S&P Just Added a Top Exchange’s Native Token to Five Key Crypto Indices
Crypto just got another stamp of institutional approval—and it's a big one.
S&P Dow Jones Indices, the benchmark giant that tracks trillions in traditional assets, just welcomed a major exchange's native token into five of its flagship crypto indices. This isn't a niche altcoin play; it's a direct integration of a cornerstone crypto asset into the frameworks institutional money uses to measure the market.
What This Move Really Means
Forget vague promises of "adoption." This is a procedural green light. Inclusion means automated buying from index funds and ETFs that track these benchmarks. It signals to portfolio managers that the asset meets specific liquidity and custody criteria—hurdles many tokens still can't clear.
The token now sits alongside Bitcoin and Ethereum in indices like the S&P Cryptocurrency Broad Digital Market Index. That’s a league previously reserved for the undisputed heavyweights.
The Ripple Effect Across Finance
This decision does more than boost one asset's profile. It validates the entire model of exchange-utility tokens, assets designed to power specific blockchain ecosystems rather than just act as digital gold. Expect scrutiny—and potentially emulation—from other index providers.
It also creates a fascinating feedback loop. As more passive capital flows in based on index composition, it reinforces the token's market position and liquidity, making it even more attractive to the next wave of institutional investors. A classic case of Wall Street's favorite magic trick: moving the market by deciding how to measure it.
The cynical take? The same institutions that spent years dismissing crypto now can't build products fast enough to profit from it. Welcome to finance, where skepticism is always for sale at the right price.
WhiteBIT Included In Major Crypto Indices
On Thursday, top crypto exchange WhiteBIT announced that its token, WBT, has been added to the S&P Cryptocurrency Broad Digital Market (BDM) Index, curated by S&P Dow Jones Indices (DJI).
The S&P BDM Index is designed to track the performance of crypto assets that meet strict institutional criteria, including liquidity, market capitalization, governance, transparency, and risk controls, and are listed on recognized open digital exchanges.
This marks an important milestone for both WhiteBIT and the broader fintech landscape in Central and Eastern Europe, the exchange noted, as it reinforces “the platform’s growing role in the global crypto economy” and highlights the industry’s MOVE toward regulated, infrastructure-level players.
In a statement, Volodymyr Nosov, CEO of WhiteBIT, affirmed that “being recognized by S&P DJI is more than an index inclusion — it signals that crypto infrastructure from our region has reached global institutional standards.”
The announcement also revealed that WBT was added to the other four S&P Dow Jones digital-asset indices, including the S&P cryptocurrency Broad Digital Asset (BDA) Index, S&P Cryptocurrency Financials Index, S&P Cryptocurrency LargeCap Ex-MegaCap Index, and the S&P Cryptocurrency LargeCap Index.
Notably, index providers have been expanding coverage beyond protocol-layer tokens as the industry matures, acknowledging the systemic role of exchanges and financial infrastructure platforms, positioning these companies within the global map of institutional-grade digital asset providers.
The exchange underscored that the classifications require a remarkable record of liquidity stability, transparent price formation, and consistent market cap behavior. “This is a turning point not only for our company but also for the evolution of compliant crypto services worldwide,” Nosov continued.
WhiteBIT’s Expansion And WBT’s Momentum
The S&P index inclusions follow a strong market performance from WBT, which rallied around 50% over the last three months, despite recent market volatility that sent many leading tokens to multi-month lows in the past few weeks.
In mid-November, the altcoin reached an all-time high (ATH) of $62.96, fueled by last month’s positive developments. As reported by Bitcoinist, WhiteBIT unveiled its entry into the Argentine and Brazilian markets, building on its expansion to Australia, Croatia, Italy, and Kazakhstan.
The move is expected to integrate local fiat providers and add support for local currencies, aiming to further enhance accessibility and convenience for domestic users in the two largest countries in South America.
Moreover, the exchange signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Durrah AlFodah Holding, represented by His Royal Highness Prince Naif Bin Abdullah Bin Saud Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to drive the Kingdom’s development in blockchain technology, digital finance, and data infrastructure.
Under the strategic agreement, WhiteBIT is set to provide technological expertise and infrastructure design. Meanwhile, Durrah AlFodah will facilitate the exchange’s market entry, regulatory engagement, and partnership development across Saudi Arabia.
Now, being part of S&P’s indices offers WBT a clear benchmark, the announcement added, facilitating its use in future financial products and long-term investment strategies.
This expanded representation marks an important shift for WBT: from a utility token into a component integrated into global benchmark structures used by investment firms, ETF/ETN designers, and quantitative research platforms. Its presence in multiple institutional models means that WBT is now incorporated into the analytical frameworks that guide long-term allocation strategies, diversified exposure construction, and risk-adjusted portfolio modelling.
In the late hours of December 3, WBT rallied to a new ATH of $63.05 before stabilizing around the $62 mark, according to CoinGecko data. This represents a 14.5% increase from the recent lows and a 9% surge in the weekly timeframe.
