Core Viewpoint - 21Shares US LLC has announced enhancements to the 21Shares Ethereum ETF (TETH), including the introduction of staking and a 12-month waiver of the sponsor fee, aimed at providing investors with additional yield-generating opportunities and cost efficiency [1][3][4]. Group 1: Product Enhancements - The Trust will participate in Ethereum's network validation process through staking, allowing investors to benefit from the yield-generating potential of the protocol [2][11]. - TETH will continue to track the performance of ether, adjusted for the Trust's expenses and liabilities, while reflecting rewards from staking a portion of the Trust's ether [2][3]. - The total expense ratio (TER) for TETH is set at 0.21%, which will be fully waived for the first 12 months starting from October 9, 2025 [3]. Group 2: Market Position and Strategy - 21Shares manages over $12 billion in assets globally and has a significant presence across major exchanges in Europe and the U.S., indicating its strong market position [4]. - The introduction of staking to TETH is described as a natural evolution of Ethereum investment products in the U.S. market, reinforcing the company's goal to deliver institutional-grade crypto products [4]. - 21Shares also offers the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (ARKB), which has quickly established itself as a leading spot Bitcoin ETF in the U.S. with over $5.5 billion in assets under management [4]. Group 3: Company Background - 21Shares AG, an affiliate of 21Shares US LLC, is recognized as one of the world's leading cryptocurrency exchange-traded product providers, with a focus on making cryptocurrency more accessible to investors [6]. - The company has a seven-year track record of creating crypto exchange-traded funds listed on major securities exchanges globally, supported by a specialized research team and deep capital markets expertise [6].

Core Insights - Grayscale Investments has announced updated fund component weightings for its DeFi Fund, Smart Contract Fund, and AI Fund following their third quarter 2025 reviews [1][2][3] Fund Adjustments - The DeFi Fund (DEFG) has removed MakerDAO (MKR) from its portfolio and added Aerodrome Finance (AERO) based on the CoinDesk DeFi Select Index methodology [2] - The Smart Contract Fund (GSC) has adjusted its portfolio by selling existing components and reallocating the proceeds to purchase existing components, maintaining its alignment with the CoinDesk Smart Contract Platform Select Capped Index [3] - The AI Fund has added Story (IP) to its portfolio while selling existing components, in accordance with its fund methodology [3][8] Fund Characteristics - None of the funds (DEFG, GSC, AI Fund) generate income and regularly distribute fund components to cover ongoing expenses, leading to a gradual decrease in the amount of fund components represented by shares over time [4] - The DeFi Fund aims to provide exposure to leading decentralized finance platforms through a market cap-weighted portfolio [9] - The Smart Contract Fund seeks to provide exposure to industry-leading smart contract platforms, also through a market cap-weighted portfolio [11] - The AI Fund focuses on protocols building decentralized AI services and solutions to centralized AI-related problems [16] Fund Performance - The DeFi Fund has not met its investment objective to reflect the value of fund components held, with shares trading at both premiums and discounts to such value [10]

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Cypher, founded in 2022, the on-chain payment and loyalty platform, officially launched its protocol's native token on October 5, 2025 at 9:00 UTC. The token immediately secured listings across major centralized and decentralized exchanges, including Binance Alpha, KuCoin, and Aerodrome Finance (Base’s leading DEX). The token started trending #1 on Dexscreener shortly after its launch on the Base network. These high-profile listings are intended to provide i ...

Core Insights - The year 2025 is pivotal for cryptocurrency investments, with a notable increase in institutional interest and venture capital funding in blockchain and digital asset projects globally [2][10] - Leading global funds are now seen as key players in the crypto ecosystem, identifying and supporting innovative blockchain projects [3][24] Venture Capital Funds - Crypto-focused venture capital firms are at the forefront of funding innovation, managing substantial assets and investing in a range of projects from early-stage to mature blockchain enterprises [4][10] - Paradigm, founded by veterans from Sequoia Capital and Coinbase, has a diversified portfolio including projects like BlockFi and MakerDAO, focusing on lending and decentralized finance [5] - Pantera Capital, the first U.S. institutional asset manager dedicated to blockchain, emphasizes diversified exposure to blockchain tokens with investments in projects like Filecoin and Polkadot [6] - Digital Currency Group (DCG) invests in over 100 early-stage digital asset companies globally, covering a wide range of the crypto ecosystem [7] - Blockchain Capital has backed over 90 ventures, including AAVE and Coinbase, with a disciplined, research-driven investment approach [8] - Polychain Capital focuses on privacy technologies and cross-chain solutions, with a portfolio that includes Filecoin and Avalanche [11] - Galaxy Digital has evolved into a multi-product crypto financial services provider, expanding its offerings for both retail and institutional clients [12] Institutional Investment - Institutional investors are increasingly driving crypto adoption, with significant allocations to Bitcoin and Ethereum, which typically represent 60-75% of their crypto portfolios [10][17] - BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF has amassed over $85 billion in assets, while its Ethereum ETF has reached $15.3 billion, showcasing the integration of traditional finance with crypto [14][15] - Corporate investments in Bitcoin have surged, with MicroStrategy holding nearly 600,000 BTC, reflecting a strategic approach to using Bitcoin as a store of value [16] Market Impact - The investments from leading funds provide critical liquidity and capital for blockchain innovation, influencing market sentiment and asset valuations [20] - Following the strategies of top VC funds and institutional players can offer retail investors valuable insights and opportunities [21] - The growing enthusiasm for crypto among institutional investors is reshaping the financial landscape, with a focus on digital currencies, DeFi, and blockchain infrastructure [22][23]

Popular crypto wallet MetaMask unveiled native support for Hyperliquid on Wednesday, allowing users to more easily speculate on the price of various cryptocurrencies through the up-and-coming decentralized exchange. In a press release, MetaMask said the integration is a direct response to the growing popularity of perpetual futures, which allow traders to make outsized bets on digital assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum using leverage, and unlike traditional features, don’t feature an expiration date. Traders ...

Technology & Innovation - Near Protocol is revolutionizing blockchain with AI integration [1] - Near offers lightning fast transactions, unparalleled scalability, and Fort Knox level security [1] - Near is solving real world problems from supply chain to decentralized finance [1] - Near attracts developers with its user-friendly multi-language platform [1] Market Position & Growth - Near's explosive growth is turning heads across the crypto universe [1] - Industry suggests to not miss the next big thing in blockchain [1]

Core Insights - BTCS Inc. is participating in the Water Tower Research Fireside Chat Series on October 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with CEO Charles Allen as a speaker [1][2] - The company focuses on Ethereum-first blockchain technology and aims to drive scalable revenue and ETH accumulation through its DeFi/TradFi Accretion Flywheel strategy [2] Company Overview - BTCS Inc. is a U.S.-based blockchain technology company that integrates decentralized finance (DeFi) and traditional finance (TradFi) mechanisms [2] - The company operates through NodeOps (staking) and Builder+ (block building) to provide leveraged exposure to Ethereum [2] Event Details - The Fireside Chat will be hosted by Dr. John Roy, Managing Director – Technology at Water Tower Research, and is open for all investors to participate [2] - Interested parties can register for the event via the provided Zoom link [2]

DeFi Development (NASDAQ:DFDV) on Wednesday announced a special dividend to be distributed in the form of warrants to holders of the company's common stock as of October 23, 2025. Each registered stockholder as of the record date will receive one warrant for every ten shares of company common stock held. Additionally, in lieu of an adjustment to the applicable conversion rate, holders of the company's convertible senior notes due 2030 will receive warrants on an as converted to common stock basis in accor ...

Group 1: Core Developments - Forward Industries Inc. launched an institutional-grade validator node on the Solana blockchain in partnership with DoubleZero, enhancing speed and scalability across the ecosystem [1][3] - The validator operates with 0% commission, allowing Solana holders to delegate stake at no cost, with all tokens staked by Forward Industries currently delegated to this validator [2] - The validator is expected to rank among the top ten Solana validators globally, marking a significant shift for the company from a capital allocator to an active ecosystem contributor [3] Group 2: Strategic Partnerships - The collaboration with DoubleZero includes pilot programs aimed at revenue optimization, bandwidth expansion, and latency reduction, reinforcing Solana's appeal for institutional and enterprise use [3] - Forward Industries is aligning with leading innovators in blockchain infrastructure, including Galaxy and Jump Crypto, to strengthen Solana's resiliency and support its institutional adoption [4][5] Group 3: Financial Developments - In September, Forward Industries successfully closed a private investment in public equity (PIPE) financing, raising $1.65 billion before fees and expenses, with over $300 million contributed by Galaxy Digital, Jump Crypto, and Multicoin Capital [5][6] - The proceeds from the funding round will be used to establish cryptocurrency treasury operations, focusing on purchasing SOL, the native token of the Solana blockchain, along with working capital and future transactions [6]

Core Viewpoint - The Trump family is exploring the tokenization of their real estate assets, allowing broader access to investments in high-value properties like Trump Tower Dubai [2][4]. Group 1: Trump Family Real Estate Portfolio - The Trump family possesses a significant real estate asset portfolio, which is considered one of the most exciting globally [2]. - Trump Tower Dubai is an 80-story international hotel project, expected to feature luxury apartments and penthouses starting from $1 million [3]. Group 2: Tokenization and Investment Access - Discussions are ongoing at World Liberty Financial regarding the tokenization of properties owned by the Trump family, aiming to democratize access to Class A real estate investments [4][5]. - The project is projected to cost around $1 billion, with completion anticipated by late 2031 [4]. Group 3: World Liberty Financial Initiatives - World Liberty Financial, co-founded by Zach Witkoff, is linked to the Trump family and is focused on decentralized finance [2]. - The company currently offers a stablecoin called USD1 and plans to launch lending services, along with a debit card for cryptocurrency payments [5].