STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grayscale, the world's largest digital asset-focused investment platform*, today announced that it is providing eligible investors with the ability to participate in-kind to select Grayscale products. Through in-kind, eligible investors can contribute an underlying digital asset directly in exchange for shares of a Grayscale product, rather than first selling the asset for fiat currency and making a cash investment.

“As digital assets mature, investors are seeking more secure and efficient ways to manage their crypto holdings,” said Steve Vanourny, Head of Index at Grayscale. “With growing cybersecurity threats, including self-custody and DeFi exploits, institutional custody is increasingly valuable. In-kind investing bridges direct crypto ownership and traditional portfolio management, offering access to professionally managed investment products while helping to unlock benefits such as margin and collateral use, estate planning, and broader portfolio flexibility.”

The Grayscale products currently available for in-kind and their respective approximate** minimum investment amounts, as of October 20, 2026, are outlined below:

Minimum investment amounts are subject to change without notice.

For investors who already hold digital assets, in-kind investing may provide a more direct way to move existing positions into traditional investment vehicles while maintaining exposure to the underlying asset through shares of the vehicle.  Shares may be held through brokerage or retirement accounts and incorporated into conventional portfolio management and estate-planning frameworks.

By holding exposure through shares, investors may also gain access to capabilities that are more difficult or unavailable when holding the underlying token directly. By contributing eligible tokens to a Grayscale product, investors can reduce the operational burden of self-custody and safekeeping while potentially lowering the execution costs associated with transacting on crypto marketplaces. Shares may also be eligible for use as margin or collateral, providing access to traditional lending markets, and can be paired with listed options to hedge exposure, help generate incremental income, or support estate planning.

Grayscale expects in-kind investing to become increasingly relevant as investors take a more sophisticated approach to managing digital asset exposure. The firm welcomes the opportunity to work with eligible investors and their advisors to evaluate whether the strategy may be appropriate for their circumstances and investment objectives.

Clients seeking to access in-kind subscriptions through the primary market must work with an Authorized Participant or another conduit to an Authorized Participant. In-kind subscriptions remain subject to product availability, facilitator fees and applicable terms. Clients should consult their financial, legal, and tax advisors regarding their individual circumstances.

Investors interested in exploring in-kind subscriptions and whether they may be appropriate for their circumstances can contact inkind@grayscale.com.

For more information about Grayscale’s investment products, please visit grayscale.com.

About Grayscale
Grayscale is the world’s largest digital asset-focused investment platform with a mission to make digital asset investing simpler and open to all investors. Founded in 2013, Grayscale has been at the forefront of bringing digital assets into the mainstream. The firm has a long history of firsts, including launching the first Bitcoin and Ethereum exchange traded products in the United States. Grayscale continues to pioneer the asset class by providing investors, advisors, and institutional allocators with access to a broad range of digital assets through a comprehensive suite of investment products spanning ETFs, private funds, and diversified strategies. For more information, please follow @Grayscale or visit grayscale.com.

*Largest digital asset-focused asset manager based on AUM as of 9/30/2026. For other companies in this category, AUM is considered as of most recent public disclosure.

**Approximate figure based on prevailing market prices as of 10/20/2026. This figure will fluctuate with the market price of the applicable digital asset.

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This information must be preceded or accompanied by a prospectus for the Grayscale ETPs. Click the following links to view a prospectus: BTC, GLNK, GDOG, ETH, GSOL, GSUI, GXRP, GAVA, HYPG, ZCSH (collectively, the “ETPs”).
 
The Grayscale ETPs are not investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and therefore are not subject to the same regulatory requirements as mutual funds or ETFs registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Investing in digital assets involves significant risk and heightened volatility, including possible loss of principal. An investment in the ETPs is not suitable for all investors, may be deemed speculative and is not intended as a complete investment program. An investment should be considered only by persons who can bear the risk of total loss associated with an investment in the ETPs. An investment in the ETPs is not a direct investment in any cryptocurrency.
  
This information should not be relied upon as research, investment advice, or a recommendation regarding any products, strategies, or any security in particular. This material is strictly for illustrative, educational, or informational purposes and is subject to change. This press release is not an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security in any jurisdiction where such an offer or solicitation would be illegal, nor shall there be any sale of any security in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of that jurisdiction.
 
Digital assets are assets designed to act as a medium of exchange, though some arguably have not achieved that purpose. Digital assets are an emerging asset class. Digital assets generally operate without a central authority (such as a bank) and are not backed by any government. Digital assets are not legal tender. Federal, state and/or foreign governments may restrict the use and exchange of digital assets, and regulation in the United States is still developing.

Converting tokens in kind into Grayscale’s spot crypto ETPs may require selling or swapping tokens into the underlying asset, creating exposure to market impact, slippage, and timing risk. The ETP shares received may trade at a premium or discount to NAV, so the economic exposure may not match the value of the contributed assets. The mechanism depends on authorized participants, custodians, and operational processes, introducing counterparty and execution risk, including potential loss from transfer errors or custody failures. Tax treatment is uncertain and may trigger taxable events, particularly when contributing assets other than the ETP’s underlying crypto.

The Sponsor does not store, hold, or maintain custody of the ETPs' digital assets but instead has entered into the Custodian Agreement with a third party to facilitate the security of its digital assets. The Custodian controls and secures an ETP’s digital asset accounts, a segregated custody account to store private keys, which allow for the transfer of ownership or control of the digital asset, on a ETP’s behalf. If the Custodian resigns or is removed by the Sponsor or otherwise, without replacement, it could trigger early termination of an ETP.

Foreside Fund Services, LLC is the marketing agent for the Grayscale ETPs.
 
© 2026 Grayscale. All trademarks, service marks and/or trade names (e.g., G™, GRAYSCALE^®, GRAYSCALE CRYPTO SECTORS™, and GRAYSCALE INVESTMENTS^®) are owned and/or registered by Grayscale.