewer issuers applying for Litecoin ETFs. It begs the question: Is Litecoin truly solving any real-world problems, especially in developing economies? Is it used for remittances? Is it empowering small businesses? Or is it yet another coin just chasing the hype? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. In this specific case, Litecoin is broken and needs to be broken.

Here’s where my anxiety comes in, and where yours should as well. The more serious threat to incumbents isn’t necessarily which ETF gets to market first. It’s the predictable hazards of crypto speculation, particularly to those who can ill-afford to lose. As someone with low financial literacy, Aaliyah is a prime target for scams and rug pulls. High volatility can wipe out her 401k savings in a heartbeat. Regulatory uncertainty leaves her vulnerable. A crypto ETF would unlock access to an entirely new asset class. If mismanaged, it has the potential to exacerbate inequality.

Now here’s where the outrage should really kick in. Do we really care about financial inclusion as an industry? Or are we just designing better systems for the rich to get richer and poor people to stay poor? The political leaning here should be obvious. As we’ve written before, crypto itself is not a bad thing. Without regulation and excessive crypto can be downright catastrophic, particularly in developing countries where consumer protections are scarce.

There’s no doubt that governments in these countries should and must do better. They have a responsibility to establish regulatory frameworks that spur innovation and competition and ensure the protection of consumers from fraud and bad actors. They must lay the groundwork with accountability and leadership by prioritizing financial literacy programs that will allow people like Aaliyah to make informed decisions.

The crypto industry itself has a responsibility. For the ecosystem to work, we all need to reinforce this focus on social impact and financial inclusion as we create new products and services. We should be upfront about the risks and stay away from predatory marketing tactics. We’re all on the same side in trying to make sure that crypto is a force for good, not a tool for exploitation.

While K33 Research expanding its Bitcoin treasury to 1,000 BTC is a vote of confidence in Bitcoin, confidence by itself won’t cut it. The real question here isn’t Bitcoin’s role in the future of global finance, but rather crypto’s role in the future of global social finance.

Let’s not be just dazzled by the golden promise of upside. Now, let’s pivot to where opportunity for meaningful change lies. Let’s make sure that these ETFs really do help humans like Aaliyah. We expect better than them merely further enriching the one percent. Or, if we don’t, we are not doing anything different than the previous financial order that we say we are breaking up.

Governments in these countries need to step up. They need to create supportive regulatory frameworks that encourage innovation while protecting consumers from fraud and exploitation. They need to prioritize financial literacy programs that empower individuals like Aaliyah to make informed decisions.

Responsible Innovation is Needed

The crypto industry itself has a responsibility. We need to prioritize social impact and financial inclusion when developing new products and services. We need to be transparent about the risks and avoid predatory marketing practices. We need to ensure that crypto is a force for good, not a tool for exploitation.

K33 Research expanding its Bitcoin treasury to 1,000 BTC shows confidence in Bitcoin, but confidence alone isn't enough. The question isn't just about Bitcoin's role in global finance, but about crypto's role in global social finance.

Let's not get blinded by the potential for profit. Let's focus on the potential for positive change. Let's make sure that these ETFs, if they launch, actually help real people like Aaliyah, instead of just enriching a select few. Or else, we are no better than the old financial order we claim to be disrupting.