##  [# 2026 ETF.com Award Nominees: Crypto/Digital Assets](/sections/crypto/2026-etfcom-award-nominees-cryptodigital-assets) 

 

# 2026 ETF.com Award Nominees: Crypto/Digital Assets

 

 

The Crypto/Digital Assets ETF category saw **44 new launches** in 2025, pulling in **$5.4B in first-year flows**. The category held **88 funds** by year's end, with **$146B in total assets** and **$42.3B in flows**1.

This category produced two unanimous picks from our judges—and both represent genuine firsts. From the first staking ETF to the first spot XRP to the first broad crypto index, 2025 was the year crypto ETFs grew up.



 

 

 

 

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[By ETF.com Staff](/contributors/etfcom-staff)

 Jan 09, 2026

 Edited by: ETF.com Staff

 

 

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### The Nominees

TickerFund NameAUMYTD FlowsER[**BSOL**](/bsol)Bitwise Solana Staking ETF$636M$837M0.00%\*[**XRPC**](/xrpc)Canary XRP ETF$334M$388M0.50%[**BITW**](/bitw)Bitwise 10 Crypto Index ETF$1.1BN/A0.75%[**GLNK**](/glnk)Grayscale Chainlink Trust ETF$74M$63M0.00%\*[**NCIQ**](/nciq)Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF$123M$123M0.25%\*Fee waivers in effect

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### [**BSOL**](/bsol) - Bitwise Solana Staking ETF

**Launched:** October 2025 | **ER:** 0.00%\* | **AUM:** $636M | **Issuer:** Bitwise  
  
**Investment Strategy**: BSOL is a passively managed ETP that offers 100% direct exposure to Solana (SOL) while also seeking to earn additional SOL from staking rewards.

- **Merit:** Very High - First Solana staking ETF that offers 100% direct investment in the underlying is a massive milestone
- **Position:** First-mover with landmark regulatory approval
- **Utility:** Excellent - “Solana exposure plus yield” is compelling
- **Power:** Very High - Staking ETFs are the future of crypto ETPs

**Why it’s nominated:** BSOL isn’t just a Solana ETF—it’s the proof of concept for staking in ETF wrappers. BSOL stakes 100% of its Solana holdings via Helius to capture approximately 7% staking yield on top of SOL price appreciation. The SEC’s approval opens the door for staking versions of other proof-of-stake assets. $56M in volume on day one (best 2025 launch until XRPC beat it weeks later) and $837M in flows prove the demand was there.

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### [**XRPC**](/xrpc) - Canary XRP ETF

**Launched:** November 2025 | **ER:** 0.50% | **AUM:** $334M | **Issuer:** Canary Capital  
  
**Investment Strategy**: XRPC aims to provide the price performance of XRP, less fees and expenses by holding XRP in Trust. The net asset value is priced each day at 4:00 pm ET based on an aggregate price for XRP.

- **Merit:** Very High - First spot XRP access in ETF form
- **Position:** First-mover with dominant market share
- **Utility:** Excellent - “XRP in a brokerage account” is simple
- **Power:** High - XRP has a large, loyal holder base

**Why it’s nominated:** XRP has one of the most dedicated communities in crypto, and they’ve been waiting years for a proper ETF. Canary got there first and reaped the rewards. XRPC is the first-ever spot XRP ETF in the United States. It launched to $58M in day-one volume—the highest of any ETF launch in 2025 across 900+ new funds. This day-one volume record across all 2025 launches—not just crypto—validates the pent-up demand. XRPC now larger than all other US XRP ETFs combined.

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### [BITW](/bitw) - Bitwise 10 Crypto Index ETF

**Launched:** December 2025 | **ER:** 0.75% | **AUM:** $1.1B | **Issuer:** Bitwise  
  
**Investment Strategy**: BITW provides direct exposure to a portfolio of large-cap crypto assets held in custody, tracking a rules-based index of the largest digital assets by free-float market capitalization. The fund offers a way to access crypto markets without handling the assets directly.

- **Merit:** Very High - First broad crypto index fund
- **Position:** First-mover on diversified crypto indexing
- **Utility:** Excellent - “own the crypto market” is easy to explain
- **Power:** High - Index investing works in every asset class

**Why it’s nominated:** Index investing has won in every asset class, and why should crypto be different? BITW brings the diversification benefits of indexing to digital assets. Instead of picking winners among Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana, and the rest, investors can own the market. The $1.1B in AUM demonstrates institutional appetite for diversified crypto exposure.

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### [**GLNK**](/glnk) - Grayscale Chainlink Trust ETF

**Launched:** December 2025 | **ER:** 0.00%\* | **AUM:** $74M | **Issuer:** Grayscale  
  
**Investment Strategy**: GLNK is passively invested in LINK, Chainlinks native token. The investment objective is to provide the value of LINK, net of staking rewards, fees, expenses and other liabilities.

- **Merit:** High - DeFi infrastructure is differentiated from L1 plays
- **Position:** Only Chainlink ETF available
- **Utility:** Good - “The oracle network” requires some explanation
- **Power:** High - Oracles are essential DeFi plumbing

**Why it’s nominated:** Most crypto ETFs offer exposure to Layer 1 blockchains—Bitcoin, Ethereum, Solana. GLNK is different: it’s a bet on the infrastructure layer that makes DeFi work. Grayscale’s Chainlink Trust converted to ETF form, providing exposure to LINK, the token powering the Chainlink oracle network. Chainlink is critical infrastructure for DeFi, providing the data feeds that smart contracts need to interact with the real world, with Chainlink’s oracle network used by hundreds of protocols to bring off-chain data on-chain. If you believe in DeFi’s future, you need oracles.

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### [**NCIQ**](/nciq) - Hashdex Nasdaq Crypto Index US ETF

**Launched:** February 2025 | **ER:** 0.25% | **AUM:** $123M | **Issuer:** Hashdex  
  
**Investment Strategy**: NCIQ seeks to track a market cap-weighted index composed of bitcoin (BTH) and ether (ETH). It invests directly in the crypto assets and will not utilize leverage and derivatives.

- **Merit:** High - Nasdaq-branded crypto indexing
- **Position:** Early mover with institutional backing
- **Utility:** Good - “Nasdaq crypto index” carries weight
- **Power:** Moderate - competes with BITW for diversified flows

**Why it’s nominated:** The Nasdaq brand matters in crypto. For advisors and institutions wary of crypto-native providers, having Nasdaq’s methodology and oversight provides comfort. NCIQ provides a diversified crypto index ETF tracking the Nasdaq Crypto Index. The strategy offers market-cap-weighted exposure to major cryptocurrencies with Nasdaq’s institutional credibility behind the methodology. At 25 basis points, NCIQ undercuts BITW on cost, offering a credible alternative for diversified crypto exposure.

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1. *All data sourced from FactSet as of 12/26/25.*

For more information about the ETF.com awards process, [click here](https://www.etf.com/sections/features/best-etfs-2025-award-announcement-coming-soon).

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