• First of its kind: The Bitwise Aptos Staking ETP is the world’s first Aptos ETP, demonstrating Bitwise’s continued leadership in providing access to new opportunities in the emerging crypto asset class.
• Exposure to Aptos, a high-performance Layer 1 blockchain: Aptos is often described as a “production ready” blockchain due to its high speed and cost efficiency. Several large financial institutions and consumer brands have recently chosen to build on it.
• Staking: The ETP will seek to stake the Aptos it holds, which is expected to generate additional returns of approximately 4.7% net of fees.

Bitwise Asset Management announced that a new Bitwise Aptos Staking ETP is scheduled to list on the SIX Swiss Exchange on November 19, 2024. The product will be the first Aptos staking ETP in the world.¹

Bitwise designed the ETP to be accessible to both institutional and retail investors via regulated markets, utilizing a best-in-class custodian, auditor, administrator, and staking infrastructure. The Aptos Staking ETP is physically backed and will stake the underlying Aptos to generate returns (net of fees) of approximately 4.7%, which will be accumulated directly within the ETP.

A high-performance Layer 1 blockchain, Aptos launched in 2022, two years after Solana and seven years after Ethereum. Aptos has been lauded for breakthrough performance that enables enterprise-scale applications, with the blockchain having grown to over 8 million monthly active users. Aptos Labs, which is a core contributor to the blockchain, is led by a senior team that previously worked on Meta’s blockchain initiative, and the organization is backed by leading institutional investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Apollo Global Management, PayPal Ventures, and Franklin Templeton Investments.

The Aptos Staking ETP is the second product in Bitwise Europe’s Total Return product suite, following the ETC Group Ethereum Staking ETP, which recently surpassed $50 million in assets under management.

“For seven years, Bitwise has been a dedicated partner to investors working to understand and access the opportunities in the new crypto asset class,” said Hunter Horsley, CEO and co-founder at Bitwise. “With the launch of Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETPs in the U.S., a huge cross-section of investors have begun researching and adding digital assets to their portfolios this year. We’re thrilled to launch the Bitwise Aptos Staking ETP to expand access to one of the most exciting next-generation blockchains in the space.”

“Accessibility is core to the Aptos ecosystem. Every day, users from all corners of the world and all levels of experience build, transact, and create on Aptos,” said Bashar Lazaar, Head of Grants and Ecosystem at Aptos Foundation. “This ETP makes joining the Aptos ecosystem more accessible and opens the door for new voices, developers, and audiences to get involved in a secure and transparent way.”

“As a leading asset manager in the crypto industry, Bitwise is in a position to expand financial inclusivity on a global scale,” said Mo Shaikh, CEO and co-founder of Aptos Labs and a key contributor to the Aptos ecosystem. “Their Aptos Staking ETP marks a significant leap forward for the future of institutional adoption and validates the reliability, scalability, and speed of the Aptos blockchain. I can’t wait to see what new potential it will unlock in the near future.”

Bradley Duke, Head of Europe at Bitwise, added: “We have seen investors in Europe increasingly engaging with the digital asset class this year. The Aptos Staking ETP is designed for forward-thinking institutional investors and crypto-savvy individuals looking for a high-quality way to get exposure to this promising blockchain through a regulated wrapper. We’re thrilled to introduce the Bitwise Aptos Staking ETP via a primary listing on SIX Swiss Exchange.”

The Aptos Staking ETP is the tenth ETP for Bitwise in Europe, joining a suite that includes the largest and most liquid physically backed Bitcoin ETP and the fast-growing Ethereum staking ETP, which launched earlier this year. The Bitwise Aptos Staking ETP is also the first product launched by Bitwise since its acquisition of ETC Group in August. Following the Aptos ETP’s debut on the SIX Swiss Exchange, Bitwise plans to list the product on other leading European stock exchanges.

Staking is a way to generate income for crypto asset owners. When token holders stake their tokens to validate transactions on a Proof of Stake (PoS) blockchain network such as Aptos, they contribute to the security of the blockchain and receive additional tokens as rewards. In many ways staking is similar to receiving dividends in equities.

Source: Bitwise